Sydney

Sydney Opera House Guided Backstage Tour

Sydney, Australia
Sydney Opera House Guided Backstage Tour
  • 3 hours
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

Get an exclusive experience of the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Sydney Opera House on a backstage tour of this world-famous center for the performing arts. Your expert guide shares stories about the real-life dramas behind the curtain and in the venue's storied history since it opened in 1973. Go behind the scenes to see parts of the opera house normally reserved for staff and performers, including the stage and dressing rooms. Wrap up this fascinating morning tour by sitting down with your small-group companions for a light breakfast with your guide and small-group companions at the Green Room. Numbers are limited to 10 participants for a more intimate tour.
  • Guided backstage tour of the Sydney Opera House
  • Gain exclusive access to rooms reserved for performers and staff
  • Walk on the same stage where luminaries such as Cate Blanchett, Luciano Pavarotti and Ella Fitzgerald have performed
  • Get the inside scoop on what goes on behind the scenes from your knowledgeable guide
  • Learn the history of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed building
  • Small-group tour limited to 10 people ensures an intimate experience with fellow art-lovers

What's Included

  • Behind the scenes tour - with a professional guide
  • Breakfast
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Sydney Opera House
    Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

    Please meet your tour guide at 6:45 am at the Sydney Opera House Stage Door located on the ground level of the Sydney Opera House.

Start time

07:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Meet your small-group tour guide at Stage Door to begin your backstage experience of the UNESCO-listed Sydney Opera House. Experience what it's like to walk through Stage Door, where thousands of actors, performers, and famous names have walked before. Performing arts fans of all stripes will relish the chance to experience the inner workings of this famous venue.

Get started early in order to ensure that you can access rehearsal areas, dressing rooms, and concert stages; access that is restricted later in the day. You might catch a glimpse of actors, dancers, or musicians as they warm up backstage. You may step onto the conductor's podium and view the orchestra section, then walk onstage where countless artists have performed, seeing the majesty of the opera house from their perspective.

Complete the experience with a light breakfast at the Green Room, where you can ask further questions and hear more stories. It's the perfect ending to a memorable tour of this iconic performing arts center.

Sydney Opera House

Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • Minimum age to participate is 10 years old
  • Please note: There are over 300 stairs on this tour, a moderate level of physical fitness is required to participate on the tour
  • Due to safety requirements - fully covered enclosed rubber soled shoes must be worn for the duration of the tour
  • Please meet your tour guide at the Sydney Opera House Stage Door at 6:45am - your tour will commence at 7:00am sharply
  • Venue access is subject to availability at the time of your tour and can change up until tour departure time.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

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Reviews

5.0
225 reviews
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Showing 1-10 of 225 reviews
A must-experience part of Sydney Opera Hoise
Nadya_K, Apr 2024
Alan was awesome and explained well all the bits of the opera house, allowing us time to enjoy, take pictures and soak in the views.
Wonderful tour!
Alanna_L, Mar 2024
This small group tour was in-depth and adventurous! it was really cool to stand above, below, behind and ON the Joan Sutherland stage and the Concert Hall stage. After the tour, we enjoyed a lovely lunch in the cafe (included) and then proceeded to the Box Office where we had the opportunity to purchase symphony tickets for later the same morning. For us, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to then sit in the audience knowing that just minutes before the concert, we stood on that very stage.
Outstanding tour of Australia’s landmark
Samuel_K, Jan 2024
The tour took us thru the opera house from a view behind the scenes. We saw the areas used to assemble and move the sets, that includes some large and unique elevators. We also stood on the stages of the two largest venues therein. The tour included a visit to the uniques orchestra pit, above the scenery, and in a dressing room. The guide was very knowledgeable about the events, the opera house, and its history and operation. We were provided a huge breakfast at the end of the tour, in the green room where the performers and staff take their breaks. Overall - an outstanding tour of a national landmark.
Stunning!
Jodi_T, Jan 2024
This intimate tour behind the scenes at the Sydney opera house was well worth the price! We toured every major venue and stood on the stage of the Joan Sutherland theater. Or guide, Bella, shared so much information about the opera house. The breakfast far surpassed our expectations. Seeing the SOH from this perspective was a rare treat. Can’t wait to see the performance of The Magic Flute on opening night.
Wonderful tour
Elizabeth_E, Jan 2024
Our tour was wonderful! Bruce was extremely knowledgeable and very funny. Our group represented many countries, and Bruce made it easy to chat and enjoy the tour together. Breakfast was great!
Highly recommend
Ievgeniia_G, Dec 2023
Definitely feels like a very exclusive tour and you feel like VIP or wannabe star. Fascinating to see behind the scenes. Even not knowing much about workings of opera or theater, I felt great learning at this architectural masterpiece
Marvelous tour of the Sydney Opera House!
Joseph_G, Dec 2023
It was a wonderful tour. The guide was marvelous and we had a glorious time! I recommend it to everyone!
Great tour!
Linda_W, Dec 2023
You get to see everything - backstage, onstage, up on the catwalks, in the orchestra pit - all over!
Absolutely Amazing!
Kurtis_K, Dec 2023
This was such an incredible tour! Absolutely one of the highlights of my trip! Our tour guide Jeanette was fantastic and so knowledgeable! There is so much going on behind the scenes at the Opera House, and getting to see it and learn more about it was beyond fascinating. Yes, the tour was early, but it was 1000% worth it. The breakfast at the end was also pretty delicious, and I really enjoyed chatting with the other tour participants.
This was exceptional....
Jay_G, Nov 2023
This was exceptional. From the balcony in the Music Hall to on the stage in the Opera/theatric Hall to up the rafters above the stage in a smaller venue, it was great. The initial design, engineering, and final interior completion of such a grand facility, and the renovations to make it better, is hard to imagine. The guides commentary really added to the experience. Definitely a Bucket List check-off. I'm glad Eero Sarrinen stuck to his guns.
A very enjoyable experience
Gisella_Z, Oct 2023
The tour guide- Susan was very informative, passionate about the OH and entertaining all at the same time! A behind the scenes tour of a place we love gave us a deeper perspective of the spectacle that is the Opera House. Very much enjoyed!
Book this tour!
Jonathan_D, Aug 2023
Everything was a memorable experience. We had a fantastic guide that made it very fun and entertaining. Highly recommend!
Worth getting up early for
Chandra_H, Aug 2023
Brave the early start time and build this into your holiday schedule. Or if you are a local and have not done this, it is wonderful. Bruce, our tour guide was amazing, passionate about the Opera House and all of it's history.
Definitely worth the early wakeup
Anita_G, Mar 2020
Excellent tour. We were taken all around the backstage area and our guide shared lots of information around what happens behind the scenes, all the work that goes on to insure a successful production, and how the sets are moved in and out quickly and efficiently. She also shared some interesting anecdotes when things didn't go exactly as planned and performers had to do some some quick thinking to avoid disruptions. Very good breakfast too! Highly recommend this tour.
unique
Swissgirl, Mar 2020
Unique experience, great guide, very knowledgeable and entertaining. Great opportunity to look behind the scenes.
The best way to see the Opera House
Holly_S, Mar 2020
Was on this tour Monday morning with my brother and 8 others. Great overview of the Opera House, and how it works. I expected a lot more stairs, but because they showed us the rails for the drama theatre, and not the opera, the tour is friendly even for those with sore legs...(little different than when I was on it 5 years ago with my daughter). The cover history as well as the workings behind the scenes, which anyone involved in local community theatre will really appreciate. Tour ends with a lovely breakfast in the green room (which has a view of the water), making the early 7am start well worth it. Also as a nice perk - if you buy tickets for a show and you have been on a tour, there is a discount, let them know at the box office. Heads up - you meet at the 'backstage door' - not where the other tours do.
Storage and moving of stage scenery!!
Sara_S, Mar 2020
Wonderful tour- and our guide was so knowledgeable. Well worth being there by 6:45 am. From entry through the stage door to delicious breakfast in the green room, all corridors and backstage areas were toured.
Behind the scenes
WILLIAM_L, Feb 2020
Jeanette did a lovely job during our behind the scenes tour, she is very knowledgeable! You can tell she has been guiding guests for years, we never got lost!
Sydney Opera House backstage tour
Diane_C, Feb 2020
Excellent tour. I highly recommend this tour. Steve is a great tour guide and is very knowledgeable of the opera house. The pace was perfect and the breakfast was great to end the perfect tour.
Great Opera House Tour!
Carl_S, Feb 2020
It is an excellent tour, but it is pretty strenuous, so be prepared. We thoroughly enjoyed it! We viewed all the different venues in the Opera House and learned much about it! Did you know it is covered in tiles?
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