Alan John’s The Eighth Wonder will return in a large-scale, outdoor production – with headphones attached.

Opera Australia is to stage Sydney’s first large-scale, live, “silent” opera when it presents Alan John’s Sydney Opera House – The Opera using the iconic building itself as a backdrop. Presented by the producers of Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, the steps of the Opera House will be transformed into a stage for the first time in the building’s history, while the 3,500 audience members, sitting on the Forecourt, will listen on headphones.

^{Stacey Allleaume will perform in Sydney Opera House – The Opera. Photo by Prudence Upton}

The Eighth Wonder, as it was originally called, was premiered by Opera Australia (OA) in 1995. Set in 1960s Australia – land of Hills Hoists, cricket pitches and backyard barbies – it tells the dramatic story of the creation of the Sydney Opera House, including ballooning costs, the departure of the architect and the coming-of-age of a country.

The singers will perform on the steps wearing radio mikes, while the orchestra and chorus will perform live inside. The sound will be combined and transmitted to the audience through state-of-the...