With unicorns, crystal balls, and snow falling on Sydney Harbour, there is no denying that the Harbour City will be nothing short of magical this Autumn with a captivating line-up of extraordinary events.
8 March 2018NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Adam Marshall said, “Sydney is magical by its very nature with its blue skies, sparkling harbour and exciting events calendar.
“This Autumn, three eclectic and awe-inspiring arts events including Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, the 21st Biennale of Sydney and The Lady and the Unicorn, will provide an additional layer of wonder to the cultural fabric of the city. I encourage everyone to start planning a visit to these stunning events that can only be experienced in Sydney.”
Here’s a snapshot of some of the magic to be discovered in Sydney this Autumn:
The Lady and the Unicorn – so dazzling it will cast a spell over you
on now until 24 June
It is one of the greatest surviving textiles from the European Middle Ages; a rare masterpiece of French art. Designed in Paris circa 1500 and unlikely to ever travel outside France again, the six magnificent Lady and the Unicorn medieval tapestries can be viewed exclusively at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney and are set to mesmerise audiences from Australia and around the world.
A generous and exceptional loan from the Musée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âge, Paris, The Lady and the Unicorn is often referred to as the ‘Mona Lisa of the Middle Ages.’ Woven in wool and silk to a French design, the majestic tapestries comprise six entrancing works that together, due to their significant scale, span over twenty metres in length. Five of the tapestries depict the five senses, with a sixth representing the heart, or understanding. Within the tapestries a lady flanked by a lion and a unicorn is surrounded by a fantastical world of animals, trees and flowers.
21st Biennale of Sydney - Wonder at the scale and splendour of free art available across the city
16 March – 11 June
The Biennale provides a platform for art and ideas presenting innovative, thought-provoking art from Australia and around the globe. For the 45th anniversary of the event 70 artists will present work at seven venues across Sydney.
Ai Weiwei is arguably one of the most famous Chinese artists living today, his art exists in the space between art and activism, with two of his breathtaking works featured during Biennale.
At Artspace Woolloomoolloo, art lovers will be mesmerised with Crystal Ball 2017. This impressive sculptural installation consists of a large glass sphere cradled by a nest of life jackets. Associated with fortune-telling and clairvoyance, a crystal ball is thought to predict the future. Here, Ai’s piece reveals a world inverted; a chaotic reality and the effects of conflict and the forced displacement currently faced by millions of people around the world.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour - La Bohème – So mesmerising you will fall in love with Sydney all over again
23 March – 22 April
The romance of the original Bohemian love story, La Bohème, will captivate audiences on the magnificent floating stage at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour when it opens next month. Set in a wintery 1960s Parisian landscape, featuring beautiful cobblestone laneways, glowing street lamps and classical costumes, this production of Puccini’s renowned opera will demonstrate why Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour has become revered as one of the world’s greatest outdoor operas.
This year, flurries of ‘snow’ will take the outdoor opera experience to a whole new level with this stunning production. It will be the first time that snow has been used as a special effect on Sydney Harbour, with snow set to fall on the harbour bringing to life the magic of Paris in the 1960s.
For more information go to visitnsw.com or sydney.com
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