Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti perform 'Brindisi' from Verdi's 'La Traviata'. The two opera greats are conducted by Richard Bonynge at the Sydney Opera House in 1983. | ABC Classic

Enjoy this rare look behind the doors of the Joan Sutherland Theatre, before the space becomes alive with the activities and performances of the day. As part of our Decade of Renewal, important upgrades have been made to the accessibility of the Joan Sutherland Theatre, to ensure that the Sydney Opera House truly is a place for everyone. In this video you’ll see our new level passageway, providing an accessible path of travel from the Southern to the Northern Foyer. A new lift connects all level

Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia is an astonishing showcase for an astonishing singer, with vocal lines that defy belief and achingly beautiful melodies. But more than that, it’s a first-rate drama, with poisonings and betrayals galore, and a captivating tale of ruthless people going to extraordinary lengths to have their way. Dame Joan Sutherland stars in this production filmed at the Sydney Opera House in 1977, while at the height of her powers. In this clip, she brings her unparalleled vocal talen

Here we have Luciano Pavarotti and Joan Sutherland singing the great love duet from Lucia di Lammermoor at the farewell gala honoring Rudolf Bing, the legendary General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera. I remember watching this clip over and over in college, thinking to myself, I just want to sing that well. The ease, the line, the generosity of sound — this is what great singing looks like when everything is aligned. No forcing. No pushing. Just mastery meeting mastery. I’m so glad I get to sh

On this day in 1926, Australia's greatest operatic voice, and the megastar our opera theatre got its name from, was born. What better way to celebrate the occasion than with this historic treat; Dame Joan Sutherland performing La Traviata on our stage with Luciano Pavarotti. 📽 Courtesy of ABC Classic | Sydney Opera House

Classical Icons: Dame Joan Sutherland Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the passing of one of the world’s most celebrated operatic sopranos, whose voice combined beauty and power. Known as La Stupenda, Sutherland rose to international fame after her 1959 Covent Garden debut in Lucia di Lammermoor, receiving a rapturous reception for both her singing and acting. She soon signed an exclusive contract with Decca, capturing her career milestones, and from 1963 worked closely with her husband, conduc