From luminaries of opera to the next generation of Australian fashion designers – read on to find out what local and international artists are serving up in Sydney this August. 

In the theatre

The Talented Mr. Ripley. Image by Derek Henderson. 

7-8 August – Shore Break at Bondi Pavilion. A poetic and poignant exploration into isolation, Shore Break is a riveting piece of storytelling with a tour de force performance by Chris Pitman.

8-30 August – The 39 Steps at Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre. Four actors, 130 characters and 100 minutes of hilarity in this Alfred Hitchock adaptation starring Lisa McCune, Ian Stenlake and The Umbilical Brothers.

Until 9 August – Trophy Boys at Riverside Theatres. If you missed it at Carriageworks, you can still enjoy this Best New Australian Work winner, a witty satire on the insecurities surrounding adolescent masculinity and entitlement.

From 11 August – The Talented Mr. Ripley at Roslyn Packer Theatre. Meet literature’s most irresistible conman in Sydney Theatre Company’s thrilling new adaptation starring Heartbreak High’s Will McDonald. 

From 21 August – The Face of Jizo at Seymour Centre.  Commemorating 80 years since the bombing of Hiroshima with an acclaimed Japanese play by Hisashi Inoue.

Until 23 August – The Emerald City at Ensemble Theatre – David Williamson’s refreshed take on his iconic 1980s triumph returns to Ensemble with sharp new relevance.

Until 24 August – Grief is the Thing with Feathers at Belvoir St Theatre. Max Porter’s exquisite verse novel becomes a fresh stage version in the hands of Simon Phillips, Nick Schlieper and Toby Schmitz.

All month – Circle Mirror Transformation at Sydney Theatre Company Wharf 1 Theatre. Rebecca Gibney and Cameron Daddo make their Sydney Theatre Company debuts in a play about the magic of art, from an award-winning US playwright.

Opera and classical

The Marriage of Figaro.

Until 11 August – Rusalka at Sydney Opera House Joan Sutherland Theatre. Dvořák’s rich, romantic opera draws you into a dream-like world of light and shadow. Featuring voice-of-a-generation Nicole Car this Opera Australia production boasts five-star reviews.

12-16 August – Circa and the Art of Fugue at City Recital Hall. The meticulous intellect of Johann Sebastian Bach meets the breath-taking physicality of contemporary acrobatics.

16 August – Lost Birds at White Bay Power Station. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs’ acclaimed Chamber Singers perform a powerful and moving concert inspired by the natural world and the effects of industrialisation.

23 August – Peter and the Wolf at Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Join the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for an enchanting, family-friendly musical tale that has been inspiring young music lovers for generations.

23 August – ACO Up Close: Shostakovich, Silvestrov & Bach at ACO On The Pier. Satu Vänskä leads a deep exploration of the majesty and heartache of Shostakovich and Silvestrov chamber works, set alongside the depth and ecstasy of JS Bach.

From 23 August – La Boheme at Sydney Opera House Joan Sutherland Theatre. Step into glittering 1930s Berlin in this spectacular staging of an opera’s most moving bohemian classic.

Until 27 August – The Marriage of Figaro at Sydney Opera House Joan Sutherland Theatre. With a witty, fast-moving libretto and hum-along melodies, Mozart’s classic comedy by Opera Australia will be sure to charm. 

All month – Carmen at Sydney Opera House Joan Sutherland Theatre. A bold new production of the visceral opera classic, leaning into the revolutionary heart of Bizet’s once groundbreaking opera.

Contemporary music

Montaigne

7 August – Christine Anu and Zipporah Corsen-Anu at Sydney Opera House Utzon Room. A beautiful evening of conversation and storytelling with iconic Torres Strait Islander artist Christine Anu and her rising star daughter Zipporah Corser-Anu.

9 August – Montaigne at Marys Underground. Montaigne's it's hard to be a fish album tour hits an iconic Sydney venue. 

9 August  – Pup at The Metro. Canadian punk rock outfit return to Australia to celebrate their fifth studio album. 

15 August – The Preatures at Liberty Hall. The iconic Sydney band reunites for a 15-date tour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their ground-breaking debut album.

15 August – The Cat Empire at Enmore Theatre. With a global fanbase almost as immense as their energy levels, The Cat Empire promise a night bursting with passion, groove and heart. 

15 August – Big Wheels at The Vanguard. Vibrant, modern rock'n'roll from a duo boldly storming the stages of Australia and the UK. 

17 August – Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier: Songs You Can Trust at Camelot Lounge. In a world where misinformation and falsehood are abundant, these masters of musical form have offered unvarnished truth for four decades. 

22 and 24 August –  Jeff Lang at Camelot Lounge and Brass Monkey. The acclaimed Australian guitarist, three-time ARIA winner, singer-songwriter and producer prepares to hypnotise you with his signature bush blues. 

26-28 August – Tyler the Creator at Qudos Bank Arena. One of the most creative and influential figures in hip hop is touching down in Sydney. 

29-30 August – Inner West Jazz Fest at Annandale Creative Arts Centre. Johnson Street jazz musicians invite you to join the jam. 

30 August – SOFT CENTRE at White Bay Power Station. The SOFT CENTRE crew takes over this historic venue with a sprawling experimental art, sound and performance program. Highlights include Ryoji Ikeda, Young Boy Dancing Group, upsammy and more.

Visual art and design

Future Fashion Exhibition. 

Until 16 August – Tender Comrade at White Rabbit Gallery. Queerness throughout Chinese ancient history and now – a sprawling ecosystem of relationships, networks and alliances. 

Until 16 August – New Exuberance: Contemporary Australian Textile Design at Australian Design Centre. Celebrating the work of more than 30 textile creatives, bringing together contemporary design, art and fashion through textiles. 

Until 23 – Learning Curve Lecture Series: Modern Art, Modern Love at Art Gallery of New South Wales. Kate Kangaslahti explores four different creative partnerships, including Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, and how the collision of desire, intimacy and experimentation influence the development of modern art.

31 August – Second Life Markets at Carriageworks. All things second hand and timeless from a choice selection of vintage sellers. Over 120 stalls offering curated vintage finds, plus local DJs, food trucks and drinks. 

All month – The Neighbour at the Gate at National Art School. Australian artists reckon with the echoes of immigration policies and the legacies of colonialism, unravelling how these forces continue to shape First Nations and Asian Australian experiences.

All month – Future Fashion Exhibition at Powerhouse Castle Hill. Discover the future of textiles and fashion, as expressed by the next generation of Australian designers. 

All month – Cerith Wyn Evans... in light of the visible at Museum of Contemporary Art. Contemplate your passage through space and time as you move through epic contemporary environments of light and sound.