Transcendence

A singer overwhelmed by his crowd. A dancer on ice above sea. A teenage girl, later to become a virtuoso conductor, jolted by the sound of a symphony.

Two filmmakers exchange vows on their opera set. A photographer hears a Cistercian echo in the sails. And one night, after a Verdi curtain call, an audience member who looks a lot like Bob Dylan receives a private singing lesson in a theatre named after Australia's greatest opera star.

For fifty years, the Sydney Opera House has elevated the spirits of all who enter its orbit.

Here, fifty artists— from Simone Young to Nick Cave, Sylvie Guillem to Briggs, Baz Luhrmann to Carlotta—share their most indelible memories from a building that embodies the Australian contemporary experience.

Transcendence by Ashleigh Wilson brings together these remarkable stories, offering a glimpse into the profound impact of this iconic venue.