Sydney Opera House and Glasshouse Port Macquarie Announce New Partnership

Last night (October 6, 2011) in Port Macquarie, Sydney Opera House and the Glasshouse Port Macquarie launched a significant three year cultural partnership - The Open House Project. The occasion was marked with an exclusive performance by a trio from one of the world’s most highly regarded orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic.

The partnership is the first of its kind in Australia and has three principal strands – cultural engagement, education and tourism development.  The Open House Project will deliver up to 20 Sydney Opera House programs and performances which will transfer from the stages of the House direct to the Glasshouse in Port Macquarie. The program kicks off in early January 2012 with the Glasshouse and Sydney Opera House presenting the much-loved children’s character Angelina Ballerina in Angelina Ballerina’s Big Audition.

“Sydney Opera House is an asset owned by all the people of NSW so The Open House Project is our way of ensuring everyone can experience Sydney Opera House at its best. We hope one day to have additional Sydney Opera House cultural hubs like this one set up across regional NSW for communities all over the State,” said Richard Evans, Sydney Opera House CEO.

"This program is multi-layered and goes beyond simply taking artists to the Glasshouse.  It will deliver strong education outcomes in the region but also give the Mid-North Coast and the Glasshouse the rich profile it deserves.  The Glasshouse is one of the most beautiful venues I’ve seen certainly in Australia, but also around the world,” Mr Evans said. 

Joe Conneely, Glasshouse Manager said that the partnership was a great coup not only for the Glasshouse but for the Mid-North Coast region.

“The great thing about the partnership is that it is a bipartisan approach to deliver a program which will excite our audiences and benefit our community. By tapping into areas such as education, culture and tourism, The Open House Project can deliver real results to Port Macquarie and the Mid-North Coast region.  We are thrilled to work with Sydney Opera House, to be the second home for its artists, and to deliver this innovative program to our regional community,” Mr Conneely said.

The Open House Project is made up of three distinct strands:

Cultural Engagement

The Open House Project will bring acclaimed national and international productions from the Sydney Opera House to the Glasshouse, providing cultural experiences previously only available to metropolitan audiences. The program will include headline acts from the Just For Laughs comedy festival and a headline music act from Sydney Opera House’s contemporary music festival, Vivid Live;as well as a headline speaker from the Festival of Dangerous Ideas and live digital feeds from Sydney Opera House’s thought provoking talks series Ideas at the House.

Enriched Educational Experiences

The Open House Project has a keen focus on education with Sydney Opera House and the Glasshouse collaborating with the local Department of Education and Communities (DEC) stakeholders to roll out a performing arts program, teacher and artist workshops, digital excursions, vocational training opportunities and placements for regional based teachers at both venues.  The Open House Project will also make available a cultural experience to every student in the region – live or via digital means.

Tourism & Regional Promotion

Importantly, The Open House Project will have a direct impact on local businesses with audiences travelling to Port Macquarie to see performances by world-class artists. Sydney Opera House will also leverage its brand and extensive marketing channels to profile Port Macquarie as a ‘go to’ destination.  Cultural tourism is the highest yield tourism activity in the world; the diverse performance program, high profile artists and new educational experiences will build Port Macquarie and the region’s profile as a vibrant, lively and culturally rich destination of choice. 

The first segment of the 2012 program will be released in December 2011.

Located in the heart of Port Macquarie's CBD, The Glasshouse comprises a 600-seat theatre, rehearsal/performance studio, international-standard regional gallery, conference facilities, heritage displays and a Visitor Information Centre. Featuring a striking glass façade, the building was designed by the leading Sydney architectural firm Tonkin Zulaikha Greer.

(From Media Release)

Image: Joe Conneely from Glasshouse, a trio of musicians from the Vienna Philharmonic Trio and Jonathan Bielski from Sydney Opera House.

To keep up with the latest news and reviews at Stage Whispers, click here to like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.