Destination NSW and the Sydney Opera House today announced British popular music visionary Morrissey will perform four exclusive performances at Vivid LIVE during Vivid Sydney, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest festival of light, music and ideas.
“An Evening With Morrissey” will take place at the Sydney Opera House on 26-27 May and 30-31 May and will be the artist’s only Australian appearances.
Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer Sandra Chipchase said, “Vivid LIVE is set to wow audiences once again with the announcement of influential indie musician, Morrissey as the first artist on this year’s program. As one of music’s most enduring figures, Morrissey is set to captivate audiences in his Sydney-exclusive performances during Vivid Sydney.”
Vivid Sydney, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest festival of light, music and ideas, is owned and managed by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House forms part of the Vivid Music program and is a celebration of ambitious popular music, running from 22 May-8 June, the first time the program has run for the duration of Vivid Sydney. Vivid LIVE is the highlight of Sydney Opera House’s year-round contemporary music programming.
Morrissey is one of popular music’s most singular and iconic figures. Variously described as an irrefutably bleak or gloriously funny songwriter, Morrissey’s romantic narratives immortalise the post-industrial recession of ’80s era Manchester through to the current day. The crooning legend continues to create art across multiple mediums to the delight of his devoted fans, from the instant Penguin Classic Autobiography to his critically acclaimed 10th album World Peace Is None of Your Business.
With high demand expected for this Sydney-exclusive performance, tickets will be allocated through a ballot (details below).
Now in its seventh year, Vivid LIVE will be overseen by Ben Marshall, the Opera House’s Head of Contemporary Music and recently appointed as the Curator for Vivid LIVE. Ben has brought the likes of The National, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and Flying Lotus to the Opera House Concert Hall stage.
Ben Marshall, Vivid LIVE Curator at Sydney Opera House said “I am honoured to be taking on this role after Fergus Linehan’s sensational run and cannot wait to release the full program. Vivid LIVE as part of Vivid Sydney is a wonderful opportunity to transform the Opera House inside and out — it’s the only time contemporary music is able to take over the whole House.
“I’m thrilled that the first announcement for Vivid LIVE 2015 is a Sydney-only residency by the uniquely gifted and inimitably stylish Morrissey. I have vivid teenage memories of his face all over our lever-arch files in high school. So it’s amazing to now showcase his artistry on the Concert Hall stage. These four vital, intimate concerts will be a very special occasion for all those like-minded souls who’ve been affected by Morrissey. But get in early, as these concerts will sell out.”
The full program for Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House is expected to be announced during the Vivid Sydney program launch next month. vividsydney.com/ sydneyoperahouse.com/vividLIVE
SEASON DETAILS
WHAT: An Evening with Morrissey
WHEN: Tuesday 26 May, Wednesday 27 May, Saturday 30 May and Sunday 31 May
WHERE: Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall
TICKETS: From $109+bf
IMPORTANT TICKETING INFORMATION
Sydney Opera House expects high demand for tickets for Morrissey’s series of concerts exclusive to Australia based on touring successes internationally. To ensure everyone has an equal chance to purchase tickets, Sydney Opera House has put in place an online application process. This will minimise the congestion through sales channels and distribute tickets to fans across time zones, states and countries.
Apply for your tickets anytime between Monday 2 March 2015 (midday AEDT) and Friday 6 March 2015 (midnight AEDT)
Tickets will not be allocated on a first come first served basis, all applications received during this period will be equally considered.
To apply go to www.sydneyoperahouse.com/morrissey
APPLICATIONS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED OVER THE PHONE OR IN PERSON
Vivid LIVE
From 22 May-8 June, Sydney Opera House will welcome some of the most ambitious and innovative local and international artists for Vivid LIVE — a celebration of music on the nation’s most famous stages — as part of Vivid Sydney, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest festival of light, music and ideas.
Vivid LIVE invites the world’s leading artists, creative collectives, promoters and digital animators to raise the roof of Sydney Opera House’s theatres, rehearsal spaces, recording studios and most famously, its iconic sails, which are transformed into a unique canvas each year for Vivid Sydney.
Vivid Sydney
Vivid Sydney is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest festival of light, music and ideas, which for 18 days — from 22 May to 8 June 2015 — transforms the Harbour City with its colourful creative canvas. Now in its seventh year, and owned and managed by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Vivid Sydney features large scale light installations and projections (Vivid Light); music performances and collaborations (Vivid Music including Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House); and creative ideas, discussion and debate (Vivid Ideas), all celebrating Sydney as the creative hub of the Asia-Pacific. For more information visit www.vividsydney.com
About Ben Marshall
With a career spanning almost 20 years in the Australian independent music scene, Ben Marshall cut his teeth as a solicitor by day and electronic music promoter by night, throwing himself into what is now considered a classic period of drum ‘n’ bass. At 27, he shed the legal path and moved to independent music company Inertia where he set-up and ran Civil Society (now Handsome Tours), beginning his close relationship with The National and bringing the likes of Grizzly Bear and The xx to Australia for the first time.
Currently responsible for the Opera House’s contemporary music programming, the Opera House’s year-round contemporary music program, and co-curating Graphic Festival, recent years have seen seminal Australian acts Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Dead Can Dance and The Dirty Three make their long-overdue debuts at the Opera House, while genre-defining artists such as Bonnie Prince Billy, Violent Femmes, Yo La Tengo and future-facing electronic artists James Blake, Flying Lotus and Caribou have transformed one of the world’s most iconic stages with their unforgettable performances under the Sydney Opera House sails.
Warren Ellis (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Dirty Three, Grinderman) said, “Two of the great thrills of my performing career have been playing at the Sydney Opera House, quite possibly my favourite building in the whole world. This has been solely due to the tireless campaigning of Ben Marshall. Since his instalment as Head of Contemporary Music, Ben Marshall has managed to open the doors to groups like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Dirty Three and many others, in attempt to honour the artistic beats in contemporary music, as is de rigueur in the equivalent European and American concert halls.
The building was built to reflect the cultural aspirations of its society and it’s essential that the programming reflect the lifeblood of contemporary music rather than the traditional arts centre presentations. What an amazing gift for the performers and audience alike.
“How fabulous and encouraging for us all that Ben is now the new curator of Vivid LIVE.”
Bryce Dessner from The National said, “It’s been a huge honour to work for several years and in various ways with my friend and colleague Ben Marshall of the Sydney Opera House and now as Curator of Vivid Live. Some of my most memorable concert experiences of the past ten years ever have been organized by Ben, including our first ever trip to Australia with The National and then our recent return to headline two nights on the steps in front of the Opera House. Ben is a huge supporter of creative music in the world and I am confident his leadership will be a tremendous asset to the continued success of the Vivid Live festival.”
Flying Lotus aka Steven Ellison said, “Ben Marshall recognised the potential of our show in a venue that wouldn’t normally invite an artists like myself and the result was better than we could have imagined. “I’ve always loved the magic in art and music and try to figure out how to make every show fresh and original — the space you’re playing always makes a difference, sometimes on a subtle level but in certain spaces it can have a huge influence on the event, playing the Opera House was like that for me, we already had a great show but it just came to life inside that space.”