The Opera Kitchen is a harbour side restaurant and bar located beneath the Sydney Opera House. The newly appointed lease holders were looking to create a New Years Eve event that showcased their new vision for the venue – Fine Foods, Great Live Entertainment and Fantastic Views.

Gaia Rhythm Events was selected to manage all aspects of the live entertainment for the NYE celebrations. The entertainment schedule had something for everyone, with Gaia Rhythm Show feature acts (live music with acrobats, fire dancers and African solo dancer), a live R & B Band, stilt walkers, interactive drumming workshop and face painting stations.

Other aspects of the NYE live entertainment were also catered for including; full management of the artists, the event security, red carpet, themeing, lighting design and installation, audio visual, stage management, and most crucially the entertainment stage. For the safety of all concerned and the preservation of the area, this assignment called for precise engineering of a performance-sized stage to ensure no damage was done to existing flooring and that the stage was perfectly weighted to balance the under-surface piers on the Sydney Harbour foreshore. With strict OH&S principals already in play at the Opera House, adding to this was the extra considerations for the number of revellers expected at the new year’s festivities. There were T’s to cross and I’s to dot in every direction, with plenty of cartwheels in between. And with security at its most stringent on the event called upon considerable planning, liaison, logistical, creative and event management skills.

The event was a roaring success, with enthusiastic revellers mesmerised by the acrobats, fire twirlers & fireworks and not wanting the band to stop as they danced the night away!

‘NYE @ Opera Kitchen, Sydney Opera House. What an event!
Organising started more than six months prior to for our biggest night of the year.
Our team worked closely with Rob and Angela on all facets of the night – staging, AV, lighting, red carpet etc right through to music, roving entertainers, drumming workshops and face painting. With over 700 guests in attendance and a variety of performances this huge night was an absolute success – people had travelled from all over the world to see the new year in at Sydney Opera House and they weren’t disappointed. Rob and Angela were fantastic to work with – organised, enthusiastic and friendly; they certainly made organising this event a pleasure!
Fiona Murphy, Finance & BDM, Opera Kitchen

For other NYE live entertainment Sydney ideas visit feature acts