New York indie glammers Scissor Sisters will be playing at the Opera house this Thursday night. Picture: Ross Schultz Source: The Daily Telegraph
IT could soon be known as the Sydney Popera House as more non-classical acts book their concerts into the iconic venue.
About a quarter of the events staged in the Concert Hall in the past year have been rock, pop, dance or comedy shows, with more artists daring to dream about playing in one of the world's most renowned destinations.
The popularity of the Vivid Live program in recent years, which featured Florence And The Machine, The Temper Trap and Janelle Monae in 2012, has significantly bolstered the number of contemporary acts appearing at the Opera House.
And Sydney Festival also hosts several international artists' gigs under the famous sails each January.
There have been more collaborations between solo artists and orchestras at the venue - such as Olivia Newton John, Tina Arena and Burt Bacharach performing with the Sydney Symphony.
Comedians, who can't resist having a joke at their own expense about playing the Opera House, are increasingly scoring gigs in the Concert Hall, with Flight Of The Conchords, Eddie Izzard and Kathy Griffin performing there in the past year.
New York glam pop band the Scissor Sisters couldn't believe their luck when they were booked to play the Opera House last night
"As a band who got their start performing on bar tops in New York, you don't necessarily have it in your head that it could be possible to play the Opera House," singer Ana Matronic said.
"We always thought it was reserved for orchestras - you think of it as high brow. I guess we're the high brow of the underground."
American blues rocker and acclaimed guitarist Ben Harper has sold out four nights at the House for his national solo acoustic tour to Australia in November.
"The Opera House - can you imagine it? I guess if you persevere, you can dare to dream about playing somewhere so beautiful - but it does feel surreal to me," Harper said.
"And if it didn't, I should get out of the business because it would mean I had become far too jaded."
Other contemporary acts booked to play the Opera House in coming months include Morrissey, Spiritualized, Dead Can Dance, Darren Percival, Lady Antebellum and Regina Spektor.
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