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General Terms and Conditionsfor tickets and attendance at events

As a result of COVID-19, and in line with the public health orders and the requirements of NSW Government, we have recently made some changes to these General Terms and Conditions. Section 2 sets out requirements specific to COVID-19. These requirements do not change the arrangements and details otherwise set out in these General Terms and Conditions. If there is an inconsistency between section 2 and the remaining General Terms and Conditions, the terms of section 2 will apply (except where indicated). 

With COVID-19, things can change from one day to the next. Consequently, we may need to make changes to these General Terms and Conditions from time to time.

1. Application of General Terms and Conditions

The sale of Insider Memberships is subject to the Insider Terms and Conditions.

The sale of tickets for an Event and attendance at an Event are subject to these General Terms and Conditions as well as any specific terms and conditions notified at the time of ticket sale.

“Event” means a concert, show, talk, tour or other performance or experience at the Sydney Opera House, or that is arranged by the Sydney Opera House, or for which the Sydney Opera House sells tickets.

“You” means the person acquiring a ticket or seeking to attend an Event and “we” means The Sydney Opera House Trust.

By acquiring a ticket for an Event and/or seeking to attend an Event, you agree to these General Terms and Conditions.

By purchasing a ticket on behalf of someone else, you undertake to inform them of these General Terms and Conditions and any other terms and conditions notified at the time of sale.

These General Terms and Conditions also apply to tickets issued by an authorised ticket seller (if any). To the extent of any inconsistency, these General Terms and Conditions, and any other conditions of sale relating to the specific Event notified at the time of sale, will prevail.

If another company is presenting the Event, tickets and attendance may also be subject to the other presenter’s terms and conditions. Alternatively, if the ticket is for an Event at a venue other than the Sydney Opera House, attendance at the venue may also be subject to the other venue’s terms and conditions. You will be notified of this on our website with the information relating to the specific Event.

2. Special conditions relating to COVID-19

We are thrilled to be opening our doors and welcoming the community back to our venues!

Please take the time to read these special conditions, as Sydney Opera House has been required to make changes to its terms and conditions and procedures. While COVID-19 public health orders and NSW Government requirements are in place, the terms and conditions under this section 2 will apply.

The changes we have made are designed to help keep everyone safe, and to support our visitors, artists and staff in line with current requirements and restrictions relating to COVID-19. They are summarised as follows:

  • Please stay at home if you are unwell or pose a risk to others. If you are symptomatic, we may refuse entry to minimise the risk to others.
  • While this section is in effect, we are offering the flexible ticket arrangements set out below.
  • We have implemented changes to a number of our practices – when you visit you will see changes relating to physical distancing, entry and exit points, security arrangements, queuing, event and door opening times, interval arrangements (there may be no interval), food and beverage service, selling of merchandise and cloak room policies.

The following conditions now apply in relation to tickets for, and attendance at, Events at Sydney Opera House:

a). Conditions of entry

Attending our venues while under quarantine or isolation orders is prohibited, and if you appear to have COVID-19 symptoms we may need to deny you entry or ask you to leave. Attending our venues when unwell places others as well as yourself at risk. For the safety and wellbeing of everyone, you must not come to our venues for an Event if you:

  • feel unwell or if you are displaying any of the COVID-19 symptoms as identified by NSW Health from time to time (such as fever, cough, sore/scratchy throat, shortness of breath, loss of smell or loss of taste)
  • are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test
  • are required to self-isolate for any reason
  • are required to quarantine

Please also consider your own safety and wellbeing, and guidance from NSW Health - is attending the right thing for you? By visiting Sydney Opera House at this time, you voluntarily assume the risks posed by COVID-19. 

b). Ticketing

  • Advance ticket purchases via phone or online is strongly encouraged to access the limited available seats and minimise contact.
  • Ticket purchases and collection from our Box Office are discouraged, and eTicket or postal delivery methods are encouraged wherever possible.
  • You can only purchase Event tickets from the Sydney Opera House if you provide us with the minimum contact details required under the NSW Government public health order - your Name + Phone Number or Email Address, which will be linked to your scheduled Event. If you purchase Event tickets from a third party they may have additional sales terms, including sharing your contact details with us. Please see our Customer Privacy Statement for more information on how we manage your personal information.
  • If you are booking tickets for others, please make a note of their details for contact tracing purposes and get permission to share these with us if we require it. If someone else will attend in your place (including where you have resold your ticket(s)), please make a note of their contact details and get permission to share these with us if we require it, or have them contact us on 02 9250 7777 or bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com. See our Customer Privacy Statement for more information.  
  • All Events at the Sydney Opera House will adhere to the maximum allowable capacity of each venue under the COVID-19 public health orders applicable to the particular venue and current at that time, subject to any exemption we may have.

c). Flexible ticket options

  • If a ticket holder can no longer attend an Event at our venues due to the circumstances referred to in a) above please contact our Box Office on (02) 9250 7777 or bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com no later than 2 hours before the scheduled start of the Event in order to enquire about flexible ticket options. We encourage you to put your enquiry to us in writing. These options are available for all ticket holders but can only be exercised by the person who has made the booking. They are not available for online tours or digital performances where you do not attend our site.

The flexible ticket options available will also depend on the production and the Presenter. Our Presenters include Sydney Opera House Presents; Australian Chamber Orchestra, Bangarra Dance Theatre; Bell Shakespeare; Opera Australia; Sydney Theatre Company; Sydney Philharmonia Choirs; Sydney Symphony Orchestra; and The Australian Ballet, as well as any other third party presenters and hirers who have Events at Sydney Opera House.

We reserve the right to request further information regarding the circumstances in a) which apply to the affected ticket holder.

· Exchange 

o   You can exchange the ticket for a different performance of the same production, subject to availability. If you exchange for a lower value ticket, we will refund you the difference in the ticket price. If you exchange for a higher value ticket, we will charge you the difference in the ticket price; or

o   You can exchange the ticket for a different production by the same Presenter which is currently on sale at the Sydney Opera House, subject to availability. If you exchange for a lower value ticket, we will refund you the difference in the ticket price. If you exchange for a higher value ticket, we will charge you the difference in the ticket price.

· Credit Note/Gift Voucher

o   If a ticket exchange is not available we may issue you with a credit note for the full value of your ticket, which can be redeemed for a future Event by the same Presenter at the Sydney Opera House, subject to availability. Alternately, we may issue you with a Sydney Opera House gift voucher for the full value of your ticket. Credit notes and gift vouchers will be valid for 3 years from the date of issue and are transferable.

· Refunds

o   Except where required by law, we will only provide refunds in our absolute discretion. Any request for a refund must be made no later than 2 hours before the scheduled start of the Event by contacting our Box Office on (02) 9250 7777 or bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com. If you have called us, you must, as soon as possible and ideally within 24 hours, follow up with a written request.

o   We reserve the right to require further information or documentation to substantiate which circumstances in a) apply before issuing a refund. Please see our Customer Privacy Statement for more information.

o   While we consider your request for a refund we may issue you with a credit note for the value of your ticket. If a refund is issued the credit note will be cancelled and the refund will be made for the value of the ticket, minus any amount from the credit note which has been redeemed. 

We are not responsible for any expenses you incur or may incur in relation to the requirements or options set out in this section 2.

d). Venue arrangements and requirements

  • We may need to reduce venue capacity in response to COVID-19 related restrictions after your ticket has been purchased (e.g., where the NSW Government requires us to operate under a specified venue capacity). In these circumstances, we may need to cancel your booking and the tickets issued if we cannot accommodate you in accordance with the adjusted venue capacity. If we cannot accommodate your booking you will be entitled to the flexible ticketing options identified in section 2(c).
  • We have increased cleaning of high-traffic and high-touch areas with hospital-grade disinfectant, and hand sanitiser stations have been prominently positioned throughout the building in all paths of travel, frequently accessed areas and outside bathroom facilities.
  • We will be minimising contact during the scanning of tickets – please have your ticket handy either printed or on your phone.
  • Security measures will continue to be implemented, but our procedures may need to change from time to time.
  • Please minimise the belongings you bring with you as cloaking facilities may be limited to minimise contact and queuing.
  • We require patrons attending Events to check in to our venues using the Sydney Opera House QR Code, NSW Government QR Code, or the Service NSW app (as applicable). If you do not have a device which is compatible with these processes or otherwise require assistance, our staff will be available to provide an alternative arrangement to enable you to check in. Certain venues may also require you to complete an additional check in. Please see our Customer Privacy Statement for more information on how we manage the personal information we collect. The NSW Government QR Code and Service NSW app are managed by the NSW Government and subject to their own terms and conditions and Privacy Policy. 
  • Our protocol for checking in patrons may change over time, including by replacing QR Codes with a requirement to check in using the Service NSW app.  
  • Practise physical distancing at all times and follow guidance given by our staff, signage and markings. Please sit only in in the seat(s) allocated to you/your group – no change of seats is permitted.
  • Be aware that many of our usual arrangements may have changed in order to provide for physical distancing – our entry and exit points, queuing, event and door opening times, interval arrangements (there may not be one), food and beverage service, selling of merchandise, guided tour routes and cloak room policies.
  • Different requirements may apply to different performances or events as a result of the nature of those performances and events.
  • Practise safe hand hygiene - wash hands regularly and make use of the many hand sanitising stations across the site.
  • Follow NSW Health etiquette for coughs and sneezes – use a tissue or your elbow, dispose of tissues promptly and hygienically, and practise safe hand hygiene.
  • The situation in relation to COVID-19 is fluid and we may need to change or impose additional on-site requirements from time to time. Please check what these are before you attend an Event. They may include temperature checks, additional contact tracing measures and the wearing of masks.
  • As per government advice, we recommend that you download the COVIDSafe app.

3. Resale Restriction

You agree that Sydney Opera House tickets cannot be resold for more than 110% of the original supply cost. Tickets resold for more that this amount are subject to cancellation in accordance with the General Terms and Conditions. We may request evidence of the resale price paid in order to enforce this resale restriction. We will consider any authentic evidence which can reasonably prove that the resale price paid was no more than 110% of the original supply cost. This evidence may include:

a)     a bank statement;

b)     a resale account receipt;

c)     a tax invoice;

d)     official documentation which evidences the original acquisition cost and resale price paid; and

e)     correspondence between reseller and buyer accompanying any of the above.

The Sydney Opera House is the only authorised ticket seller for Events at the Sydney Opera House, unless we specify on our website that there are other authorised ticket sellers for a specific Event. We strongly recommend you only purchase tickets from an authorised ticket seller.

If you purchase tickets from another source, such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised reseller, you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. Purchasing tickets from an unauthorised ticket seller means that we cannot refund you if an Event is cancelled, and we cannot inform you of important changes to Event times, parking arrangements, and production details.

Tickets must not be included in packages or used in advertising unless authorised by us in writing.

For the purposes of COVID-19 contact tracing requirements, where you have resold your ticket(s), please collect the purchaser’s details and get permission to share these with us if we require it, or have the purchaser contact us on 02 9250 7777 or bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com.

4. Other Terms and Conditions of Sale

We may impose other terms and conditions of sale in relation to specific Events, in which case you will be notified of these at the time of sale, including on our website with the information relating to the specific Event.

We may impose a maximum ticket limit to specific Events. Unless otherwise specified, the maximum number specified applies to the Event or season overall, not to each performance. Tickets purchased in excess of a ticket limit may be cancelled without notice.

Normally you may choose your preferred method of ticket delivery but we reserve the right to require you to collect tickets at the Box Office if we deem it necessary for operational reasons, for example to ensure the tickets are issued correctly.

5. Refunds and Exchanges

We are not required to refund tickets which have been cancelled due to fraud or a breach of these General Terms and Conditions.

We will not be responsible for refunding resold tickets, including those purchased from unauthorised resellers. Otherwise, you are entitled to a refund if we cancel an Event or reschedule it to a time more than 2 hours earlier or later than originally programmed and you cannot or do not wish to attend the rescheduled Event. You are also entitled to a refund if we issue a ticket to you by mistake and we are unable to provide you with the Event in question.

If you believe an Event you have attended was not provided substantially as advertised, we will give reasonable consideration to your request for a refund. However, we reserve the right not to provide a refund: 

a)    for change of mind, merely because you did not enjoy the Event, performance or venue, you arrived late or did not attend (including because of any concern regarding COVID-19);

b)     if you were refused entry or removed due to your breach of these General Terms and Conditions or for the reasons described in section 8; or

c)     if, despite our reasonable diligence, the cause was outside our control.

If you believe you are entitled to a refund you should apply within five days after the Event’s scheduled commencement - or (where relevant) by the cut-off date advised in our communication regarding a new date or venue for the Event. If you do not seek a refund within a reasonable timeframe we may not provide you with the requested refund, unless required by law. If you purchased your ticket from another authorised ticket seller, you should apply to them for your refund.

Any refund payable will be made to the original purchaser, and when practicable to the original form of payment used to purchase the ticket.

We will not be responsible for any expenses incurred or to be incurred by you, for example travel, car parking, child care, accommodation or other goods or services, even if the Event is cancelled. You should consider whether insurance is appropriate for your circumstances.

We may, in our sole discretion, exchange your tickets between performances for certain productions. Only tickets for future performances are eligible for exchange and seat placement may differ. A fee and other conditions may also apply. Enquiries for ticket exchange should be directed to the Box Office.

This section 5 applies in addition to the refund provisions of section 2(c). If there is any inconsistency between the provisions, this section 5 takes precedence to the extent of the inconsistency.

6. Lost Tickets

It is your responsibility to keep your tickets safe. Replacement of lost, stolen or missing tickets may be permitted at our sole discretion and fees may apply. We will not replace lost, stolen or missing tickets that have been resold

7. Changes

While we endeavour to keep ticket-holders informed, details may change sometimes with little or no notice. For example, artists or other participants may be added, withdrawn or substituted or the venue may change.

Despite any seat number on your ticket, we do not guarantee you any particular seat and we reserve the right to move an audience member to another seat for operational reasons or where unforeseen production elements may impact the view from or require the use of the seat (such as for production equipment). If we need to re-seat you, we will use reasonable endeavours to ensure it is in a location of at least comparable value to the seat you booked or refund you the difference in value.

We make every effort to ensure ticket pricing is correct but we reserve any rights we may have to correct genuine errors. 

8. Refusal of Admission

We may refuse entry to an Event or have you removed from the venue on valid grounds, including if:

a)     you fail to comply with these General Terms and Conditions or the Sydney Opera House Trust By-law;

b)     we have not received payment for your ticket or you are unable to produce a ticket;

c)     you are intoxicated or you behave in a threatening, disruptive or offensive manner;

d)     you interfere unreasonably with another visitor’s enjoyment of the Event or venue or with our staff carrying out their functions; or

e)     as specified elsewhere in these General Terms and Conditions.

We may need to refuse admission for safety or security reasons, in which case, and provided that you have in no way contributed to the circumstances of the refusal, we will refund your ticket if it was purchased in accordance with these General Terms and Conditions.

Unless otherwise specified, we do not provide supervision of children. All children requiring supervision must be accompanied by a supervising adult at all times and may be refused admission or attendance if not accompanied by a supervising adult.

Latecomers may be admitted to a performance during a suitable break, which could be the first interval, if an interval is scheduled. In some cases, latecomers may not be admitted at all.

Without limiting our rights in this section, we reserve the right to move an audience member to an alternative seat where we believe they are causing disruption to artists, performers or other audience members or are interfering unreasonably with others’ enjoyment.

9. Venue Requirements

To help ensure the safety and security of and at the Sydney Opera House, bags and personal belongings may be subject to visual inspection.

Umbrellas, prams, backpacks, larger bags and other items that may be hazardous or restrict the movement of visitors may not be permitted into the venue or may be required to be cloaked, depending on the nature of the Event and relevant circumstances.

It is your responsibility to collect any cloaked items after the performance.

There may be Events where food and drink cannot be taken into the venue, and this may not be specified until commencement of the Event.

Other items that are prohibited inside the Sydney Opera House include, but are not limited to: alcohol purchased from outside; glass bottles; offensive signs or clothing, laser pointers; and any other items that could present a safety hazard to others or interfere with the performance or enjoyment of the performance.

Commercial activity including promotions, marketing, photography and filming are not permitted at the Sydney Opera House, unless expressly authorised by us.

You must switch your mobile phone off or to silent while in a theatre or auditorium or on a tour.

10. Photographs, Recordings and Privacy

We reserve the right to record, broadcast and/or telecast any Event at the Sydney Opera House and you consent to the use of any image or recording taken of you, and anyone for whom you are responsible, while on the premises. We are not obliged to use, broadcast or provide to you any such recording.

We use closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the Sydney Opera House.

Refer to the Sydney Opera House Customer Privacy Statement for information about how we handle personal information.

11. Liability

To the extent permitted by law, Sydney Opera House will not be responsible or liable for any loss, damage or injury however caused nor any consequential loss or damage, arising from your visit to Sydney Opera House, and you assume all risk associated with your visit to Sydney Opera House.  

You are responsible for making your own inquiries before deciding whether an Event is suitable for you to attend.

You are at all times responsible for your personal possessions such as bags, mobile phones and other items you carry with you, and must not leave any of your possessions unattended at any time.

Our liability to you in relation to tickets is limited to the obligations specified in these General Terms and Conditions and our obligations under applicable laws and the Live Performance Australia Ticketing Code of Practice – Consumer Code.

The Australian Consumer Law provides certain statutory guarantees for consumers which cannot be excluded, for example that services will be provided with due care and skill. Nothing in these General Terms and Conditions modifies or excludes those guarantees. 

12. No Waiver

We reserve the right to enforce these General Terms and Conditions if:

a)     you have purchased a ticket to an Event in contravention of these General Terms and Conditions and you attempt to attend the Event; or

b)     we have not enforced our rights under these General Terms and Conditions on a prior occasion.

13. Guided Tours

Without limiting anything else in these General Terms and Conditions, the following provisions apply to guided tours:

a) the tour route and access to venues, including theatres, auditoriums and backstage areas, vary depending on availability and performance and rehearsal schedules at the time of each particular tour, which means that no particular route or access is guaranteed;

b) ticket holders must remain with the tour guide and follow instructions;

c) latecomers will not be able to join a tour and their tickets will not be refunded;

d) there may be up to 300 stairs on a tour so flat, rubber soled shoes should be worn.

14. Complaints

We value your feedback, both positive and negative. You can provide your comments by completing our feedback form or posting your comments to:

Customer Feedback
Sydney Opera House
GPO Box 4274
Sydney NSW 2001

If you experience a problem or issue with our venue or our services, please let our staff know promptly and we will use reasonable endeavours to address the issue.

If you wish to make a complaint about our venue or services, we ask that you do so in a timely manner and in any event within five working days after the relevant Event or issue.

15. Changes to these General Terms and Conditions

We may amend these General Terms and Conditions from time to time by updating them on our website. You should review them before purchasing tickets to and attending an Event at Sydney Opera House.

These General Terms and Conditions were last updated in October 2020. 

Sydney Opera House Trust ABN 69 712 101 035