Opera Australia's Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is one of the most extra events on Sydney's calendar, with its combination of fine dining, million-dollar views, fireworks, multi-million dollar stage spectaculars and the fanciest Portaloos you've ever seen. But that doesn't mean you have to be a super-rich member of the arts aristocracy to attend.
This year, the company is staging West Side Story, its first musical on the grand floating stage. It's on track to be the highest-selling production in Opera on Sydney Harbour's history, and Opera Australia has just announced a new rush policy for $40 tickets (plus $5 booking fee).
TodayTix, a popular last-minute and discount ticket service in London and New York is launching in Sydney this month with West Side Story its main attraction.
And it's pretty easy to score those tickets – you just need to download the TodayTix app, and at 9am you can "unlock" access to rush tickets for that day's performance by sharing a link to social media. If you're lucky enough to be picked, you'll get to buy the $40 tickets. If not? Try the next day – West Side Story is running for a full month.
They haven't revealed where the seats are – or how many will be available for each performance – but the cheapest seats in the 3,000-seat pop-up venue were formerly $99, and prices go all the way up to $361 (eek). We think it's likely there'll be decent seats available through TodayTix – they'll want to fill the venue as much as possible – but there's great sound and a decent view of the stage and fireworks from pretty much anywhere you sit.
West Side Story on Sydney Harbour is at Mrs Macquaries Point from March 22 to April 21.
Here's everything you need to know about Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour and our tips and tricks for scoring cheap theatre tickets across Sydney.