Festival Director: Anthony Steel
In 1995, Anthony Steel was appointed Festival Director and was only the second person to lead the Festival of Sydney in 18 years.
The Capitol Theatre, closed since 1982, reopened in great style with the spectacular Compagnie Philippe Decouflé dance company from France. As one venue reopened, another celebrated its birthday as The Wharf turned 10. The anniversary celebrations included Stomp, Tap Dogs, Sydney Stories, ABC For Kids, Dream Hunters by Expressions Dance Company and Tresno – Chamber Made Opera.
In a new addition to the outdoor events program, the first annual Big Backyard Concert took place in The Domain with performances from great Australian artists like Midnight Oil, The Cruel Sea and Tumbleweed.
THEATRE
At The Black Pig's Dyke
A play by Vincent Woods
Directed by Maelíosa Stafford
Druid Theatre Company
Roll-a-Pea
by Tadeusz Slobodzianek and Piotr Tomaszuk
Directed by Piotr Tomaszuk
Wierszalin Theatre Company
Stomp
Sydney Theatre Company
Tap Dogs
Johnson and Friends
Sydney Theatre Company
ABC For Kids
Sydney Theatre Company
The Way I Was
by Nick Enright
Sydney Theatre Company
The Price of Prayer
by Louis Nowra
Sydney Theatre Company
In the Club
by Stephen Sewell
Sydney Theatre Company
Family Running For Mr Whippy
by Catherine Zimdahl
Sydney Theatre Company
The Ninth Wonder
by Justin Fleming and Stephen Edwards
Sydney Theatre Company
The Blessing
by Vanessa Bates
Sydney Theatre Company
Four Wongs Don't Make a Right
by Kai Tai Chan
Sydney Theatre Company
The Last Days of a Famous Mime
Kim Carpenter and Theatre of Image's adaptation of Peter Carey's The Last Days of a Famous Mime
Sydney Theatre Company
Dream Hunters
Expressions Dance Company
Bacchae: Burning by Water
Written and directed by Renato Cuocolo
IRAA
The Hour We Knew Nothing Of Each Other
A play without words by Peter Handke
Translation by Gitta Honneger
Directed by Michael Gow
Australian Theatre For Young People
DANCE
Petites Pièces montées
Compagnie Philippe Decouflé
Forever
Choreographer and director: Douglas Wright
Douglas Wright Dance Company
Zarzuela!
Created and directed by José Tamayo
CABARET
Mauro Gioia
CIRCUS
The Guangdong Acrobats Of China
Cloudswing
Scott Grayland
OPERA
Tresno
Chamber Made Opera
Esso Opera In The Park
The Australian Opera
Conductors: Richard Gill, Marco Guidarini, Vladimir Kamirski, David Stanhope
MUSIC
Chamber Music Cushion Concerts
Wolfram Christ and friends
Symphony Under The Stars
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Sir Charles Mackerras
Violin: Donald Hazelwood
A Journey Through Russia
The Pokrovsky Ensemble
All Australian Concert featuring Yothu Yindi
AtmaSphere
Bacardi Festival Club
Kenny Lopez Sex Mambo, Monica Trapaga, John Paul Young, DIG, Pardon Me Boys, Mighty Reapers, Miss Dorothy and His Fools in Love, The Feeling Groovies, Margaret Ulrich, Mental As Anything
Bernie McGann Trio
Billy Cobham
Clarion Fracture Zone
Dave Tolley's THAT
DIG and friends
Festival On the Streets
Samul-nori, Sylvia Encheva, Yungchen Lhamo, Valanga Khoza, Amunda, The Australian Gamelan Orchestra, 7 Flavours, Bu-baca, Kavisha Mazzella, Leaping Loonies
John Scofield Quartet
Mike Nock Band
Sisters In Soul
Arramaieda, Lily Dior, Toni Nation
Stan Tracey Quartet
Stravinsky and Les Noces
The Pokrovsky Ensemble
The Big Backyard Concert
The Joys Of Women
Tiddas, Kev Carmody
EXHIBITIONS & INSTALLATIONS
Dante in Australia
Eyes on ASEAN
Hidden Treasures
Open City
The Art Kites Exhibition
The Legendary Lindsays: Larks and Larrikins
John Derum
The Legendary Lindsays: Satyrs in Sunlight
Arthur Dingam
The Legendary Lindsays: The Lindsays Film Festival
CELEBRATIONS
Art Kites Fly Out
Australia Day Fireworks Spectacular
Australia Day Official Ceremony
Australian National Maritime Museum
Citizenship Ceremony
Darling Harbour Australia Day Family Celebrations: The Country Comes To The City
Flags Afloat Aquatic Procession
NRMA Motorfest
Official Opening Of First Government House Place
Special Celebratory Events
Sydney Writers' Festival
SPORT
159th Philips Australia Day Regatta
Australia Day Kayak Sprint Series
Coca-Cola Amatil Ferrython
Oz Day 10K International Wheelchair Road Race
Royal Randwick Australia Day Races
Tall Ships Race