The Sydney Opera House gave its first public performance last night with Don Burrows: A Celebration of Life Through Jazz in the Joan Sutherland Theatre. The special tribute concert to the Australian jazz icon, who died in March, was organised by James Morrison who was mentored by Burrows and became a lifelong friend.

Prior to this concert, the SOH had invited a small audience to a number of concerts being filmed in the Joan Sutherland Theatre for its digital program From Our House to Yours, including Ensemble Offspring’s concert Mesmerism the night before the Burrows tribute.

Don Burrows: A Celebration of Life Through Jazz. Photograph © Prudence Upton

Presented by Sydney Opera House, Don Burrows: A Celebration of Life Through Jazz attracted a large audience, spatially distanced throughout the auditorium, with many people wearing masks. The Opera House’s COVID Safety measures ensured that the foyer was never crowded, with audience members quickly ushered to their seats. There was contactless ticket scanning and a number of hand sanitising stations. The only slight hiccup was at the end of the concert when audience members were asked to stay in their seats until the usher...