Nearly 30,000 Local Students Offered Spectacular Opportunity

The creativity of more than 26,500 students across Southwest Sydney will be celebrated at the Opera House tonight when Our Spectacular marks its 20th anniversary.

Students from the Auburn, Bankstown, Chullora, Girraween, Parramatta and Strathfield school networks have performed at the Sydney Opera House in the musical and dance event, Our Spectacular, since 2001. 

Tonight 1400 students are due to perform in the sold-out event, which was originally known as the Granville District Schools Spectacular.

The event was founded by Granville South Creative and Performing Arts High School teacher Kipi Fifita to create an equitable opportunity for students to foster and explore their passion for music and dance no matter their socio-economic status or background.  

"Our Spectacular provides an opportunity for children to explore and perform in the creative arts and be proud to share this with the community," Mr Fifita said.    "The large number of our students are not in a position to learn dance or singing outside of school, so Our Spectacular has always been a platform to allow students to explore their talents and provide equity opportunities for the students." 

The combined Primary and Secondary Choir is made up of 550 southwest Sydney students who will perform five of the evening's 30 performances. 

In an Our Spectacular first, the Victoria Avenue Public School Auslan Choir will be joining the Combined Primary and Secondary Choir, conducted by Kipi Fifita for the hit song Million Dreams from the hit movie "The Greatest Showman".    Also performing on the evening is the Symphonia Jubilate orchestra which is made up of students predominantly from primary and secondary schools in the Strathfield education area. 

The theme of the evening is Story Time, which shares rich messages about being yourself, developing positive friendships, building resilience, resolving differences, being proud of your cultural background, and caring for and appreciating our natural environment.  

"These are vital values that public education reinforces in students every day at school in so many different ways," said Our Spectacular director and conductor Mr Fifita said. 

Granville South Creative and Performing Arts High School deputy principal Joumana Youssef said the event was often the first time students and their families had been inside the Opera House.  

"Giving the students from South-West Sydney the opportunity to be exposed to something as grand as the Opera House truly builds a sense of belonging," she said.