It's a Long Story

By Sydney Opera HouseNews Arts News Commentary

It's a Long Story episodes

December 14, 2022 Bonus Episode - Introducing our new podcast 'Up Next'
As it nears its 50th birthday, the Sydney Opera House is looking to the future with a 'Up Next' - a new podcast which talks to the artists who'll define the next 50 years of arts and culture in Australia. Join host Courtney Ammenhauser as she chats to a spectacular lineup of artists from a variety of creative disciplines as they make their way to one of the most famous performance venues in the world.

In this bonus episode, Courtney talks with Yve Blake - playwright, screenwriter, songwriter, and beloved creator of the hit musical Fangirls. They chat about her overnight success, the Fangirls of Fangirls, and the sacred Mount Franklin bottle that touched Missy Higgins’ lips.

Episodes of 'Up Next' are released monthly and you'll find them wherever you get your podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
32 min
November 06, 2020 Denise Ho
Denise Ho was always going to be an activist. The canto-pop superstar had built a massively successful music career and could’ve continued on her path of major-label success. But, in 2012, she became the first mainstream female singer in Hong Kong to come out as gay, and was promptly abandoned by much of the industry. She responded by setting up her own label and becoming a high-profile advocate for the LGBTQI community. In 2014, when huge pro-democracy protests broke out in Hong Kong, Denise’s activism went to a whole new level. She’s become one of the most prominent figures in the umbrella movement, spoken at the UN and all around the world, and continues to risk her own life and freedom on behalf of the cause. In this episode, she’s speaking with Benjamin Law at Antidote festival in 2019.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
36 min
October 28, 2020 Kimberly Motley
Not a lot of women get to practice law in Afghanistan, but attorney Kimberly Motley is one of the very few. Raised in a poor, majority black neighbourhood in Milwaukee in America’s midwest, Kimberly has made a career defending particularly difficult cases, and in learning how to navigate the Afghani legal system, she has also developed a unique understanding of inter-cultural approaches to justice. She’s talking to Benjamin Law at Antidote festival in 2019.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
36 min
October 20, 2020 Zadie Smith
When 24 Year old Zadie Smith published her debut novel, White Teeth, in 2000, she became an instant literary superstar. Two decades and several more novels, short story and essay collections later, her voice remains every bit as relevant. Never one to follow a trend, her writing has earned a reputation for originality and intellectual independence. Head of Talks and Ideas Edwina Throsby spoke to Zadie Smith when she was visiting the Sydney Opera House in November 2019.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
48 min
October 19, 2020 Announcing: New Season It's a Long Story
Hello I’m Edwina Throsby Head of Talks and Ideas at Sydney Opera House and I’m here with some excellent news: this week we’re launching our new season of the podcast “it’s a long story”, where you can go deep with iconic writer Zadie Smith, Cantopop superstar and human rights activist Denise Ho, Miles Franklin winner Melissa Lukashenko, and loads more. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
1 min
September 24, 2020 Introducing: House Stories
Uncover fascinating stories of the Opera House’s rich cultural heritage and design legacy in our new podcast series exploring the building as a work of art, the artwork within it, as well as the decade of renewal and how we are transforming our icon for the 21st century and future generations.

Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

sydneyoperahouse.com/digital/podcasts/house-stories
1 min
September 22, 2020 Introducing House Stories - Coburn Tapestries
Uncover fascinating stories of the Opera House’s rich cultural heritage and design legacy in our new podcast series exploring the building as a work of art, the artwork within it, as well as the decade of renewal and how we are transforming our icon for the 21st century and future generations.
1 min
May 08, 2020 Abusive Cultures - All About Women 2020
Jess Hill & Sanam Maher
Jess Hill and Sanam Maher, expert journalists on gendered abuse, come together in a cross cultural discussion to unpack male entitlement and female vulnerability.

Hosted by Gina Rushton.
1 hr 1 min
March 06, 2020 Soraya Chemaly
Feminists get a bad rap for being angry. But what would it be like if women were allowed to embrace their anger? American writer Soraya Chemaly has been calling for this shift for years. A prolific voice on the role of gender in culture and politics, she has had a long career in media and technology. And, she has encountered a lot to be angry about. Her latest book, Rage Becomes Her is a celebration of female anger. It tackles the highly gendered way our culture regards anger, and questions why angry men are strong but angry women are crazy.

This episode is part of a six-part ‘It’s A Long Story’ series featuring alumni from our All About Women festival. All About Women returns to Sydney Opera House on 8 March 2020.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
38 min
February 25, 2020 Sohaila Abdulali
Sohaila Abdulali did not want to write a book about her experience of being raped. It was a long time ago and she’d very much moved on with her life. But, after some articles she’d written about it went viral, she did write a book. 'What We Talk About When We Talk About Rape' is an incredible, genre-defying discussion of the troubling ways that rape and sexual violence are experienced and discussed. With no self-pity but much insight and a joyous character, she brings sensible, open thinking to an entirely taboo topic.

Content Warning: this episode of It's A Long Story contains discussion of sexual violence. Support can be found at Lifeline: 13 11 14 and lifeline.org.au This episode is part of a six-part ‘It’s A Long Story’ series featuring alumni from our All About Women festival. All About Women returns to Sydney Opera House on 8 March 2020.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
38 min

About It's a Long Story

From the publisher's feed

Behind every big idea, there's a long story. Produced by Sydney Opera House as part of the Talks and Ideas program, Edwina Throsby interviews some of the world's most interesting thinkers and culture…