Before they became some of Middle-earth’s most memorable faces, three stars of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy shared a real-world connection: NIDA, the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Kensington, Sydney.
Hugo Weaving, who brought Elrond’s stern authority to the screen, graduated in 1981. Miranda Otto, the trilogy’s fearless Éowyn, followed in 1990, while Cate Blanchett—otherwise known as the luminous Galadriel—graduated in 1992. Different years, different paths, but the same training ground before their journeys led to Rivendell and beyond.
Sydney’s connection to the trilogy doesn’t end with its drama-school alumni. Fans can also hear music from the films at Candlelight: The Lord of the Rings, a tribute concert at Sydney Masonic Centre. A string quartet will perform pieces associated with some of the trilogy’s most memorable moments, from the Shire’s rolling hills to Frodo’s bittersweet farewell at the Grey Havens.
16 January 2027 18:30 + more dates
Grand Lodge at Sydney Masonic Centre
Candlelight: The Lord of the Rings in Sydney
Candlelight: The Lord of the Rings is an official 25th-anniversary concert series, co-presented by Fever and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences. A local string quartet plays music from all three Lord of the Rings films, surrounded by thousands of candles, for about an hour.
The score has the silverware to prove itself. The Return of the King won 11 Academy Awards, tying the record held by Ben-Hur and Titanic. Howard Shore took home three Oscars across the trilogy: Best Original Score for The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King, and Best Original Song for “Into the West”, shared with Fran Walsh and Annie Lennox. All three soundtrack albums also won the Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack Album.
Shore approved this concert’s 13-piece setlist and the sheet music. “Into the West” and “The Return of the King” are both on it, alongside “Prologue: One Ring to Rule Them All”, “Concerning Hobbits”, “Evenstar” and “The Grey Havens”. It’s all reimagined for strings, so there’s no choir and no singers.
Inside Sydney Masonic Centre’s concrete landmark
Architects Joseland & Gilling designed Sydney Masonic Centre in unfinished off-form concrete for the Freemasons’ United Grand Lodge, and it was officially opened on 10 March 1979. The City of Sydney lists it as a heritage item and calls it an outstanding example of Brutalism. At its heart is the central grand lodge room, and the main foyer rises over three storeys around a pair of circular lift shafts and a winding stair.
📍Address: 66 Goulburn St, Sydney NSW 2000
Candlelight: The Lord of the Rings
16 January 2027 18:30 + more dates
Grand Lodge at Sydney Masonic Centre
