For anyone born between 1990 and 2005, some seriously iconic films are established in our memories as works of art. One of those films for millions of millennials, zillennials and early Gen Z'ers is Toy Story, the debut film of the now-legendary animation studio Pixar. Released in 1995 to massive acclaim, 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the tale of childhood toys coming alive, and a special calendar event is coming up to celebrate it. Likely, you've not seen the film on the big screen for a few years now or ever before, but you'll get the chance between Wednesday, July 16 and Saturday, July 19 at the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House, with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra onstage to perform the soundtrack live alongside the film. If you've never had the pleasure of attending a symphonic screening before, or need some convincing to secure a ticket to this one, read on to discover why you should make this a must-see. Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of a Classic Pixar is a household name now, having since produced other timeless films like A Bug's Life, Cars, Finding Nemo, Inside Out, Coco and Soul. It all started in 1974 as a group of animators and computer scientists hoping to make the world's first-ever fully computer-animated film. After creating the Academy© nominated short film Tin Toy in 1988, Disney approached Pixar to help realise their dream of the world's first fully computer-animated feature film. Toy Story was that film, and its buddy story of toy cowboy Woody and space ranger Buzz competing for the favouritism of their owner was a hit from the start, becoming the second highest-grossing film of 1995 and earning three Academy© Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay — the first time an animated film received the nomination — Best Original Score and Best Original Song (for composer Randy Newman's 'You've Got a Friend in Me'). And even 30 years later, Toy Story is regarded as one of the best animated films ever. A Soundtrack Worth Seeing Live So how does a studio's debut feature film manage to create a soundtrack that lands not one but two Academy© Award nominations? Those within the industry considered an animated feature film like Toy Story a holy grail level achievement of animation, so the pressure was on to make the music just as good. Initially, Pixar and Disney disagreed on music's role in the film, with the latter hoping to make Toy Story stand apart from Disney's prior films. Eventually the two studios reached a middle ground: music could play over the scene without having the characters sing. Then they found their maestro, American composer and songwriter Randy Newman. Newman was understandably apprehensive about the job initially, having never worked on a film like this before. Still, as we know today, his compositions, both orchestral and lyrical, elevated the film to something greater than the sum of its parts. A Chance to Listen to the Music Like Never Before Newman knew the lyrical tunes of Toy Story had to mean something, even if they were about protagonists that weren't living flesh and blood. He explained his focus for Toy Story in an interview with NPR; "You have to take their [the toys'] feelings, their emotions, seriously. It's not unimportant when somebody's feeling bad." So, what do the songs mean? 'Strange Things' reflects Woody's lamentation that he's been usurped as Andy's favourite toy by "some little punk in a rocket", AKA Buzz Lightyear. When 'I Will Go Sailing No More' comes on, the woeful lines illustrate the feelings going through Buzz's head when he realises he isn't a heroic space ranger but one of millions of toys imitating one. And who could forget the iconic 'You've Got a Friend in Me', which sings of the friendship that grows between Woody and Buzz as they work together to get home in one piece? It Will Be Performed by One of Australia's Most Popular Orchestras We've talked about the movie and the music, but what about the musicians who'll be playing it? The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is one of Australia's most esteemed and accomplished musical institutions, with a rich record of exceptional performances. Established in 1932, the Orchestra has evolved into an ensemble that captivates audiences worldwide. Over the years, it has welcomed numerous acclaimed conductors, composers, and soloists, elevating its reputation for excellence in performing a wide range of classical, contemporary, and Australian works. The Sydney Symphony is also a leading presenter of "film with orchestra" concerts like these and has been performing soundtracks for over 20 years. They prepare for these as seriously as every other concert, so you really are hearing one of the world's great orchestras in full flight with all its trademark precision and passion - and all in one of the country's most iconic venues, the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. [caption id="attachment_986871" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tim O'Connor[/caption] The Conductor is a Veteran of Symphonic Screenings With a top film soundtracked by top tunes being performed live in one of Sydney's top venues, what are we missing in this picture? How about a top conductor? Enter a Sydney Symphony Orchestra mainstay and one of the world's masters of performing films in concert: Nicholas Buc (pictured above, left). The Melbourne-born conductor, composer, arranger, pianist and violinist bears a masters degree in Scoring for Film and Multimedia, and a resume of more symphonic screenings than you can shake a baton at. Nicholas has stood on the podium to conduct live-in-concert performances of Star Trek, E.T., Casino Royale, Skyfall, The Lion King, Shrek 2, Jurassic Park, How to Train Your Dragon, Psycho, The Godfather, Star Wars episodes IV,V, VI and VIII and all eight Harry Potter films…to name a few. With that many performances under his belt, you can rest assured that the score and orchestra will be in safe hands. 'Toy Story' in Concert will be playing from Wednesday, July 16 to Saturday, July 19. For more information or to get tickets, visit the website.