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Sydney Opera House Review
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Sydney Opera House 
- Address: Bennelong Point, Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales | Map It
- Phone: 02/9250-7111
- www.soh.nsw.gov.au
- Category: Arts/Performance Venues
- Location: Circular Quay
Fodor's Review:
Sydney's most famous landmark had such a long and troubled construction phase that it's almost a miracle that the building was ever completed. In 1954 the state premier appointed a committee to advise the government on the building of an opera house. The site chosen was Bennelong Point (named after an early Aboriginal inhabitant), which was, until that time, occupied by a tram depot. The premier's committee launched a competition to find a suitable plan, and a total of 233 submissions came in from architects the world over. One of them was a young Dane named Joern Utzon.
His plan was brilliant, but it had all the markings of a monumental disaster. The structure was so narrow that stages would have minuscule wings, and the soaring "sails" that formed the walls and roof could not be built by existing technology.
Nonetheless, Utzon's dazzling, dramatic concept caught the judges' imagination, and construction of the giant podium began in 1959. From the start, the contractors faced a cost blowout; the building that was projected to cost A$7 million and take four years to erect would eventually require A$102 million and 15 years. Construction was financed by an intriguing scheme. Realizing that citizens might be hostile to the use of public funds for the controversial project, the state government raised the money through the Opera House Lottery. For almost a decade, Australians lined up to buy tickets, and the Opera House was built without depriving the state's hospitals or schools of a single cent.
Initially it was thought that the concrete exterior of the building would have to be cast in place, which would have meant building an enormous birdcage of scaffolding at even greater expense. Then, as he was peeling an orange one day, Utzon had a flash of inspiration. Why not construct the shells from segments of a single sphere? The concrete ribs forming the skeleton of the building could be prefabricated in just a few molds, hoisted into position, and joined together. These ribs are clearly visible inside the Opera House, especially in the foyers and staircases of the Concert Hall.
In 1966 Utzon resigned as Opera House architect and left Australia, embittered by his dealings with unions and the government. He has never returned to see his masterpiece. A team of young Australian architects carried on, completing the exterior one year later. Until that time, however, nobody had given much thought to the interior. The shells created awkward interior spaces, and conventional performance areas were simply not feasible. It's a tribute to the architectural team's ingenuity that the exterior of the building is matched by the aesthetically pleasing and acoustically sound theaters inside.
Guided one-hour tours depart at frequent intervals from the tour office, on the lower forecourt level, daily between 9 and 5. A two-hour backstage tour departs daily at 7 AM. Call in advance.
- Cost: General tour A$26, backstage tour A$140
Member Reviews & Ratings:
Don't Miss The Icon!!!
Posted by drkenrich from Los Angeles, CA on 4/6/07
What more can you say? It's beautiful, impressive and an international icon for Australia.
The tour is well worth the time and effort to go on. As for seeing a show or concert, they are not as available as you may think. Make sure you check before you show up at the ticket office.
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