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| Sydney Opera House |
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History
Sydney Opera House, built against the stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour is Australia's best-known contemporary building which depicts cultural and architectural significance.
The building was given the imaginative design by a well known Danish architect Jorn Utzon. Jørn Utzon was born on 9 April, 1918 in Copenhagen. He received his Diploma in Architecture from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen in 1942 and established his own architectural office in 1946.
The idea behind the construction of the Opera House came from pealing an orange which dazzled the committee and caught their imagination. As a result, Utzon's design was chosen and construction began in 1958. However in the year 1966, Utzon resigned as architect of the Opera House due to pressures from unions and the government and left it in the hands of Australian architects.
Sydney Opera House was finally completed in August 1973 under the NSW Government Architect, Andrew Andersons, along with contributions by Peter Hall and was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II. The estimated cost on the construction of the building was around $AU 102,000,000.
Sydney Opera House was listed as a World Heritage Site in June 2007.
Nearly 3000 events are staged at the Opera House every year and the house employs 500 staff. It costs $40 million a year to run.
The building houses 1000 rooms which are 185 metres long and 120 metres wide. The roof sections weigh up to 15 tons and are held together by 350 km of tensioned steel cable wire. With over 1 million tiles, the roof comprises sets of interlocking vaulted ‘shells’ set upon a vast terraced platform and surrounded by terrace areas that function as pedestrian concourses.
The vaulted roof shells and glass walls are a special feature of the building and were designed by Utzon in collaboration with internationally renowned engineers Ove Arup & Partners.
The four main auditoria of the Opera House- the Concert Hall, the Playhouse, the Opera Theater and the Drama Theater stage a total of 3,000 performances every year.
The Drama Theatre has over five hundred and forty-four seats. It is used mostly for plays and lectures. The ceiling in the Drama Theatre is black to keep attention to the stage and is made of refrigerated aluminum panels.
The next room is the Opera Theatre with one thousand five hundred and forty-seven seats. This theatre is used for opera, ballet, and dance.
The Concert Hall is the largest interior venue at Sydney Opera House with around 2,679 seats. The high vaulted ceilings and interior finishes add a touch to the acoustic performances. The bands that perform in the Concert Hall are Sydney Symphony, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Festival and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.
The Playhouse mainly caters to all the theatrical productions. There are around 398 seats in 17 rows. The walls and ceiling are remarkably done up in white birch timber and the floor is covered with red carpet. The annual programs in the Playhouse are performed by Sydney Festival, Sydney Opera House and Bell Shakespeare Company.
The Opera House hosts a wide range of performances throughout the year, including opera, drama, jazz and music, attracting 2 million audiences towards its performances. The monumental stairs that lead up to the Opera House and the Forecourt highlight the beauty of the building.
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Best time to visit
The best times to visit are spring and autumn, especially around March-April or October-November. Sydney is blessed with temperate climate and average summer temperatures are around 25°C (77°F).
The mercury can climb to 40°C (104°F) on a hot day, high humidity can make it oppressive, but torrential downpours often break the heat between October and March. Winters are cool rather than cold. The winter season is great if you ski.
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Trivia
Did you know? There are 1,056,000 Swedish ceramic tiles on the roof of the Opera House and the Grand Organ in the Concert Hall has 10,500 pipes - from little finger size to 10m tall!
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Timing
Opening timings: 9.00am - 5.00pm. Daily tours depart from lower forecourt level from 9:15am to 4pm.
Box Office: 9.00am - 8.30pm Monday - Saturday; Sundays: 2 hours before the performance.
The Opera House is closed on Public Holidays like Christmas and Good Friday.
The entry to the Opera House is free but if you wish to watch a show or a play then you will have to pay a nominal amount. A visit on a Sunday will be a great deal as the tickets are cheaper.
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