The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Masterpiece architecture combined with vibrant performance spaces have become a hallmark of Australia.
Since 2007 it has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This suggests that the Sydney Opera House is an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble, exceptional for all civilization, an example of human creative genius.
The theater is located in the picturesque harbor of New South Wales, on Bennelong Point. The building is surrounded by water on three sides and stands on deeply driven stilts.
Sydney Opera House repertoire
The Sydney Opera House hosts approximately 3,000 events a year. With its enormous capacity, about 1.5 million people visit it during the same period.
The choice of events here is from small to large - cabarets, comedy shows, opera, children's performances and interactive activities, theater and dance performances, classical and modern music, films, performances and much more.
Digital creative learning, a journey into the Universe of Jorn Watson, an introduction to the history of Australia, exclusive performances by talented artists, artists, musicians - all this and many more opportunities are hidden within the walls of the building.
There is a fascinating children's program where you can watch the development of the era of dinosaurs or watch Simon Tedeschi perform as Mozart. Moreover, the theater provides social assistance and support for visually impaired and hearing impaired people - subtitles and audio descriptions, systems for increasing sound clarity, companion cards, the ability to bring guide dogs into the territory, etc.
It is necessary to book tickets in advance, since there are a lot of people who want to attend the events.
The Sydney Opera House is constantly changing, constantly following the trends of the progressive world. The theater itself creates these trends.
Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II, Joan Sutherland, Oprah Winfrey, Jacqueline Mackenzie and others once performed here. The history of the theater continues to be created today.
Sydney Theater Tours
There are 4 ways to visit the Sydney Opera House.
Option 1. Walk along the building along the embankment with a camera in hand. Examine the non-trivial facades from all angles and go to the theater foyer. It is free and available to everyone.
Option 2. Buy tickets to a performance, event, show.
Or take part in the annual New Year celebration. The program includes watching fireworks and a concert, visiting the Sydney Theatre, as well as a luxurious dinner and buffet.
Option 3. Visit the Bennelong Restaurant and Bar inside the building.
Option 4. Go on a tour organized by the theater itself.
Tours are conducted in English or in Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, and Northern Chinese.
And there is room for choice:
- The Sydney Opera House Tour includes an exploration of the history of the theater and a walk through its endless labyrinths. Duration - 1 hour, ticket price - from 42 dollars.
- The Backstage Tour includes a behind-the-scenes tour and breakfast. Duration - about 2.5 hours, ticket price - from 175 dollars.
- The Tour and Tasting Plate provides an opportunity not only to experience the atmosphere and secrets of the Opera House, but also to taste the best dishes of local cuisine. Duration - about 1 hour, ticket price - from 82.80 dollars.
- The Tour and Dine is similar to the previous tour except that after learning about the history, guests will head to the Opera Bar for lunch. Duration - about 1 hour, ticket price - from 73 dollars.
- Junior Adventure Tour is a youth adventure tour filled with interactive activities, games and unusual facts about the theatre. Duration - 1 hour, ticket price - from 22 dollars.
- The Sydney Opera House Access Tour is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. Duration - 1 hour, ticket price - from 42 dollars.
You can reserve seats for the tour on the official website of the Sydney Opera House.
To buy tickets
What's inside the Sydney Opera House
The theater houses the Australian Opera Company, the Sydney Theater Company and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
The Opera House contains 5 theater halls, 5 rehearsal rooms, many administrative rooms, hallways and living rooms, restaurants, bars and souvenir shops. There are a total of 800 rooms in the building, with 2,200 doors leading to them.
The Concert Hall and the Opera House, the ceilings of which are formed from the two largest vaults of “sails”, the Drama Theatre, the Music Hall and the Studio Theater - this is a list of five theater halls. Their total capacity is 5,532 seats.
In addition to productions, Sydney Theatre's services are also used to organize weddings, lectures, parties, conferences and other cultural events. For these purposes, small recording, exhibition and reception halls are provided.
In contrast to the exterior, which is done in natural tones, the interior of the premises amazes with bright colors in the “space age gothic” style. Interestingly, the prosceniums of the Drama Theater and the Opera House are decorated with tapestry works by John Coburn.
Restaurants
Particular attention should be paid to the excellent gastronomic establishments for spectators and tourists.
Opera Kitchen is the perfect place to enjoy Asian dishes with seafood and burgers. Famous for its excellent cocktail menu. Opening hours are from 7:30 to evening.
Bennelong Restaurant and Bar is a cozy place with an interior that looks more like a cathedral or a miniature theater. It's worth trying Australian cuisine and wine for a late dinner. Opening hours: from 17:30 to evening (Mon - Wed) or from 12:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to evening (Thurs - Sun).
Portside Sydney Opera House is a modern Australian restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere. Offers its visitors lunch, late dinner and a children's menu. Opening hours are from 11:30 to evening every day.
The beginning of the story
The idea of creating an opera theater first arose from the chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Hussein. At that time there was not a single building suitable for opera productions.
The Australian authorities supported Husein's idea, and soon a competition was announced for the right to develop the design of the theater. Among more than two hundred works by architects from all over the world, the jury chose the project of the young Jorn Watson.
Sydney Opera House Architect - Jorn Watson The Danish architect, in addition to the Sydney Opera House, designed the building of the National Assembly of Kuwait. Winner of the Wolf Prize, Sonning Prize and Pritzker Prize, Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia. After leaving Australia, I never returned there, and therefore was never able to see the completed and completed opera house.
Watson's work was amazing from an artistic point of view, but completely unsupported from an engineering point of view. The architect himself did not expect that he could be chosen. The drawings were “raw”; it was difficult to even approximately determine the necessary costs for the project.
Construction of the Sydney Opera House
4 years and 7 million dollars - that’s how much the government gave the young architect to build the Opera House. It was impossible to meet these numbers.
Firstly, no one had experience in creating a “sail” roof. It took 6 years just to develop the circuits and find a workable solution. The final design was in the form of sections of a sphere. This opened up a whole range of possibilities in the design and control of building geometries.
Secondly, the non-standard roof caused many problems with the acoustics of the hall. We had to additionally make a sound-reflecting ceiling with special gutters.
Thirdly, the government intervened in the construction, demanding the addition of additional halls and controlling the process in every possible way.
The original budget was greatly exceeded. The local authorities did not like this. Jorn Watson was accused of unprofessionalism and removed from the project. Peter Hall took over the new post of architect.
The Sydney Theater became an expressionist expression, a place of "celebration of culture" and a reverence for tradition that was ahead of its time.
14 years and 102 million dollars - that's how much it actually took to build the Sydney Opera House.
Opening
On October 20, 1973, the grand opening of the Sydney Opera House took place. The magnificent ceremony was performed by Queen Elizabeth II to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
The test performance featured Donald Smith, Elizabeth Fretwell and members of the National Training Orchestra.
Architecture in numbers
- 22,000 sq. meters - the area of the opera house.
- 67 meters is the height of the building’s roof.
- 1,056,006 ceramic tiles were needed for the roof to make it appear perfectly smooth.
- 6,225 sq. meters - the area of the entire glass facade in the theater.
- 25,000 people is the population of a city whose energy consumption is equivalent to that of the Sydney Opera House.
- $202 million is how much the modernization of the halls and major renovations with the replacement of outdated technologies are estimated, according to a series of projects presented by the theater in 2016.
Interesting facts about the Sydney Opera House
- An image of the Sydney Opera House was used as the basis for the official logo of the 2000 Olympic Games. The theater was also included in the route along which the torch was carried.
- Jorn Watson himself said that the architecture of the theater has nothing to do with the shipbuilding structure (sails). He compared the structure to a peeled orange, the peel of which resembles parts of a spherical surface.
- The first production at the Opera House was Prokofiev's play War and Peace.
- The Concert Hall houses the largest organ in the world. It has 5 manual keypads and 10,154 handsets.
- Sydney theater has long been popularized. For example, it appears in Godzilla Final Wars and in the final scene of Finding Nemo, Sunshine. The Lego company has released a special Sydney Opera House construction set with 2989 parts. And the Fugo Games team has developed an entire game dedicated to the theater - WORDS OF WONDERS.
- Several modern buildings have been inspired by the architecture of the Sydney Opera House, including the Auditorio de Tenerife and
The theater in Sydney is famous throughout the world. He gained such popularity thanks to his amazing style and stunning productions. People want to see a unique building with their own eyes and, if they have the opportunity to visit Australia, they certainly rush to the attraction.
A convenient location was chosen for the construction of the Sydney Opera House. The smallest details were taken into account: transport, the ability to equip parking spaces. Everything was done so that everyone in Australia could visit here.
The exact address is familiar to any resident. To get here, you first need to get to the state of New South Wales, to Cape Bennelong point. It is located in the harbor, right next to the water.
There are some interesting facts about the Sydney Opera House related to its construction and history.
The building in Sydney is considered one of the 7 wonders of the world. In 2007, the site was included in the UNESCO list. The theater curtain is the largest in the world. It is made to order in France. The area of the curtains is 186 square meters. To illuminate the building, enough electricity is used to power a city of 25,000 citizens.
There is an unspoken legend that the name of the architect was chosen by chance. A member of the jury, who was drunk, pulled one from the stack of applications with the name of the winner. There is also a curious incident in the history of the object’s existence. The courier who arrived with the package mixed up the doors and ended up right on the stage where the performance was being given.
The funds for the creation of Australian authorities were obtained through the organization of a state lottery. The Melpomene Temple is open 24 hours a day, every day. The exception is two days: Christmas Day and Good Friday. More than 3,000 concerts are given here every year.
The first performer to perform on the opera stage was Paul Robeson. This happened in 1960. The singer climbed onto the unfinished stage and performed a piece of music for the workers.
Story
Although it was opened not long ago, many events are associated with the foundation. Previously, a tram repair facility was located on this site. Now no one will remember that the amazingly beautiful building in the past was the driver’s workplace.
Author of the idea
The proposal to create it came from the symphony orchestra. It was headed by Eugene Goossens. He came to the country as a conductor and was extremely amazed to learn that there was no opera house in Australia.
In 1954, a group of activists asked the government for help in organizing a performance space. State authorities considered the musicians' arguments reasonable.
Financing
The construction of premises required monetary costs that the state budget could not support. It was decided to organize a lottery and use the proceeds from the tickets sold for construction. Voluntary donations from local residents provided enormous assistance.
At first it was planned to spend no more than $7 million, but construction was interrupted, the project was complex, and much more money was needed. At the time of completion, construction cost about $102 million.
Contest
In the same year, the authorities announced a competition for the best sketches of the theater structure. More than 200 applicants took part in it, among whom was the famous architect J. Watson.
Initially his projects were rejected. The jury was joined by Finn E. Saarinen, who was able to convince the others of the genius of Jorn Watson's idea. His project was approved in 1957, and large-scale construction began.
However, the architect did not have time to finish what he started. He was accused of wasting money and removed from the case. Watson left the continent and did not even attend the opening. The object was completed by other architects.
Jorn Watson
Construction works
The building was not built in the planned 4 years; it took 16 years. Various difficulties arose; construction was even stopped a couple of times due to lack of funds.
The project was technically complex. The roof was a kind of shells located one above the other. The style combined features of impressionism, avant-garde and expressionism.
The work was complicated by the fact that the shape of the roof interfered with the acoustics of the premises. It was decided to make additional ceilings, which eliminated the deficiency. The internal layout assumed the presence of 1000 rooms. It is clear that such a structure could not be erected quickly.
Opening
The discovery created a real sensation. Elizabeth II herself arrived to participate in the ceremony. The celebration turned out to be large-scale, thousands of people were present, the sky exploded with fireworks. Concerts and performances took place. Only one thing was missing - J. Watson.
1973 is considered the year of birth of the attraction, and October 23 is celebrated in Australia with grandiose events.
Architectural features
The Sydney Opera House has its own architectural nuances. It attracts people not only with its amazing concerts, but also with the shape of the building and its special style. There is no such building anywhere else in the world.
The length of the building is 183 and the width is 118 meters. The building is mounted on stilts that are driven into the bottom of the harbor. It feels like he is standing right on the water. In total, more than half a thousand concrete piles were required to support the structure.
Special tiles were used for the roof. It was white, resembled scales and sparkled in the sunlight.
Sail roof
The Temple of Melpomene attracts attention, first of all, with its unusual roof. The idea for such a design came to Watson's mind after he saw a peeled citrus fruit.
It consists of special elements that resemble shells. Some people say they look more like snow-white sails. In total, more than 2,000 such “shells” were needed.
When the building is illuminated by the sun or night illumination, it resembles a fairy-tale ship with sails sailing on the endless ocean.
The peculiarity of the roof covering is striking. Depending on the lighting, it can change color.
Interior decoration and halls
They dreamed of creating their own opera in Sydney for many years. The building should not only be beautiful from the outside, but also evoke admiration from the audience for its interior decoration. It consists of many rooms adapted for dressing rooms, restrooms, and technical rooms. But the halls deserve a separate description. These are luxurious premises that meet all the requirements for holding concerts and opera performances.
There are a total of 5 halls in the building. Each of them has its own purpose.
- Concert - accommodates more than 2.5 thousand people. It has amazing acoustics. The largest organ in the world is located here.
- Opera - can be visited by 1.5 thousand people at the same time. The hall's platforms rotate; Thanks to this, the production takes place in a special, fascinating atmosphere. The curtain for the room was made to order. He is unique, one of a kind.
- The drama hall is designed for performances, ballet, and musical performances. Has 500 seats.
- The Play House is a small room. Used for trainings, conferences, seminars. Sometimes movies are shown here. Capacity for up to 400 spectators.
- The studio is the most incredible open-air room. Used for performances in the avant-garde style.
It is noteworthy that in order to visit the theater in Sydney, you do not need to wear evening suits. There is no dress code. Spectators, most of whom are tourists, come in T-shirts and jeans.
How to get there
The building was erected so that it was easy to reach. Therefore, there will be no obstacles.
Fans of active pastimes rent a bicycle and go on a two-wheeled vehicle. Rental is very cheap. In addition, you have the opportunity to admire the picturesque views while walking.
Buses go to the stop of the same name. Then you need to walk for 5-6 minutes. The building cannot be confused with anything. You can go by ferry. Then you need to walk about 1 kilometer to get there.
Special mention should be made about traveling by taxi or private car. Taxis in Sydney are expensive and parking is not accessible for people with disabilities. The parking fee is overpriced. It is recommended to choose one of the first two remedies.
Opening hours
The theater in Sydney is open all the time except for the day when Christmas is celebrated and Good Friday is glorified.
It receives guests from 9-00 until nightfall every day; on Sunday performances begin at 10 am. There are practically no performances during the day. Excursions are held here at this time. You should learn about the start of events from announcements and posters.
Price
The cost of tickets depends on the purpose pursued by the visitor. Most tourists just go on an excursion. Then you will need to pay at least 30 euros.
Many guests of the country dream of attending the performances. It is recommended to book tickets well in advance of the performance. The cost for the designated date soars to 300 euros. But, if they are on sale, this is a rare success.
Not only does it host opera performances, it provides a stage for modern concerts and festive events. There is no fixed price for a ticket. It depends on the organizer and the prestige of the event. But the pleasure of visiting one of them is not cheap.
The long construction of the Sydney Opera House has been worth the wait. Now the amazing structure attracts guests from all over the world. People come here: connoisseurs of opera art, fans of special buildings, lovers of grandiose performances and ordinary people. Prominent personalities such as Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Elizabeth II and other equally famous people have been received here more than once.
The theater in Sydney deserves to be visited by every tourist arriving in Australia.
One of the most interesting buildings of the 20th century is located in Australia. Built between 1957 and 1973, the Sydney Opera House is surrounded by water and strongly resembles a sailboat. The architect of the legendary structure was Jorn Utson from Denmark.
History of construction
Until the mid-20th century, there was not a single building in Sydney suitable for opera productions. With the arrival of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's new chief conductor, Eugene Goosens, the problem was made public.
But the creation of a new building for opera and orchestral purposes did not become a matter of first importance. At this time, the whole world was in a state of recovery after the war, the Sydney administration was in no hurry to begin work, and the project was frozen.
Funding for the construction of the Sydney Opera House began in 1954. They continued until 1975, and in total about $100 million was collected.
Cape Bennelong was chosen as the site for one of the largest cultural buildings. According to the requirements, the building had to have two halls. The first of them, intended for opera and ballet performances, as well as symphonic music, was supposed to accommodate approximately three thousand people. In the second, with dramatic performances and chamber music, there are 1,200 people.
Jorn Utson, according to the commission, became the best architect out of 233 who sent their works. He was inspired to create the project by the sailing ships standing in Sydney Harbor. It took the builders 14 years to complete the project.
Construction began in 1959. Immediately problems began to arise. The government demanded that the number of halls be increased from two to four. In addition, the designed wing-sails turned out to be impossible to implement, so it took several more years of experimentation to find the right solution. Due to the outbreak of proceedings in 1966, Utson was replaced by a group of architects from Australia, led by Peter Hull.
On September 28, 1973, the Sydney Opera House opened its gates. The premiere was the production of the opera “War and Peace” by S. Prokofiev. The official opening ceremony was held on October 20 in the presence of Elizabeth II.
Some numbers
The constructed opera immediately immortalized itself in history. This is truly a huge complex containing 5 halls and about 1000 rooms for various purposes. The maximum height of the Opera House building is 67 meters. The total weight of the building is estimated to be 161,000 tons.
Opera House halls
1 hall
The largest hall of the Sydney Opera House is the Concert Hall. It accommodates 2679 visitors. The Great Concert Organ is also located here.
Hall 2
The Opera Hall, which seats 1,547 spectators, is used for opera and ballet performances. The hall houses the world's largest theatrical curtain-tapestry, the Curtain of the Sun.
Hall 3
The drama hall seats 544 spectators. Drama and dance performances take place here. There is also another tapestry curtain, also woven in Aubusson. Due to its dark tones, it was called “Curtain of the Moon”.
Hall 4
The Playhouse hall seats 398 spectators. It is intended for theatrical miniatures, lectures, and also for use as a cinema.
Hall 5
The newest hall, “Studio,” opened in 1999. 364 spectators can see plays in the spirit of avant-garde art here.
Since 1973, the Sydney Opera House has been in use almost 24 hours a day without interruption. In addition to culture and art lovers, the building is loved by thousands of tourists visiting Sydney. The Sydney Opera House has become a real symbol of Australia.
Video about the Sydney Opera House
There are quite conflicting opinions about Australia's most famous building, the Sydney Opera House. Some consider it a magnificent monument to a frozen melody. Others are confused by the amazing shape of the roof of this structure: for some it resembles huge shells, for others it resembles the sails of a Galleon blown by the wind, others associate them with the ears of angels listening to the singing, and there is also an opinion that the Sydney theater is very similar to a washed-up white whale.
In short, there are so many people, so many opinions, but no one doubts the fact that the Sydney Opera House is a man-made symbol of Australia.
This amazing building is located in Sydney, the largest city in Australia, in the Bennelong Point harbor (on the map it can be found at the following coordinates: 33° 51′ 24.51″ S, 151° 12′ 54.95″ E).
The Sydney Opera House gained worldwide fame primarily due to its roof, made in the shape of sails (shells) of different sizes located one behind the other, which make it unlike any other theater in the world. The facade of the opera turned out to be so interesting, unusual, and therefore recognizable that it is considered one of the most outstanding buildings of modern architecture, which has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List for several years now.
The creator of this unique building, Jorn Watson, is the only person in the world whose work was recognized by this organization during his lifetime (he died a year after this event, in 2008).
Description
The Opera House in Australia is, first of all, unusual in that, unlike other buildings of this type, made in the classical style, it is a striking example of expressionism, demonstrating a new look at architecture. The Sydney Opera House is surrounded by water on three sides and is built on stilts.
The area of the theater is huge and amounts to 22 thousand m2: its length is 185 m, its width is 120 m, and the building itself contains a huge number of premises, including several theater halls, many small studios and theater platforms, as well as restaurants, bars and shops , where anyone can buy a souvenir of their visit to the theater as a souvenir.
The main premises are four halls:
- The concert hall is the largest room of the theater, capable of accommodating 2,679 spectators. It is here that the largest organ in the world is installed: it consists of 10 thousand pipes;
- Opera House - this hall seats 1,507 spectators, and on its stage you can see not only opera, but also ballet;
- Drama Theater – designed for 544 people;
- The Small Dramatic Stage seats 398 people and is considered the most comfortable room in the opera.
Sail roof
The most remarkable part of the building, thanks to which the Sydney Opera House has become one of the most interesting theaters in the world, is its roof, made in the form of shells or sails located one behind the other. The roof, whose height is 67 m and diameter is 150 m, consists of more than 2 thousand sections and weighs about 30 tons.
The structure is secured using metal cables, the total length of which is 350 km. The two main sinks are located above the opera's two largest rooms. Other sails are located above the smaller rooms, and below the smallest one is one of the restaurants.
The top of the sinks is mechanically covered with white polished and cream matte tiles, resulting in a completely smooth surface - an effect that would hardly be achieved by laying it by hand. Interesting fact: despite the fact that from a distance it may seem as if the roof is painted white, depending on the lighting, it constantly changes its shade.
This roof structure looks very beautiful and original, but during construction, due to the uneven height of the roof, problems with acoustics arose inside the building, and in order to solve the problem, a sound-reflecting ceiling had to be made separately. For this purpose, special gutters were made that can perform both practical and aesthetic functions: reflecting sound and drawing attention to the arches located above the front of the stage (the largest gutter is about 42 meters long).
Author of the idea
Interesting fact: building an opera house in Sydney was the idea of the British Sir Eugene Goossens, who arrived in Australia as a conductor to record a concert on the radio. One can only imagine his surprise when he discovered that there was no opera house in Sydney.
The city also lacked large audience facilities where Sydneysiders could come to listen to music.
Therefore, he made the decision to do everything to build a theater in which spectators would have the opportunity to get acquainted with both classical and latest musical works. He immediately began searching for a suitable site for construction - it turned out to be the rocky cape of Bennelong Point, near which there was an embankment, which was a key junction, since local residents transferred from ferries to trains or buses.
Having found a suitable location (there was a tram depot here at that time, which was later demolished), Goossens carried out a corresponding campaign and, infecting many influential people in Sydney with his idea, ensured that the government allowed the construction of the Opera House. The authorities immediately announced an international competition for the best project. And then things stalled: Goossens made enemies. After one of his international trips, customs officers discovered the “Black Mass” items, he was fined, fired from his job - and he was forced to leave Australia, despite all assurances that the things did not belong to him.
Contest
More than two hundred works from all over the world were sent to the competition. Another important point was that Goossens not only managed to select a qualified commission, but also gave a description of the competition project.
The project was to include two halls - one for larger productions, the second for small productions. The building had to have rooms where rehearsals could be held, props could be stored, and there would also be space for restaurants.
The task was complicated by the fact that the area on which it was planned to build the structure had rather limited dimensions, since it was surrounded on three sides by water. Therefore, most of the projects were rejected for one simple reason: they looked too bulky, and the facade of the building was depressing.
And only one work attracted the attention of the jury members, forcing them to return to the project over and over again: in the sketch, the theaters were placed close to each other, the problem of bulkiness was eliminated thanks to the emphasis on the white roof in the form of sails, and the author suggested storing the scenery and theatrical props in special recesses, thus solving the problem of the wings.
The author of the work turned out to be the Dane Jorn Watson (this architect had many similar original projects, but this one was one of the few that was implemented). Despite the fact that the project he presented was a sketch, the cost of the work was estimated at 7 million Australian dollars. Dollars, which was an acceptable price. Money for the start of construction was raised through a lottery.
Construction works
While the project was approved, it was obvious that there was still a lot of work to be done on it (some issues have not been resolved to this day). The main problem was how to make a non-standard shaped roof, especially since there was no such experience in the world at the moment.
Watson solved this problem by giving each sink the shape of a triangle, assembling it from smaller curved triangles, covered with tiles mechanically during manufacture. After this, the sails were installed on concrete ribs (frame ribs), located in a circle - this made it possible for the roof to get a finished and harmonious look.
This form gave rise to problems with the acoustics of the hall, which, although the architect was later able to solve, entailed considerable financial expenses (for example, since the new vault turned out to be much heavier than the previous one, it was necessary to blow up the already made foundation and begin to build a stronger and more durable one).
Instead of the estimated 7 million Australian. dollars construction cost 102 million. Construction proceeded at a very slow pace, which could not help but attract the attention of local deputies and opponents of the architect.
And after the Labor party, which supported construction, lost the support of the population and the opposition came to power, the money raised from the lottery was first frozen (fortunately, there was an excuse), and then completely used for the construction of roads and hospitals, forcing Watson in 1966 quit your job and leave Sydney forever.
After this, Hall was appointed chief architect, who, although he managed to complete the construction in 1973, according to many experts, the work he carried out significantly spoiled the appearance of the building, and the interior turned out to be unremarkable (an interesting fact: during the preparation of the Olympics in Australia in 2000, The Australians invited Watson to return and finish work on the opera, agreeing to do whatever he said, but he refused).
This is how it turned out that the Sydney Opera House, which is one of the most magnificent buildings of our time, which is mentioned along with the Taj Mahal and other wonders of the world, although it looks magnificent on the outside, is no different inside. True, this did not prevent the building from taking part in the competition for the title of one of the seven wonders of the world and, although it did not become a winner, it was among the main contenders.
The Sydney Opera House
Geographical position
| latitude and longitude (decimal): -33.856808 , 151.215264
The landscape of the largest Australian city - Sydney - is uniquely recognizable among thousands of other cities in the world thanks to just two elements: the arched bridge Harbor Bridge and the extraordinary building of the multidisciplinary theater, better known as " Opera House» ( Opera House), one of the most famous buildings in world architecture.
The Sydney Opera House recently celebrated its 40th anniversary in a big way, but its history begins much earlier. As early as 1954, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and New South Wales Conservatoire put forward the idea of creating a Sydney Opera House. The state government has chosen a site for the future building and announced an open international competition for the best design for the opera house.
In Sydney Harbor on Bennelong Point there was once a fort, later there was a tram depot here. It was decided to erect a spectacular building on this site, which will become the face of the city.
By December 1956, 233 applications from 28 countries had already been received. According to legend, the jury had already significantly narrowed the circle of applicants, rejecting most of the projects, when the famous American architect of Finnish origin joined the judges Eero Saarinen. It was he who saw among the rejected options the “clear favorite” - the Dane’s project Jorn Utzon (Jørn Utzon), essentially insisting on his victory. On January 29, 1957, the winner was named - an expressive system of either shells or sails, drawn by Uthon. 
In the 1950s There was a change in world architectural preferences: the boring conservative-industrial “international style” with characteristic reinforced concrete “boxes” was replaced by something completely different, expressed in spectacular clean lines of curvilinear forms of clearly natural, organic origin. The new style will be called “structural expressionism” or “structuralism”. One of his supporters was the same jury member Ero Saarinen, who insisted on the victory of the project, now considered an “icon” of structuralism. 
The architect decided to make the roofs of the Sydney Opera House from spherical segments of constant curvature. A little later, Jorn Utzon will tell you that the source of inspiration was the peel of an orange, peeled off in triangular segments. The only difference with the building is the scale. The orange for the Opera House would have a diameter of 150 m, and its crust would be concrete, covered with azulejo tiles. The building covers an area of 2.2 hectares. Its length is 185 m and its maximum width is 120 m.
During the implementation of the project, numerous difficulties arose, which led to delays, significant reworking of the original plan and large financial costs. Instead of the planned four years and seven million Australian dollars, the opera took fourteen years to build and cost $102 million (that is, it exceeded the initial budget by more than 14.5 (!) times).
The Sydney Opera House was opened on 20 October 1973 by the Queen Elizabeth II.
The perfectly level roofs of the Sydney Opera House are covered with more than a million tiles. In different lighting, the tiles create different colors, and the reflections of the sun reflected from the water play beautifully on them. 
The two largest vaults form the ceiling of the Concert Hall ( Concert Hall) and Opera House ( Opera Theater). In other rooms, the ceilings form groups of smaller vaults. In the smallest "shell" off to the side of the main entrance and grand staircase is the Bennelong Restaurant. 
Sydney Opera House interior
