Sydney Opera House
Building
Type	Arts complex
Architectural Style	Expressionist
Structural System	Concrete frame & precast concrete ribbed roof
Location	Sydney, Australia
Construction
Completed	1973
Design Team
Architect	Jørn Utzon
Structural engineer	Ove Arup & Partners

The Sydney Opera House is located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site on June 28, 2007.^[1] Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and Ove Arup & Partners, the Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most distinctive 20th century buildings, and one of the most famous performing arts venues in the world. It is situated on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour, close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The building and its surroundings are one of the best known icons of Australia. Sydney Opera House, clearly showing the outline of its sails File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... The Sydney Opera House Jørn Utzon AC (born April 9, 1918) is a Danish architect best known for his groundbreaking design for the Sydney Opera House. ... Arup is a professional services firm providing engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... NSW redirects here. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... The Sydney Opera House Jørn Utzon AC (born April 9, 1918) is a Danish architect best known for his groundbreaking design for the Sydney Opera House. ... Arup is a professional services firm providing engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. ... The performing arts are those forms of art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artists own body, face and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some... The Sydney Opera House on Bennelong Point. ... For other uses, see Port Jackson (disambiguation). ... The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the main way to cross Sydney Harbour carrying rail, vehicular, and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore. ...

As well as many touring theatre, ballet, and musical productions, the Opera House is the home of Opera Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company and the Sydney Symphony. It is administered by the Opera House Trust, under the New South Wales Ministry of the Arts. Serge Sudeikins poster for the Bat Theatre (1922). ... For other uses, see Ballet (disambiguation). ... Opera Australia is Australias major opera company, formed by the merger of the Australian Opera and the Victorian State Opera companies in 1996. ... The Sydney Theatre Company (STC) is one of Australias most well-known and notable theatre companies operating from the Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House. ... The Sydney Symphony is a symphony orchestra based in Sydney, Australia. ...

Description

Sydney Opera House at Night

The Sydney Opera House is an expressionist modern design, with a series of large precast concrete 'shells', each taken from a hemisphere of the same radius, forming the roofs of the structure. The Opera House covers 1.8 hectares (4.5 acres) of land. It is 183 metres (605 feet) long and about 120 metres (388 feet) wide at its widest point. It is supported on 588 concrete piers sunk up to 25 metres below sea level. Its power supply is equivalent for a town of 25,000 people. The power is distributed by 645 kilometres of electrical cable.^{[citation needed]} Download high resolution version (2204x991, 307 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2204x991, 307 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... New York State Theater, Lincoln Center, home of the New York City Opera Bolshoi Theatre. ... Expressionist architecture occurs in architecture when an architect distorts a building or design for an emotional effect. ... The worlds first double curvature lattice steel Shell by V.G.Shukhov (during construction), Vyksa near Nizhny Novgorod, 1897 Thin-shell structures can be defined as curved structures capable of transmitting loads in more than two directions to supports. ... For other uses, see Sphere (disambiguation). ...

The roofs of the House are covered with 1.056 million glossy white and matte cream Swedish-made tiles^[2], though from a distance the tiles look only white. Despite their self-cleaning nature, they are still subject to periodic maintenance and replacement.^{[citation needed]}

The Concert Hall and Opera Theatre are each contained in the two largest groups of shells, and the other theatres are located on the sides of the shell groupings. The form of the shells is chosen to reflect the internal height requirements, rising from the low entrance spaces, over the seating areas and up to the high stage towers. A much smaller group of shells set to one side of the Monumental steps houses the Bennelong Restaurant. Although the roof structures of the Sydney Opera House are commonly referred to as shells (as they are in this article), they are in fact not shells in a strictly structural sense, but are instead precast concrete panels supported by precast concrete ribs. The building's interior is composed of pink granite quarried in Tarana and wood and brush box plywood supplied from Wauchope in northern New South Wales.^[3] Tarana is a small town in the mid-west of New South Wales, Australia. ... For other uses, see Wood (disambiguation). ... Towers of Hanoi constructed from plywood. ... The Hastings River at the northern end of Wauchope with the North Coast Railway bridge. ...

Performance venues and facilities

The Concert Hall and Grand Organ

The Sydney Opera House contains five main performance spaces, other areas used for performances, a recording studio, five restaurants, and four souvenir shops. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 866 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The Concert Theatre of Sydney Opera House, Sydney, SNW, Australia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 866 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The Concert Theatre of Sydney Opera House, Sydney, SNW, Australia. ... The Sydney Opera House Grand Organ is a large pipe organ by Ronald Sharp, located in the concert hall of Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. ...

The five venues making up the main performance facilities:

• The Concert Hall, with 2,679 seats, is the home of the Sydney Symphony, and used by a large number of other concert presenters. It contains the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ, the largest mechanical tracker action organ in the world with over 10,000 pipes.^{[citation needed]}
• The Opera Theatre, a proscenium theatre with 1,547 seats, is the Sydney home of Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet.
• The Drama Theatre, a proscenium theatre with 544 seats, is used by the Sydney Theatre Company and other dance and theatrical presenters
• The Playhouse, an end-stage theatre with 398 seats
• The Studio, a flexible space, with a maximum capacity of 400 people, depending on configuration

Other spaces used for performances and other events include: The Sydney Symphony is a symphony orchestra based in Sydney, Australia. ... The Sydney Opera House Grand Organ is a large pipe organ by Ronald Sharp, located in the concert hall of Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. ... The interior of the Auditorium Building in Chicago built in 1887. ... Opera Australia is Australias major opera company, formed by the merger of the Australian Opera and the Victorian State Opera companies in 1996. ... The Australian Ballet was founded in 1962. ... The interior of the Auditorium Building in Chicago built in 1887. ... The Sydney Theatre Company (STC) is one of Australias most well-known and notable theatre companies operating from the Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House. ...

• The Utzon Room , a small multi-purpose venue, seating up to 210. It is the only interior space to have been designed by Utzon, having been renovated in 2004 under his direction.
• The Forecourt, a flexible open-air venue with a wide range of configuration options, including utilising the Monumental Steps as audience seating, used for a range of community events, Live Sites, and special-occasion performances

Besides theatrical productions and concerts, venues at the Sydney Opera House are also used for activities such as conferences, ceremonies, and social functions.

Construction history

Origins

Planning for the Sydney Opera House began in the late 1940s when Eugene Goossens, the Director of the NSW State Conservatorium of Music, lobbied for a suitable venue for large theatrical productions. The normal venue for such productions, the Sydney Town Hall, was not considered large enough. By 1954, Goossens succeeded in gaining the support of NSW Premier Joseph Cahill, who called for designs for a dedicated opera house. It was also Goossens who insisted that Bennelong Point be the site for the Opera House. Cahill had wanted it to be on or near Wynyard Railway Station in the north-west of the CBD.^{[citation needed]} Sir Eugène Goossens Sir Eugène Aynsley Goossens (May 26, 1893 – June 13, 1962) was an English conductor and composer. ... The Sydney Conservatorium of Music (formerly the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music), informally known as ‘The Con’, is one of the oldest music schools in Australia. ... The Sydney Town Hall The Sydney Town Hall is a landmark sandstone building located in the heart of Sydney. ... List of Premiers of New South Wales Before the 1890s there was no formal party system in New South Wales. ... (John) Joseph Joe Cahill (21 January 1891–22 October 1959) was Premier of New South Wales from 1952 to 1959. ... Inside Wynyard railway station Wynyard is a major underground CityRail station in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, 2. ...

The competition was launched by Cahill on 13 September 1955 and received a total of 233 entries from 32 countries. The criteria specified a large hall seating 3000 and a small hall for 1200 people, each to be designed for different uses including full-scale operas, orchestral and choral concerts, mass meetings, lectures, ballet performances and other presentations.^[4] The basic design announced in 1957 was submitted by Jørn Utzon, a Danish architect. Utzon arrived in Sydney in 1957 to help supervise the project.^[5] is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ... The Sydney Opera House Jørn Utzon AC (born April 9, 1918) is a Danish architect best known for his groundbreaking design for the Sydney Opera House. ...

Design and construction of the Opera House

Construction progress in 1968

The Fort Macquarie Tram Depot, occupying the site at the time of these plans, was demolished in 1958, and formal construction of the Opera House began in March, 1959. The project was built in three stages. Stage I (1959–1963) consisted of building the upper podium. Stage II (1963–1967) saw the construction of the outer shells. Stage III consisted of the interior design and construction (1967–73). Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x574, 411 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Sydney Opera House ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x574, 411 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Sydney Opera House ... Fort Macquarie Tram Depot just before destruction in 1955 The Fort Macquarie Tram Depot or Sydney Tram Depot was built on Bennelong Point in Sydney in 1901, on the site of the old Fort Macquarie. ...

Stage I: Podium

Stage I commenced on December 5, 1958, by the construction firm Civil & Civic. The government had pushed for work to begin early fearing that funding, or public opinion, might turn against them. However major structural issues still plagued the design (most notably the sails, which were still parabolic at the time). By January 23, 1961, work was running 47 weeks behind^{[citation needed]}, mainly because of unexpected difficulties (inclement weather, unexpected difficulty diverting stormwater, construction beginning before proper construction drawings had been prepared, changes of original contract documents). Work on the podium was finally completed on August 31, 1962. The forced early start led to significant later problems, not least of which was the fact that the podium columns were not strong enough to support the roof structure, and had to be re-built.^[6] is the 339th day of the year (340th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jan. ... This article is about the Australian corporation. ... is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Stage II: Roof

Sydney Opera House shell ribs

The shells of the competition entry were originally of undefined geometry,^[7] but early in the design process the "shells" were perceived as a series of parabolas supported by precast concrete ribs. However, engineers Ove Arup and partners were unable to find an acceptable solution to constructing them. The formwork for using in-situ concrete would have been prohibitively expensive, but because there was no repetition in any of the roof forms the construction of precast concrete for each individual section would possibly be even more expensive. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x768, 230 KB) Summary The ribs of the opera house sails from inside the building. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x768, 230 KB) Summary The ribs of the opera house sails from inside the building. ... The worlds first double curvature lattice steel Shell by V.G.Shukhov (during construction), Vyksa near Nizhny Novgorod, 1897 Thin-shell structures can be defined as curved structures capable of transmitting loads in more than two directions to supports. ... For other uses, see Geometry (disambiguation). ... All Saints Chapel in the Cathedral Basilica of St. ... A parabola A parabola (from the Greek: παραβολή) is a conic section generated by the intersection of a cone, and a plane tangent to the cone or parallel to some plane tangent to the cone. ... A precast concrete walled house in construction Precast concrete is an ancient type of construction material made with concrete cast in a reusable mold or form and cured in a controlled environment, then transported to the construction site and lifted into place. ... Arup is a worldwide engineering and design company. ... Modular steel frame formwork for a foundation. ... In situ is a Latin phrase meaning in the place. ...

From 1957 to 1963 the design team went through at least twelve iterations of the form of the shells trying to find an economically acceptable form (including schemes with parabolas, circular ribs and ellipsoids) before a workable solution was completed. The design work on the shells involved one of the earliest uses of computers in structural analysis in order to understand the complex forces the shells would be subject to.^[8] In mid-1961 the design team found a solution to the problem: the shells all being created as sections from a sphere. Definition In mathematics, an ellipsoid is a type of quadric that is a higher dimensional analogue of an ellipse. ... The tower of a personal computer. ... Structural analysis comprises the set of physical laws and mathematics required to study and predict the behavior of structures. ... In physics, a net force acting on a body causes that body to accelerate; that is, to change its velocity. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Sphere (disambiguation). ...

With whom exactly this solution originated has been the subject of some controversy. It was originally credited to Utzon. Ove Arup's letter to Ashworth, a member of the Sydney Opera House Executive Committee, states: "Utzon came up with an idea of making all the shells of uniform curvature throughout in both directions."^[8] Peter Jones, the author of Ove Arup's biography, states that "the architect and his supporters alike claimed to recall the precise eureka moment ...; the engineers and some of their associates, with equal conviction, recall discussion in both central London and at Ove's house". He goes on to claim that "the existing evidence shows that Arup's canvassed several possibilities for the geometry of the shells, from parabolas to ellipsoids and spheres."^[8] Yuzo Mikami, a member of the design team, presents an opposite view in his book on the project, Utzon's Sphere.^[9][10] It is unlikely that the truth will ever be categorically known, but there is a clear consensus that the design team worked very well indeed for the first part of the project and Utzon, Arup, and Ronald Jenkins (partner of Ove Arup and Partners responsible for the Opera House project) all played a very significant part in the design development.^[11] As Peter Murray states in The Saga of the Sydney Opera House^[6]:

The shells were constructed by Hornibrook Group Pty Ltd^[12], who were also responsible for construction in Stage III. Hornibrook manufactured the 2400 precast ribs and 4000 roof panels in an on-site factory, and also developed the construction processes.^[6] The achievement of this solution avoided the need for expensive formwork construction by allowing the use of precast units (it also allowed the roof tiles to be prefabricated in sheets on the ground, instead of being stuck on individually at height). Ove Arup and Partners' site engineer supervised the construction of the shells which used an innovative adjustable steel trussed 'erection arch' to support the different roofs before completion. On April 6, 1962 it was estimated that the Opera House would be completed between August 1964 and March 1965. By the end of 1965, the estimated finish for stage II was July 1967.^{[citation needed]} Bilfinger Berger is a large construction company based in Mannheim, Germany. ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Stage III: Interiors

Stage III, the interiors, started with Utzon moving his entire office to Sydney in February 1963. However, there was a change of government in 1965, and the new Robert Askin government declared the project under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Works. This ultimately led to Utzon's resignation (see below). The Honourable Sir Robert William Askin, GCMG, (Born Sydney, April 4, 1907; Died September 9, 1981. ...

The cost of the project so far, even in October of that year, was still only $22.9 million,^{[citation needed]} less than a quarter of the final cost. However the projected costs for the design were at this stage much more significant.

In 1966, following Utzon's resignation, the acoustic advisor, Lothar Cremer, confirmed to SOHEC that Utzon's original acoustic design only allowed for 2000 seats in the main hall, and further stated that increasing the number of seats to 3000 as specified in the brief would be disastrous for the acoustics. According to Peter Jones, the stage designer, Martin Carr, criticised the "shape, height and width of the stage, the physical facilities for artists, the location of the dressing rooms, the widths of doors and lifts, and the location of lighting switchboards".^[8] An Architectural brief in its broadest sense, is a problem a client may have, which an architect attempts to solve. ...

The second stage of construction was still in process when Utzon resigned. His position was principally taken over by Peter Hall, who became largely responsible for the interior design. Other persons appointed that same year to replace Utzon were E.H. Farmer as government architect, D.S. Littlemore and Lionel Todd.

The four significant changes to the design after Utzon left were:

1. The cladding to the podium and the paving (the podium was originally not to be clad down to the water, but to be left open).^{[citation needed]}
2. The construction of the glass walls (Utzon was planning to use a system of prefabricated plywood mullions, but a different system was designed to deal with the glass).^{[citation needed]}
3. Use of the halls (The major hall which was originally to be a multipurpose opera/concert hall, became solely a concert hall, called the Concert Hall. The minor hall, originally for stage productions only, had the added function of opera and ballet to deal with and is called the Opera Theatre. As a result, the "Opera Theatre" is inadequate to stage large scale opera and ballet. A theatre, a cinema and a library were also added, (later changed to two live drama theatres and a studio). These changes were primarily because of inadequacies in the original competition brief, which did not make it adequately clear how the Opera House was to be used. The layout of the interiors was changed and the stage machinery, already designed and fitted inside the major hall, was pulled out and largely thrown away.^{[citation needed]}
4. The interior designs: Utzon's plywood corridor designs, and his acoustic and seating designs for the interior of both major halls, were scrapped completely. His design for the Concert Hall was rejected as it only seated 2000, which was considered insufficient.^[8] Utzon employed the acoustic consultant Lothar Cremer, and his designs for the major halls were later modelled and found to be very good.^{[citation needed]} The subsequent Todd, Hall and Littlemore versions of both major halls have some problems with acoustics, particularly for the performing musicians. The orchestra pit in the Opera Theatre is cramped and dangerous to musicians' hearing.^[13] The Concert Hall has a very high roof leading to lack of early reflections onstage - perspex rings (the "acoustic clouds") hanging over the stage were added shortly before opening in an (unsuccessful) attempt to address this problem.^{[citation needed]}

The Opera House was formally completed in 1973, having cost $102 million. H.R. ‘Sam’ Hoare, the Hornibrook director in charge of the project, provided the following approximations in 1973: Stage I: podium Civil & Civic P/L approximately $5.5m. Stage II: roof shells M.R. Hornibrook (NSW) P/L approximately $12.5m. Stage III: completion The Hornibrook Group $56.5m. Separate contracts: stage equipment, stage lighting and organ $9.0m. Fees and other costs $16.5m. Mullion, Cornwall is also the name of a village in Cornwall off the Lizard. ...

The original cost estimate in 1957 was £3,500,000 ($7 million). The original completion date set by the government was January 26, 1963.^[8] The Australian pound was Australias currency from 1910 to 1966. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ...

Utzon and his resignation

Before the Sydney Opera House competition, Utzon had won seven of the eighteen competitions he had entered, but had never seen any of his designs built.^[8] Utzon's submitted concept for the Sydney Opera House was almost universally admired and considered groundbreaking. The Assessors Report of January 1957, stated:

For the first stage of the project Utzon worked very successfully with the rest of the design team and the client, but as the project progressed it became clear (with the revised hall usage insisted by the clients) that the competition requirements had been inadequate with regards to acoustics, specifications of performance spaces and other areas, and that the client had not appreciated the costs or work involved in design and construction. Tensions between the client and the design team grew further when an early start to construction was demanded despite an incomplete design. For other uses, see Construction (disambiguation). ...

The relationship of client, architect, engineers and contractors became an increasing point of tension, between Utzon and the clients, and also Utzon and Arup. Utzon believed the clients should receive information on all aspects of the design and construction through his practice, while the clients wanted a system (notably drawn in sketch form by Davis Hughes) where architect, contractors, and engineers each reported to the client directly. This difference had great implications for procurement methods and cost control, with Utzon wishing to negotiate contracts with chosen suppliers (such as Ralph Symonds for the plywood interiors), and the Australian government insisting contracts were put out to tender.^[6] Davis Hughes (24 November 1910–16 March 2003) was an Australian politician. ... Look up Procurement in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the locomotive car, see Tender locomotive. ...

However, the reasons for Arup's need to be able to contact the clients directly were equally clear. Peter Murray explains that:

Utzon was highly reluctant to respond to questions or criticism from the client's "Sydney Opera House Executive Committee" (SOHEC).^[8]. However Utzon was greatly supported throughout by Professor Harry Ingham Ashworth, a member of the committee and one of the original competition judges. However, the relationship was not helped by Utzon, who was unwilling to compromise on some aspects of his designs that the clients wanted to change. As he said to Jack Zunz, the senior member of the structural design team, in 1961: "I don't care what it costs. I don't care how long it takes. I don't care what scandal it causes. That is what I want."^[8]

Utzon consistently claimed to have solved all problems "in his head", but he was reluctant to produce either drawings or documentation in order to demonstrate, cost or later construct his design vision. Peter Murray states:^[6]

During the concept and early design stages this was no problem, but later in the process it led to considerable tensions. Utzon's ability was never in doubt, and indeed Ove Arup stated that Utzon was "probably the best of any I have come across in my long experience of working with architects", and: "The Opera House could become the world's foremost contemporary masterpiece if Utzon is given his head."^[8]

Throughout the following years the relationship only got worse, with Utzon refusing access to drawings and documents by the Minister of Public Works' representative, and in 1964 dropping all first names from project correspondence, referring to people only as "Dear Sir".^[8] At the same time, there were also arguments over work Utzon had carried out and not received payment for. Arups were increasingly cast in the role of peacekeepers, and had to reconcile the two sides. Jack Zunz, a member of the Arup design team, stated following a meeting with Utzon in London in 1964:

In May 1965, Davis Hughes became Minister for Public Works. In October 1965, Utzon gave Hughes a schedule setting out the completion dates of parts of his work for stage III.^{[citation needed]} Hughes withheld permission for the construction of plywood prototypes for the interiors.^{[citation needed]} Davis Hughes (24 November 1910–16 March 2003) was an Australian politician. ...

Utzon was at this time working closely with Ralph Symonds, a manufacturer of plywood based in Sydney and highly regarded by many, despite Arup's warnings in March 1964 that Ralph Symonds' "knowledge of the design stresses of plywood, was extremely sketchy" and that the technical advice was "elementary to say the least and completely useless for our purposes". Ralph Symonds went broke within the year.^[8] However, the relationship between Utzon and the client never recovered, and the government minutes record that following several threats of resignation, Utzon stated to Davis Hughes: "If you don't do it, I resign". Hughes replied: "I accept your resignation. Thank you very much. Goodbye."^[8] Towers of Hanoi constructed from plywood. ...

Utzon left the project on February 28, 1966. He said that Hughes' refusal to pay Utzon any fees and the lack of collaboration caused his resignation, and later famously described the situation as "Malice in Blunderland". In March 1966, Hughes offered him a reduced role as 'design architect' under a panel of executive architects, without any supervisory powers over the House's construction, but Utzon rejected this. is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ...

Following the resignation, there was great controversy about who was in the right and who was in the wrong. The Sydney Morning Herald initially reported: ...

However on 17 March 1966 it reported:^[8] is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ...

To this day, opinion is still split on the roles of the different parties in the project.^[14][15]

Consequences for Utzon, architecture and engineering

In an article in Harvard Design Magazine in 2005 ^[16], professor Bent Flyvbjerg argues that Utzon fell victim to a politically lowballed construction budget, which eventually resulted in a cost overrun of 1,400 percent. The overrun and the ensuing scandal that it created kept Utzon from building more masterpieces. This, according to Flyvbjerg, is the real cost of the Sydney Opera House. Bent Flyvbjerg is Professor of Planning at Aalborg University, Denmark. ... Cost underestimation is defined as the act of assessing the cost of a future venture lower than what actual cost turned out to be once the venture was implemented. ... Cost overrun is defined as excess of actual cost over budget. ...

The Sydney Opera House opened the way for the immensely complex geometries of some modern architecture. The design was one of the first examples of the use of computer analysis to design complex shapes. The design techniques developed by Utzon and Arup for the Sydney Opera House have been further developed and are now used for architecture such as works of Gehry and "blobitecture", as well as most reinforced concrete structures. The design is also one of the first in the world to use araldite to glue the precast structural elements together, and proved the concept for future use. Frank Owen Gehry (born Ephraim Owen Goldberg, February 28, 1929) is a Pritzker Prize winning architect based in Los Angeles, California. ... Future Systems blobitecture design for the 2003 Selfridges department store, was intended to evoke the female sillouette and a famous chainmail dress designed by Paco Rabanne in the 1960s. ... Araldite is a registered trademark of Huntsman Advanced Materials (previously part of Ciba) referring to their range of engineering and structural epoxy, acrylic, and polyurethane adhesives. ... Look up glue in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The Opera House was also a first in mechanical engineering. Another Danish firm, Steensen Varming, were responsible for designing the new air conditioning plant, the largest in Australia at the time, supplying over 600,000 cubic feet of air per minute ^[17], using the innovative idea of harnessing the harbour water to create a water cooled heat pump system that is still in operation today ^[18]

Opening

Gold lettering on collectible Sydney Opera House wine, a Riesling

The Opera House was formally opened by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on October 20, 1973, which a crowd of millions^{[citation needed]} attended. The opening was televised and included fireworks and a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (401x659, 128 KB)Photo taken by Moriori for Wikipedia to illustrate section on Wine article File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (401x659, 128 KB)Photo taken by Moriori for Wikipedia to illustrate section on Wine article File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Riesling is a white grape variety and varietal appellation of wines grown historically in Germany (see German wine), Alsace (France), Austria, and northern Italy. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, in 1952 and 2002 The title Queen of Australia has existed since 1973, when the Parliament of Australia passed the Royal Style and Titles Act (1973). ... is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... “Beethoven” redirects here. ... This article is about the composition. ...

Prior to the opening, two performances had already taken place in the finished building. On September 28, 1973, a performance of Sergei Prokofiev's War and Peace was played at the Opera Theatre. On September 29, the first public concert in the Concert Hall took place. It was performed by the Sydney Symphony, conducted by Charles Mackerras and with accompanying singer Birgit Nilsson. is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Russian: , Sergej Sergejevič Prokofijev; April 27 (April 151 O.S.), 1891–March 5, 1953) was a Russian and Soviet composer who mastered numerous musical genres and came to be admired as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. ... War and Peace (Op. ... is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Sydney Symphony is a symphony orchestra based in Sydney, Australia. ... Sir Alan Charles Maclaurin Mackerras, AC, CH, CBE (born November 17, 1925) is an Australian conductor. ... Birgit Nilsson Birgit Nilsson (May 17, 1918 – December 25, 2005) was a Swedish dramatic soprano who specialized in operatic and symphonic works. ...

During the construction of the Opera House, a number of lunchtime performances were arranged for the workers, with Paul Robeson the first artist to perform at the (unfinished) Opera House in 1960. Paul LeRoy Bustill Robeson (April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was a multi-lingual American actor, athlete, bass-baritone concert singer, writer, civil rights activist, fellow traveler, Spingarn Medal winner, and Stalin Peace Prize laureate. ...

Reconciliation with Utzon and new works

Beginning in the late 1990s, the Sydney Opera House Trust began to communicate with Jørn Utzon in an attempt to effect a reconciliation, and to secure his involvement in future changes to the building. In 1999 he was appointed by the Sydney Opera House Trust as a design consultant for future work.^[19] In 2004, the first interior space rebuilt to match Utzon's original design was opened, and renamed "The Utzon Room" in his honour.^[20] In April 2007, he proposed a major reconstruction of the Opera Theatre^[21].

In 1993 Constantine Koukias was commissioned by the Sydney Opera House Trust in association with REM Theatre to compose Icon, a large-scale music theatre piece for the 20th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House. Constantine Koukias (born 1965) is an Australian composer. ... Look up icon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The Utzon Room rebuilt and redecorated to conform to Utzon's original design

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x768, 253 KB) Summary This room was recently redecorated using to Utzons orginal design to show how the building would have looked if Utzon had continued to the end of the project. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x768, 253 KB) Summary This room was recently redecorated using to Utzons orginal design to show how the building would have looked if Utzon had continued to the end of the project. ...

See also

• Official Openings by the Monarch in Australia
• Wonders of the World

For other uses, see Wonders of the World (disambiguation). ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year (99th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Hubble, Ava, The Strange Case of Eugene Goossens and Other Tales from The Opera House, Collins Publishers, Australia, 1988. (Ava Hubble was Press Officer for the SOH for fifteen years).
• Duek-Cohen, Elias, Utzon and the Sydney Opera House, Morgan Publications, Sydney, 1967-1998. (A small publication originally intended to gather public opinion to bring Utzon back to the project).
• Stuber, Fritz, Sydney's Opera House - Not a World Heritage Item? - Open letter to the Hon. John W. Howard, Prime Minister, in: Australian Planner (Sydney), Vol. 35, No. 3, 1998 (p. 116); Architecture + Design (New Delhi), Vol. XV, No. 5, 1998 (pp.12-14); collage (Berne), No. 3, 1998, (pp.33-34, 1 ill.).
• "Opera House an architectural 'tragedy"', ABC News Online, 28 April 2005.
• Flyvbjerg, Bent, "Design by Deception: The Politics of Megaproject Approval", Harvard Design Magazine, Volume 22, 2005.
• Watson, Anne (editor): "Building a Masterpiece: The Sydney Opera House", 2006, Lund Humphries, ISBN-10: 0853319413, ISBN-13: 978-0853319412

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Sydney Opera House

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Sydney Architecture

• Official website.
• Photographs of the construction
• Wolanski Foundation's annotated list of sources on Sydney Opera House

v • d • e World Heritage Sites in Australia

Australian fossil mammal sites at Naracoorte and Riversleigh · Blue Mountains · Fraser Island · Gondwana Rainforests of Australia · Great Barrier Reef · Heard Island and McDonald Islands · Kakadu National Park · Lord Howe Island Group · Macquarie Island · Purnululu National Park · Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens · Shark Bay · Sydney Opera House · Tasmanian Wilderness · Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park · Wet Tropics of Queensland · Willandra Lakes Region Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Naracoorte Caves is a national park in South Australia (Australia). ... Boodjamulla National Park formerly referrd to as Lawn Hill National Park is in Queensland, (Australia), 1837 km northwest of Brisbane. ... A panoramic view of the Blue Mountains The Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, are situated approximately 100 kilometres west of Sydney. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... The Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves includes eight separate areas totaling 3,665 square km, clustered around the New South Wales - Queensland border. ... The Great Barrier Reef is the worlds largest coral reef system,[1][2] composed of over 2,900 individual reefs[3] and 900 islands stretching for 2,600 kilometres (1,616 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (132,974 sq mi). ... Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km east of Darwin. ... For the island off Solomon Islands, see Ontong Java Atoll Lord Howe Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean 600 km (373 mi) east of the Australian mainland. ... Macquarie Island lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between Australia and Antarctica. ... Purnululu National Park is a World Heritage Site in Western Australia, 2054 km northeast of Perth. ... The Royal Exhibition Building from the main avenue of the Carlton Gardens The Royal Exhibition Building, viewed from the west The Royal Exhibition Building is located in Melbourne, Australia. ... The Royal Exhibition Building in the Carlton Gardens The Carlton Gardens is a World Heritage Site located on the northeastern edge of the Central Business District in the suburb of Carlton, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... Shark Bay is a world heritage site and a locality in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. ... The Tasmanian Wilderness is a World Heritage Area in Tasmania, Australia. ... Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is UNESCO World Heritage-listed in the Northern Territory of Australia. ... The Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Site is an umbrella name for a series of National Parks stretching for 450 km along the north east coast of Australia, from Townsville to Cooktown, bordering the Great Barrier Reef, itself another World Heritage site. ... The Willandra Lakes Region is a World Heritage Site that covers 2,400 square kilometres in south-western New South Wales. ...