In 1956 the New South Wales Premier, The Hon. The breadth of those experiences reflects our visionary 1961 Act, which charges the Opera House not only with the promotion of artistic taste across all art forms, but also “scientific research into, and the encouragement of, new and improved forms of entertainment and methods of presentation.”. The Point was first developed as a fort, named after Governor Macquarie. Images courtesy of the Sydney Opera House Trust. Joe Cahill, announced an international competition for the design of an opera house for Sydney which attracted more than 200 entries from around the world. In 2019, some 25,000 people celebrated with us. It will be the building’s most extensive upgrade since its opening in 1973. “Expectations of great performance have moved a long way,” says Sydney Opera House … Work commenced in 1959 and involved 10,000 construction workers. For most, it’s the face of Sydney. Dear NicMic, A tour of the Sydney Opera House is absolutely worth it because the history and architecture behind this incredible building really is something special. The Sydney Opera House is primarily made from concrete, granite, glass and ceramic materials. Following the New South Wales Government’s $69.3 million grant in 2001, the works of the Venue Improvement Plan began. 5 Reasons Why You Need to Visit the Sydney Opera House. 13. It took 14 years. In 1960, Graeme Thorne, an 8-year-old Australian boy, was kidnapped and murdered for part of the money that his parents, Bazil Thorne and Freda Thorne, had won in an Opera House lottery.The crime, regarded as one of the most infamous in Australia's history, caused massive shock at the time and attracted huge public attention, and was the country's first well known kidnap for ransom. Internationally, not just in Australia. 10 Interesting Sydney Opera House Facts for Kids. Today it is Australia’s number one tourist destination, welcoming more than 8.2 million visitors a year and one of the world’s busiest performing arts centres, presenting more than 2000 shows 363 days a year for more than 1.5 million people, from the work of the seven flagship arts companies to which it is home to First Nations’ arts and culture, talks and ideas, theatre and dance and the superstars of classical and contemporary music. Please note that you have 5 minutes remaining to complete your transaction. Howard Gilman Opera House, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the building was formally opened on 20 October 1973 after a gestation beginning with Utzon’s 1957 selection as winner of an international design competition. It is situated on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour. Its trademark white shells are made from precast concrete reinforced with steel and are covered by over 1 million ceramic tiles. They were made in Sweden. Nevertheless, Utzon’s masterpiece would define his career, and redefine the image of Australia both to itself and the world. This is the story of controversial film 'Autopsy on a Dream'. Fusing ancient and modernist influences, and built on a site sacred to the local Gadigal people for thousands of years, the sculptural elegance of the Sydney Opera House has made it one of the most recognisable buildings of the twentieth century, synonymous with inspiration and imagination. Find the travel options that best suit you. It’s the Aussie icon that’s adorned post-cards, book covers and travel brochures the world over. - See 24,233 traveler reviews, 16,552 candid photos, and great deals for Sydney, Australia, at Tripadvisor. The original cost estimate to build Sydney Opera House was $7 million. Please rebook if you would like to attend that event. Construction on the Opera House actually began in 1959. A look back at the history made on our stage. It is a famous tourist attraction Sydney Opera House was one … The opera featured live chickens and one bird walked off the stage and landed on top of a cellist. 233 designs were submitted for the Opera House international design competition held in 1956. Paul Robeson was the first person to perform at Sydney Opera House. It was clear … Realising the dream took us all - visionaries and pragmatists, politicians and architects, engineers, artists and, most fundamentally, the people of Australia. - See 24,238 traveler reviews, 16,544 candid photos, and great deals for Sydney, Australia, at Tripadvisor. “It stands by itself as one of the indisputable masterpieces of human creativity, not only in the 20th century but in the history of humankind.” Expert evaluation report to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, 2007. It was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the winner of an international competition sponsored by the New South Wales government for the complex's design. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the Sydney Opera House was inspired by its dramatic setting on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour, a location that’s long been sacred to the native Gadigal people. Please rebook if you would like to attend that event. While construction took 16 years, including four years to figure out the spherical solution to the icon’s soaring sails, any controversies melted away when the masterpiece was completed in 1973. In 1960, he climbed the scaffolding and sang Ol' Man River to the construction workers as they ate lunch. An exercise in nation building, as Joe Cahill underlined, it was an extraordinary collective act of dreaming in public; a work of art built for the performance of works of art and brought to life by people who believed in the power of imagination. The Sydney Opera House was opened in 1973 and is one of the leading live entertainment venues in the world. Bennelong Point was named after Woollarawarre Bennelong, a senior Eora man at the time of the arrival of British colonisers in Australia in 1788. We’d hate for you to miss out! There are more than 1 million roof tiles covering approximately 1.62 hectares sitting over the structure. Sydney Opera House is cooled using seawater taken directly from the harbour. Howell Opera House, Howell, Michigan. Sydney Opera House Galleries. It is one of the 20th century’s most famous and distinctive buildings. In 1955 a competiton for a design of a large, dedicated opera house and concert hall was started. But while the tale of the Opera House is one of breathtaking triumph, it is also one of personal cost. The opera house was also influenced by Mayan architecture and has 100 metre-wide stairs leading visitors to the Opera House. Many concerts and events take place there, with 2000 performances a year presented by Opera Australia, Australia's national opera company. 12. Work started in February 1959 – and the challenges were immediately obvious. The Sydney Opera House was officially opened in October 1973. Sydney Opera House: It never gets old! Each year, Lunar New Year is celebrated at the Opera House with sails lit in red, Lunar Lanterns and Mandarin tours. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Opera House ( Washington National Opera ), Washington, D.C. More than 10.9 million people visit the Opera House every year. When the Sydney Symphony Orchestra is on stage in the Concert Hall, the temperature must be 22.5 degrees to ensure the instruments stay in tune. Jørn Utzon from Denmark was announced the winner, receiving ₤5000 for his design. She has since visited four times, most recently in 2006. Temperature and humidity are critical to musical instruments. The opera house on Bennelong Point. Arnold Schwarzenegger (former actor and Governor of California) won his final Mr Olympia body building title in 1980 in the Concert Hall. Read the first chapter of House History: Tubowgule, Digital program from the Sydney Opera House, Listen to podcasts from the Sydney Opera House, Antidote - A festival of ideas, action and change, Getting Here - Parking, Transport and Maps, Kids - Activities and shows for Kids and Families, Help bring the Opera House to every Australian child, What's On for Schools - Creative Learning program, Welcome to Antidote at the Sydney Opera House, Welcome to Dance Rites at the Sydney Opera House, Welcome to All About Women at the Sydney Opera House. The opera house project exemplified both the idealized image and the reality of Sydney, just as the controversies… Here are 11 interesting facts about the Sydney Opera House, Sydney’s Most Iconic Building. The history behind one of the indisputable masterpieces of human creativity. It was later used as a tram shed. It was funded largely by the sale of lottery tickets and was completed in 1973. Stage One and the Podium. It is one of the most recognised Australian landmarks, along with Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef. Sydney Opera House: Great night with old Aussie rockers! Ever since its 1973 opening, the shell-shaped Sydney Opera House in Australia has dazzled visitors. The Sydney Opera House sits on Bennelong Point. The original cost estimate to build Sydney Opera House was $7 million. The final … The final cost was $102 million and it was largely paid for by a State Lottery. Jefferson Performing Arts Center (Jefferson Performing Arts Society), Metairie, Louisiana. The Opera House, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007, is Sydney's most … There were no walls as such. It has six theatres which can host 5,800 guests and perform over 2000 shows annually. Sydney Opera House was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 th October, 1973. The biggest and grandest hall is the 2,690-seat Concert Hall, which has the best acoustics of any building of its type in the world. Construction was expected to take four years. One of the highlights of the State archives collection for the 20th Century is a highly significant set of documents relating to the iconic Sydney Opera House. Find out what's behind this amazing architecture. Utzon had designed a solid podium base, harking back to the platforms in Mayan temples. Many of the world’s best known construction companies were involved in building Sydney Opera House including Arups Structural Engineering, Hornibrook and Rider Hunt. Jørn Utzon had arrived in Sydney a week earlier with a bronze plaque that was placed at the point where the axes of the two halls would intersect. Sydney Opera House facts: The Sydney Opera House is located on Bennelong Point at East Circular Quay in Sydney, New South Wales, on latitude33° 51′ 35″ S and longitude 151° 12′ 50″ E. Influenced by Mayan architecture and the Australian coastline, the opera house connects the city with its harbour. In 1999 Jørn Utzon was engaged by the Sydney Opera House Trust to create a set of design principles for the Sydney Opera House. Made, lost, then uncovered half a century later. After having won a number of smaller architectural competitions, Utzon submitted his vision for the Sydney Opera House. The Sydney Opera House - a masterpiece of modern architecture and an icon of Australia - is celebrating its 40th birthday. This was the first obvious sign of the Sydney Opera House’s $273 million renovation project, announced in 2015. Two banks of them, each three sails high. The building’s design was inspired - entirely unlike anything that had been seen before. Digital program from the Sydney Opera House, Listen to podcasts from the Sydney Opera House, Antidote - A festival of ideas, action and change, Getting Here - Parking, Transport and Maps, Kids - Activities and shows for Kids and Families, Help bring the Opera House to every Australian child, What's On for Schools - Creative Learning program, Welcome to Antidote at the Sydney Opera House, Welcome to Dance Rites at the Sydney Opera House, Welcome to All About Women at the Sydney Opera House. We’d hate for you to miss out! The Sydney Opera House is one of the most distinctive and famous 20th century buildings. The Sydney Opera House is a multipurpose performing arts facility located on Port Jackson in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Sydney Opera House is an opera house and iconic building on the shores of Sydney Harbour, in Sydney, Australia.It is shaped like the sails of a boat.