The Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House, one of the most recognizable structures in the world, is located on Bennelong point on the Sydney Harbor in Sydney, Australia. Along with being world-renown for its architecture, the Sydney Opera house is also regarded as one of the premier Opera Houses in the world.

History of the Sydney Opera House

The history of the Sydney Opera House begins in the late 1950s when the New South Wales government created a commission for the construction of the opera house. To find an innovative architect, the government set up a design competition. The Danish architect Jorn Utzon won the competition and was appointed architect to this project.
 
One of the major problems with the design was the feasibility of constructing the building, as it was regarded as being beyond the engineering capabilities of the time. The major sticking point was the iconic concentric shells that make up the roof of the building. Utzon redesigned the building over the next couple of years and, in 1961, figured out how construction could be completed.

Construction of the Sydney Opera House

Construction of the Sydney Opera House took place in three stages:
  • Stage I construction on the Sydney Opera House, which began in 1958, included laying the foundation and building the upper podium of the structure.
  • Stage II of construction, the building of the large concentric shells, began in 1963 and was completed in 1967.
  • Stage III, which consisted of interior design, was completed in 1973.

Construction of the Sydney Opera House was beset with difficulty from the very beginning. Inclement weather, supply problems and design difficulties led to delays that pushed the project 47 weeks behind schedule.

Cost overruns nearly led the New South Wales government to abandon the project, and the ensuing difficulties caused the original architect, Jorn Utzon, to quit the plan.

Work on the Sydney Opera House was eventually completed in 1973 by outside architectural firms at a cost of AU $102 million. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Opera House on October 20, 1973, in a televised event that included a rendition of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

The finished building, as it currently stands, consists of two main structures that house the Concert Hall and Opera Theater. Additional theaters are located at the sides of the main building, and the Bennelong restaurant is housed in a smaller structure at the side, which shares the same design.

Calendar and Performances

The Sydney Opera House is home to the Sydney Theater Company, the Sydney Symphony and Opera Australia. It conducts up to 3,000 events each year and has an annual attendance of 2 million people per year for its performances. Admission to the Sydney Opera House is free, with guided tours available for a nominal fee. Performances vary in price.

The Concert Hall can accommodate 2,679 people for performances and houses the world's largest mechanical tracker organ with over 10,000 pipes. The Opera Theater, which can hold 1,547 patrons, is home to Opera Australia and the Australian Ballet Company. Additional stages can accommodate another 1,260 guests for smaller and more intimate performances.

The Sydney Opera House plays home to a wide variety of performing arts, including operas, plays, musical events and acrobatic performances. The Opera House may also be rented for large conferences, parties and weddings.

Resources
 
Australian Government Culture and Recreation Portal (n.d.). Sydney Opera House. Retrieved on January 16, 2008 from the Australian Government Culture and Recreation Portal Website: http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/sydneyopera
house/.

Travelpromote.com.au PTY LIMITED (n.d.). Sydney Opera House. Retrieved on January 16, 2008 from the discoversydney.co.au Website: http://www.discoversydney.com.au/things/soh.html.

Sydney Opera House (n.d.). Sydney Opera House. Retrieved on January 16, 2008 for the Sydney Opera house Website: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/homepage.aspx.