Basic facts:

  • DATE 1957-1973
  • STYLE Expressionist modern
  • MATERIALS Granite, concrete and glass
  • ARCHITECT Jorn Utson
  • The architect has never been in a finished theater

Yacht sails, bird wings, seashells - all this can come to mind when you look at the Sydney Opera House. It has become a symbol of the city.

Sparkling white sails rise into the sky, and a massive granite base seems to be anchored to a straight strip of land, washed by the waters of Sydney Bay on three sides.

An amazing opera house appeared in the city after it was decided in the early 1950s that the city needed a proper performing arts center. In 1957 Danish architect Jorn Utson (born 1918) won an international design competition.

But the decision was ambiguous, because the construction involved unprecedented technical complexity - the engineers who worked on the project called it "a structure that can hardly be built."

Controversy and crisis

Utson's project was unique. he broke a lot of rules. Therefore, new technologies were required for construction, they had yet to be developed. In 1959, construction began, and it is not surprising that disputes and difficulties arose along with it.

When the new government tried to use the growing costs and constant political overlays, Utson was forced to leave Australia, this was in early 1966. For several months, people thought that the empty shells on the concrete podium would remain a giant unfinished sculpture.

But in 1973 the construction was finally completed, the interiors did not take so much time. The opera house opened the same year, public support was strong, although Utson was not at the opening.

The building is made so that it can be viewed from any angle, even from above. In it, as in sculpture, you always see something elusive and new.

Three groups of connected shells hang over a massive base of granite slabs, where service areas are located - rehearsal and dressing rooms, recording studios, workshops and administrative offices. There is also a drama theater and a small stage for performances.

Two main halls are located in the two main shells - a large concert hall, over which a ceiling of round segments hangs, and an opera house hall, where opera and ballet are shown.

The third group of shells contains a restaurant. The height of the shells is up to 60 meters, they are supported by ribbed concrete beams, similar to fans, and the thickness of their concrete walls is 5 centimeters.

The sinks are covered with matte and glossy ceramic tiles. On the other hand, all the shells are covered with glass walls that look like glass waterfalls - from there, stunning views of the entire area open up. From all the halls of the theater you can go to the common room below. Both main concert halls can also be accessed from the outside via wide staircases.

The jury of the competition did not fail by choosing the project of the Sydney Opera House, although there are complex acoustics, and the simple atmosphere inside erases the impression of a masterpiece. Today, the Sydney Opera House is called one of the greatest buildings of the 20th century, the eighth wonder of the world, and it is almost impossible to imagine Sydney without it.

JORN UTSON

Jorn Utson was born in the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen, in 1918. He studied as an architect in Copenhagen from 1937 to 1942, and then went to study in Sweden and the USA, and work with.

Utson developed an architectural style known as additive architecture. Utson worked a lot at home, studied theory, but his name is forever associated with the Sydney Opera House (although the difficulties with this project hurt his career and almost broke the architect's life).

He also built the National Assembly of Kuwait and became famous throughout the world as the creator of impressive modern buildings, in which modernism is complemented by natural forms. Utson received many awards for his work.

The jury members appreciated Utzon's initial drawings, but for practical reasons, he replaced the original elliptical shell design with a design with uniform spherical fragments reminiscent of an orange peel. Due to numerous problems, Utzon left the project, and work on the glazing and interior was completed by the architect Peter Hall. But Utson gained worldwide fame and was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 2003. In 2007, the Sydney Opera House was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The tallest concrete panel shell is equivalent to a 22-story building in height. On the outside, the shell is covered in a chevron pattern of over a million cream-colored tile pieces interspersed with pink granite panels. The inside of the building is clad in Australian birch plywood.

Everyone knows that the Sydney Opera House is a real architectural symbol of the city, which elevated the architect Jorn Utzon (1918-2008) to the pinnacle of fame outside his native Denmark. After the end of World War II, Utson traveled around Europe, the United States and Mexico, got acquainted with the works of Alvar Aalto and Frank Lloyd Wright, examined the ancient Mayan pyramids. In 1957, he won the competition for the best design of the Sydney Opera House, after which he moved to Australia. Construction work began in 1959, but he soon encountered problems with the roof structure and attempts by the new government to persuade him to use certain building material suppliers. In 1966, he left the project and returned to his homeland. He was not invited to the grand opening in 1973, however, despite this, he was offered to redesign the reception hall, called the Utson Hall (2004). Later, he participated in the restoration of other fragments of the building.

Utson's departure caused a lot of rumors and hostility, and the appearance of Hall to complete the Project was received with hostility. Hall is the author of other administrative buildings, such as Goldstein College at the University of New South Wales (1964).

In 1960, during the construction of the Sydney Opera House, American singer and actor Paul Robeson performed Ol Man River at the top of the scaffolding during a construction lunch break.

– Sydney Opera House, and even if you haven’t heard, you will certainly easily recognize the photo of this unusual sail-like structure.

Our story will take you closer to this unique building, you will find out why it has gained such popularity among tourists, and you can decide whether it deserves your attention or not.

History of the Opera House in Sydney

The history of the construction of the world-famous landmark began in the distant 1954 the year the British conductor sir J. Goossens, having arrived in work, he discovered that there was not only an opera house, but also no other sufficiently spacious room where people could listen to music.
He got excited about the idea of ​​building and soon found a suitable place - Cape Bennelong Point, where at that time the tram depot was located.
J. Goossens did a lot of work, and so, on May 17, 1955, the Australian government announced a competition to develop a project for a new opera house. Architects from all over the world submitted their projects, but in the end the Dane won J. Watson.
Large-scale construction began, which dragged on for 14 years and instead of the originally calculated 7 million Australian dollars, it required 102 million.
In 1973, the official opening of the Sydney Opera House took place, soon after which the building became the main architectural symbol not only, but of Australia as a whole.

Top attractions - what to see at the Sydney Opera House?

Undoubtedly, the attention of people from all over the world to the Sydney Opera House is the most attracted by its easily recognizable roof, which resembles sails to some, shells to some, and others say that it is a symbol of frozen music.

Did you know? Many people think that the roof has a white surface, but in fact, some of its tiles are white, others are cream, due to which, depending on the sunlight, it can “change” color.

But besides the roof, there are many other things that make the structure really outstanding. It is surrounded by water on three sides and stands on huge concrete piles. The area of ​​the theater reaches incredible figures - 22 thousand square meters. m.!

The theater contains 4 large halls at once:

  • Concert hall, which can simultaneously receive 2679 visitors;
  • Opera theatre, designed for 1507 spectators, they play here not only opera, but also ballet;
  • Theatre of Drama, capable of accommodating 544 people;
  • Maly Drama Theater– the most comfortable hall for 398 spectators.

In addition to the main halls, the theater has many other rooms - rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms, corridors, bars and restaurants.

Entertainment

Undoubtedly, the main attraction of the Opera House in Sydney is watching his outstanding plays, performances, operas and ballets. World-famous theater and ballet troupes, as well as orchestras, singers and other artists come here with their performances.

Did you know? At the same time, 4 different performances can take place in the theater!

You can find a list of upcoming events at official website of the Sydney Opera House.
If you're not an avid art lover, or have a little time to spare, but want to get to know the world-famous building, this is easy to do.

By visiting one of them, you can not only learn more interesting facts about the famous building, but also go “behind the scenes” of theatrical life, meet the actors of the troupes and even try out theatrical food. By the way, about food.
There are several good bars and restaurants on the territory of the Sydney Opera House. The most popular of them:

  • Opera Bar- a bar and a restaurant, which is at the same time one of the "favorites" among the Sydney people;
  • Bennelong- one of the best restaurants in Australia, whose chef is P. Gilmour, who prepares original dishes from Australian ingredients;
  • Portside Sydney- the most suitable for a light snack, a cup of coffee or a dessert, a friendly family restaurant.

Also in the theater building you will find many souvenir shops, offering tourists a very wide selection of pleasant and memorable little things.

Where is the Sydney Opera House located?

The famous building is located in the picturesque Sydney harbor at Bennelong Point.
You can easily get here from anywhere in the Australian capital, as there is an intersection of sea and land transport routes nearby.
GPS coordinates: 33.856873° S, 151.21497° E.

Opening hours of the Sydney Opera House

  • The theater is open to visitors daily from 9 am (Sunday from 10:00) until late in the evening.
  • Prices for visiting the theater depend on the purpose of such a visit - either it will be an excursion, or you want to see this or that performance, or you just want to relax and have a delicious meal in one of the theater restaurants - in each case, the price can vary significantly.
  • If you have any questions, you can contact the "Info-service" of the theater from Monday to Friday at tel. +61 2 9250 7111 or email the address [email protected]
    The official website of the Sydney Opera House is www.sydneyoperahouse.com.

Sydney Opera House - interesting facts

  • Author of the Sydney theater project Yu. Goossens, despite the amount of work he did, was "expelled" from Australia, since they allegedly found forbidden items of the “black mass” in him.
  • The initial A$7 million for the theater was raised thanks to charity lottery.
  • The famous sail-shaped roof significantly worsened the acoustics of the theater premises, and therefore it was necessary to make additional sound reflective ceilings. The roof, by the way, was also too heavy, and the builders were forced to redo the entire foundation of the theater again.
  • In connection with the protracted construction, the architect of the Sydney Opera House, J. Watson, had difficulties with the Australian government, and he was forced to leave Australia. The theater was completed by another architect.
  • She herself came to open the opera house in Sydney Queen Elizabeth II of Britain.
  • The Sydney Theater has the longest theater curtains in the world, and its large concert hall is the largest organ on the planet.
  • The Sydney Opera House is the first building in the world to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage during the lifetime of its architect.
  • The building of the opera house is still not completed to the end. To prepare for the 2000 Olympics, the Australian government invited J. Watson to complete the building, but he refused. The illustrious architect never returned to Australia after the forced cessation of construction.
  • J. Watson in 2003 received the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for the project of the world famous theater.
  • Sydney Opera House was a contender for the title of one of the 7 wonders of the world.
  • So far, never not required repair of the famous building.

Sydney Opera House - Video

In this video you will learn even more information about the Sydney Opera House. Happy viewing!

The world-famous theater hides these and many other secrets behind its walls - hurry to see it, touch its secrets and touch the great musical and theatrical art that unfolds daily behind its backstage.

The green continent is famous all over the world not only for kangaroos, koalas, warm ocean and bronze gods of surfing. There are also unique structures. At Cape Bennelong, like a fantastic sailboat, a mass of concrete and glass rises. It's famous all over. In Sydney every day you can see a lot of tourists. And be sure that one half of them have already seen a unique building, and the other will certainly visit it in the near future.

New miracle

If foreigners easily recognize Moscow by Red Square, the Mausoleum, then the quaint opera house undoubtedly resurrects Sydney in our imagination. Photos of this attraction can be seen on any souvenir from Australia. The snow-white mass towering over the harbor has become one of the masterpieces of world architecture. The building has not only a catchy exterior, but also a curious history.

in numbers

The height of the building is 67 meters. The length of the building is 185 meters, and the distance at its widest point is 120 m. The weight, according to the calculations of engineers, is 161,000 tons, and the area is 2.2 hectares. There are about 1 million tiles on the roof slopes. In addition to the two largest halls, there are more than 900 rooms. At the same time, the theater can accommodate approximately 10,000 spectators. The Sydney Opera House is visited by 4 million people a year.

A bit of history

Australia has never been the center of musical culture. By the beginning of the 20th century, a symphony orchestra was functioning on the mainland, but it did not have its own premises. Only when Eugene Goossens received the position of chief director, they started talking about it out loud. However, the war and post-war period did not favor the start of large-scale projects. Only by the middle of the twentieth century, in 1955, the government issued a building permit. But no funds were allocated from the budget. The search for investors began in 1954 and did not stop throughout the construction. 233 architects submitted their works in the competition for the best project. Already at this stage, it became clear where the new musical theater would be built. In Sydney, of course.

Most of the applications were rejected by the jury, but one of the members of the commission - Eero Saarinen - actively advocated for some unfortunate applicant. It turned out to be a native of Denmark - Jorn Utzon. 4 years were allotted for the implementation of the project, the budget amounted to 7 million dollars. Despite plans, by the end of the 1960s, the Sydney Opera House was still under construction. The architect was accused of not meeting the estimate and not being able to translate his plans into reality. With sin in half, the construction was nevertheless completed. And in 1973, Queen Elizabeth II took part in the opening of the theater. Instead of four years required for construction, the project required 14, and instead of 7 million of the budget - 102. Be that as it may, the building was built to last. Even after 40 years of repair, he still did not need.

The architectural style of the theater

In the post-war period, the so-called international style reigned in architecture, the favorite forms of which were gray concrete boxes for a purely utilitarian purpose. Australia also followed this trend. in Sydney was a happy exception. It was in the 50s that the world got tired of monotony and a new style began to gain popularity - structural expressionism. His great supporter was Eero Saarinen, thanks to whom the little-known Dane conquered Sydney. Photos of this theater can now be found in any textbook on architecture. The building is a classic example of expressionism. The design for that time was innovative, but in the era of the search for fresh forms, it came in handy.

According to the requirement of the government, the premises had to have two halls. One was intended for opera, ballet and symphony concerts, the second for chamber music and dramatic productions. The architect designed the Sydney Opera House in fact from two buildings, and not from the same number of halls. It is noteworthy that in fact it is devoid of walls. On a single base is a structure of many roofs in the shape of a sail. They are covered with white self-cleaning tiles. During festivals and holidays, grandiose light shows are arranged on the vaults of the opera.

What's inside?

Under the two largest vaults there are concert and opera zones. They are very large and have their own names. "Concert Hall" - the largest. Almost 2,700 spectators can sit here. The second largest is the Opera Hall. It is designed for 1547 people. It is decorated with the "Curtain of the Sun" - the largest in the world. There is also a "Curtain of the Moon" paired to it, located in the "Drama Hall". As the name suggests, it is intended for dramatic productions. Film screenings are held in the Playhouse. Sometimes it serves as a lecture hall. "Studio Hall" is the newest of all. Here you can join the modern theatrical art.

Wood, plywood and pink Turin granite were used in the decoration of the premises. Some interior fragments evoke associations with a ship's deck, continuing the theme of a giant ship.

Some say that the Sydney Opera House is a fantastic sailboat, others see a system of grottoes, others see pearl shells. According to one version, Utzon admitted in an interview that he was inspired to create the project by a peel carefully removed from an orange. There is a story that Eero Saarinen chose the project while drunk. Tired of the endless series of applications, the chairman of the commission simply took out a few sheets at random from a common pile. It seems that the legend did not appear without the participation of the envious Utzon.

Beautiful vaulted ceilings disturbed the acoustics in the building. Of course, this was unacceptable for the opera house. To solve the problem, internal ceilings were designed that reflect sound according to all the rules of theatrical construction.

Sadly, Utzon was not destined to see his offspring completed. After being removed from the building, he left Australia, never to return here again. Even after being awarded the prestigious architecture award in 2003, he did not come to Sydney to see the theatre. A year after the UNESCO organization assigned the status of an architect to the opera house, he died.

Sydney Opera House

Sydney is rightfully considered the most beautiful city in Australia and one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Sydney is located in the hills above a magnificent bay that fills with many ships all year round. The visiting card of Sydney is the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge, the grandeur of which has amazed tourists for many decades.








When we say "Australia" or "Sydney", we immediately imagine the quaint building of the Sydney Opera House. Looking like a swan or a surreal ship trying to unfurl its sails, or gigantic shells, the Opera House is the main symbol of Sydney.


SYDNEY OPERA. The project of the Opera House is based on the desire to bring people from the world of daily routine into the world of fantasy, where musicians and actors live.
The Sydney Opera House is the only building of the 20th century to be on a par with such great architectural symbols of the 19th century as Big Ben, the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. Along with Hagia Sophia and the Taj Mahal, this building belongs to the highest cultural achievements of the last millennium.


Almost everyone has heard of the Sydney Opera House. However, few of us know that in addition to this wonderful building, the port and the port bridge are also considered the symbol of the Australian city. The ensemble of three buildings in Sydney is the subject of a “hunt” for photographers, because the view is simply amazing. It is no secret that the idea of ​​creating such a roof for the opera was inspired by the sails in the harbor.


Let's delve a little into the history of the creation of the Sydney Opera House and maybe understand why today this building has surpassed the port, the previous unofficial symbol of the city, in its popularity. Back in 1954, a competition was announced, the winner of which could realize his idea. Then 233 high-class specialists from 32 countries immediately wanted to participate in the competition. The little-known Dane Jorg Utzon became the architect who received the right to realize his idea. He, like almost all the other contestants, only knew about the place where the opera would be located, but had never been there. The only help for him was photographs of the area. The inspiration, which has already been mentioned in passing, Uzton found in the city port (he was very impressed with luxurious white sails) and, to some extent, the temple buildings of the ancient Mayan and Aztec peoples, which he visited in Mexico
The idea of ​​Iorg Uzton turned out to be so new, one might even say revolutionary, that the builders took up it, despite the great complexity. However, the complexity was only one of the rough edges on the way to the implementation of the project - soon a new problem was discovered. With the declared cost of $7 million and the implementation period of 10 years, the builders failed to meet either the deadlines or the cost. Over 20 years, the project "ate" more than $100 million, and more than once the city council's agenda was to curtail the expensive project. It is worth recalling that at the beginning of the second half of the last century, money was worth much more than it is today. But the government men of Sydney, with exceptional ingenuity, solved the problem with a lack of funding - the Sydney Opera House was built ... at the expense of a lottery.


Clouds were constantly gathering around the project, it was watered with a stream of criticism, and in 1966 Uzton could not stand it. Technical, financial and bureaucratic setbacks forced him to step back from the leadership of the project. The main technical difficulty, along with its aesthetic perfection, was the giant concrete sails. The architects called them among themselves "elliptical paraboloids", and in fact it turned out that there was no way to design them in their original form, respectively, the whole project had to be redone. It took many hours of work and complex technical calculations to remake the project, but in the end the opera was built. The version of the building that we see today was not only a triumph of Utzon's design, but also the embodiment of the technical thought of the Australian architects who were involved in the implementation of his idea.


The work was completed in 1973, and the grand opening ceremony of the Sydney Opera House took place on October 20 of the same year. It was attended by an unusually large number of famous people, but the main guest was the Queen of England, Elizabeth II. According to numerous reviews, it was the building of the Sydney Opera House that could not be surpassed to this day - it is considered the most beautiful building built since the end of the Second World War. Photographers and connoisseurs of all that is beautiful say that it is best to admire this miracle of architecture and design from the stern of the ship, then the building turns into a kind of castle in the air or a white-winged swan ready to take off




The Sydney Opera House is a complex of almost 1000 rooms, home to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian Opera, Australian Ballet, Sydney Theater Company, Sydney Dance Company,
as well as several other small halls, one of which is located in the courtyard under the open sky.




Those who are not completely impressed by the appearance of the Sydney Opera House are completely unsettled by the interior of the opera, the style of which has been called “space age gothic”. The theater curtain woven in France is the largest in the world. The area of ​​each half of this miracle curtain is 93 m2. The record holder is also the huge mechanical organ of the concert hall - it has 10,500 pipes. Under the vaults of the opera, there are five halls for various performances, as well as a cinema and two restaurants at once. The opera hall can accommodate 1,550 spectators at once, and the concert hall - 2,700. The Sydney Opera House has become a home for a symphony orchestra, a philharmonic choir and a city theater.






The sail-shaped shells that form the roof make this building unlike any other in the world. Now it is one of the most famous and easily recognizable buildings in the world, which is a symbol of Sydney and one of the main attractions of Australia. The Opera House in Sydney is recognized as one of the outstanding buildings of modern architecture in the world.





The Sydney Opera House acquires its absolute charm at night - when it is flooded with lantern lights.




The Opera House in Sydney not only raised music to new heights, but also became a symbol of the whole country.


The port bridge and its design have always evoked smiles from the locals. Designed by Australian engineer John Job Crewe Bradfield, this bridge has gained the nickname - the clothes hanger. Officially, this functional steel structure bears his name - Bradfield Highway (Bradfield Highway). The gray color of the bridge is due to the cheapness of paint, which was used during the crisis years of the construction of the bridge - from 1923 to 1932. The total length of the bridge is 1150 meters, and the length of spans between the arched trusses is 503 meters. The maximum height of the bridge is 135 meters above the water level. Tourists walking across this bridge will enjoy superb views of the bustling port and all of Sydney.






It's hard to imagine Sydney without the Opera!


The Sydney Opera House is an outstanding architectural building of the 20th century. It was nominated for the title of a new wonder of the world, and was among the finalists. Listed by UNESCO, this building is a popular tourist symbol of Australia.

The Sydney Opera House is located in the local harbor at Bennelong Point. The building was built on 580 concrete piles driven into the bottom. Its length is 183 m, width - 118, and the occupied area - more than 21.5 thousand m 2. The maximum height of the building is 67 m.

Interesting Facts about the Sydney Opera House are not only about the history of construction and architectural implementation (they will be discussed below). No other theater has a work about him in its repertoire. The opera The Eighth Wonder is the only precedent.

History of the Sydney Opera House

Sydney until the middle of the 20th century. did not have an opera house at all. The guest conductor of the local symphony orchestra, Eugene Goossens, considered this situation unacceptable. The Sydney authorities agreed with him, but did not have the funds for construction. In 1954 they launched a fundraiser that lasted two decades. During this period, about 10,000,000 AUD were collected. The initially declared cost of the construction in 7000000 AUD eventually turned into actually spent 102000000 AUD.

Under the terms of the announced competition, the limited area of ​​Cape Bennelong was assigned as the place for the construction of the theater. The main hall for 3,000 seats of the designed building was reserved for opera and ballet. The Small Hall for 1200 spectators was planned for chamber theatrical and musical productions. Among 233 contestants, the young Danish architect Jorn Utson won. According to his project, the building outwardly resembled a multi-sail ship on the water surface surrounding the cape.

The work that began in 1959 dragged on for 14 years instead of the planned four, extending the date of construction until 1973. The delay had both objective and subjective reasons. The first includes the demand of the authorities to add two additional halls. And the sail-like roof shells originally designed by Jorn Utson had acoustical shortcomings. It took the architect several years to find an alternative technical solution. The new vault turned out to be too heavy for the foundation made, and a new one had to be made.

Additional spending and delays in construction strained Utson's relationship with the local authorities, and he left Sydney. In 1966, construction was continued by local architects. According to many experts, this had a negative impact on the interior of the building. The theater inside is significantly inferior to the stunning facade.

The Sydney new building actually opened on September 28, 1973 with Sergei Prokofiev's opera War and Peace. The official ceremony took place on October 20 with the participation of the British monarch Elizabeth II, who is the formal head of Australia.

The architect of the Sydney Opera House was not present at the opening, and was not even mentioned. Neither is his name on the bronze plaque of the authors at the entrance. True, in the same year, the local Institute of Architects awarded Jorn Utson with a gold medal. And in 2003, he received the Pritzker Prize, the highest award for architects, for his project.

In 1999, Jörn Utsson nevertheless designed the reconstruction of the Reception Hall, later renamed in his honor. The work was supervised by Jorn's son architect Jan Utson. And Yorn himself did not return to Sydney after 1966. He died in 2008 without seeing his famous creation with his own eyes. The floodlights illuminating the Sydney Opera House were turned off for an hour in memory of the great architect.

Sydney Opera House its architect and architect

Opera houses are usually built in the classical style. In contrast to them, the building of the Sydney Opera House is a vivid example of the architectural style of expressionism. The unique roof is realized in the form of sails of different sizes. Surrounded on three sides by water, the building from a distance looks like a large multi-sail ship moored in Sydney Harbor. This is how the architect saw the future theater. He said that he wanted to take the audience away from the usual routine into a fantasy world where actors and musicians live.

The area allocated for construction was limited. The projects rejected by the jury of the competition had a common drawback - cumbersomeness. Jörn Utson solved this problem by transferring attention to the architectural dominant of the building - the roof. Its total diameter is 150 m. The roof frame consists of 2 thousand concrete sections and weighs 30 tons. The two largest sails crown both main halls, originally conceived. Under the smallest sail is the Bennelong restaurant. The whole structure is fastened with metal cables, with a total length of 350 km.

The uneven roof height initially caused acoustic problems. They were filmed using a sound-reflecting ceiling with special gutters. The latter, in addition to the practical function, also performed an aesthetic one, emphasizing the arches of the stage.

On top, the sail roofs are covered with white polished and cream matte azulejo tiles (Portuguese tiles). It was specially made for the theatre. Matte tiles predominate along the edges, while shiny tiles dominate in the center, which made it possible to create an iridescent effect. It took more than a million pieces of tiles to cover a total area of ​​1.62 hectares. The mechanical method of laying made it possible to achieve perfect evenness, unattainable with manual cladding.

Although from a distance the sails of the roof appear white, they change their shade depending on the lighting. As the architect said, the sun and clouds will make the roof alive, you will never get tired of looking at it. He turned out to be right.

Sydney Opera House inside

The functional purpose of the main halls has changed. The main hall, originally planned for opera and ballet performances, was decided to be converted into a concert hall. Actually, the second largest hall became the opera house. Now the complex has 6 main halls.

  • Concert Hall (Concert) for 2679 spectators. It has one of the world's largest organs with 10,000 pipes. The 17*11 m stage can be expanded with 85 front seats.
  • Opera Theater (Opera) seats 1547 spectators. Its tapestry curtain, called "Solar" - the largest on the planet.
  • Drama Theater (Dramatic) for 544 spectators is used for theatrical and dance performances. Its dark tapestry curtain is called "Lunar".
  • The Playhouse hall with 398 seats hosts chamber theatrical performances, lectures and film screenings. The hall stage can be expanded in two stages by sacrificing 46 seats.
  • 364 lovers of avant-garde plays, modern music or corporate events can gather in the Studio Hall, opened in 1999.
  • A small hall of Jorn Utson is decorated with a woolen tapestry in bright colors, woven according to his sketch.

The theater complex includes about a thousand different rooms. In addition to the halls, the building has rehearsal rooms, theater platforms, a recording studio, shops, cafes, restaurants and numerous other facilities. It is not difficult for a person who does not know the plan of the theater to get lost in it.

There is an anecdotal case with a novice courier who delivered a package. He got confused in the premises and ended up on stage during the performance. Fortunately, one of the actors was not taken aback and said: “Finally, the package was delivered!”. The audience considered his remark part of the plot.

Another comical incident occurred during the performance of Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov. Her scenery included real chickens. One of them flew off the stage onto the musician's head. After that, a grid was installed over the orchestra pit.

Theater tickets

At the Sydney Opera House at Bennelong point, Sydney NSW 2000, about three thousand cultural events are held annually, which attract millions of spectators. You can get acquainted with the repertoire and order tickets on the official website.

300 thousand tourists annually visit the theater as part of organized excursions. They are held from 9:00 to 17:00 every day, except for Christmas and Good Friday, and last about an hour.

The cost of a regular tour is 35 AUD. Evening excursions are also practiced, combined with a performance, as well as dinner in a restaurant or cafe. For example, a tour and Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute" will be well complemented by dinner at the Mozart bistro.