The Sydney Opera House is easily recognizable and the most famous building in the world. It is located in one of the major Australian cities and is one of the main attractions of the continent.

The Sydney Opera House has been recognized as one of the most significant buildings in the world, along with the Harbor Bridge, also located in Sydney.

The Opera House is located on Sydney Harbour, on Bennelong Point. Nowadays it is difficult to imagine Sydney without an opera, but until 1958 inclusive, the building housed a tram depot, and before that a fort.

The roof of the building has sail-shaped shells, thanks to which there is not a single analogue architectural monument in the whole world.

Construction and architect of the Sydney Opera House

The architect of the building is Jorn Utzon, who comes from the Danish countryside. At that time, the construction project seemed practically impossible for the builders, but despite the efforts of the workers, the opera house was erected.

At the initial stage, it was planned to build 2 large halls, but during the construction process the project suffered significant changes, which later benefited.

It was believed that the construction of the Opera would take 4 years and cost $7 million. But due to misunderstandings, intrigues and various kinds of feuds, it turned out that construction took as long as 14 years, and the cost increased 15 times and exceeded 100 million dollars.

After completing the project, the Danish architect was awarded the Pitzker Prize and the highest architectural award for 2003.

Description of the theater

The opera is divided into three main performance halls:

• The 2,679-seat concert hall is home to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and features the world's largest working mechanical organ, with more than 10,000 pipes.
• The 1,507-seat Opera House is home to the Sydney Opera House and the Australian Ballet.
• The 544-seat Drama Hall is home to the Sydney Theater Company and other dance and theater companies.

But the number of rooms is not limited to this; the Opera has many other less significant halls and studios.

For example, in the cafe you can try the freshest hamburgers and seafood dishes. At the bar, enjoy the best cocktails, wines and snacks. Have lunch at Mozart's bistro. And in a separate banquet hall, order a celebration of a family celebration or a cooperative. And all this with a gorgeous view of the bay.

To attend a show, you don't necessarily need an evening dress and heels, as we always think.

For example, local indigenous residents can easily come to a musical in jeans and a T-shirt, and sometimes barefoot. But it’s still worth dressing up for going out, it will add significance to such an event.

In addition, the Opera offers various types of training and interactive excursions. By the way, tuition is free for students this year.

Trainings and master classes are held in order to attract young people to art and help them find exactly what they need. Teachers also undergo confirmation and improvement of their knowledge and skills here.

In fairness, it is worth noting that with the construction of the Opera House in Australia, such forms of art as opera, ballet, theater and playing in a symphony orchestra began to develop more and more.

More than 1,500 performances are held here annually, attended by a total of 1.2 million people. More than 7 million tourists visit the opera house every year, thanks to which the building has the title of the most popular attraction on the Australian continent.

During its short life, the Opera has won the title of World Art Center. In June 2007 it was added to the World Heritage List.

From October 2013 to March 2014, as part of the 40th anniversary celebration, a grand show was staged on the site in front of the main entrance. For example, Sting gave several concerts, and the Royal Mint issued 2 $1 coins with the image of the Opera - in silver and bronze.

Cost of visiting the Opera House

General excursion with a visit to the stage and stage, as well as other premises of the theater

• $35 – for an adult;
• $12.5 – for a child.

Tours run from 9am to 5pm

The Sydney Opera House has a policy of accessibility so that people of different social status can afford to visit this wonderful place. Therefore, the theater administration provides various ways to reach them.

Getting here is not difficult at all, and since it is located right on the water, the most popular way is by ferry. You can also get there by train, and get to the building itself by bus.

A free bus is provided for pensioners and people with limited mobility, but the number of seats on it is limited, so you have to wait for your turn. It is better to check the schedule - for example, buses do not operate on Sunday evenings. They are sent 45 minutes before the start of the performance, and after its completion they are sent within 10 minutes. You can also get there by bicycle; bicycle parking is provided for these visitors.

Where is the Sydney Opera House located?

• City of Sydney, Australia (here)
• Address: Bennelong point Sydney NSW 2000
• Phone: (+61 2) 9250 7111
• Official website: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

(Here you can order tickets and check out the repertoire for the coming days)

The Sydney Opera House is Australia's most famous building, built after a lengthy construction process in 1974. There are still debates about its architectural style, but the theater has long become a symbol and calling card of this distant city.

Some believe that the Sydney Opera House is a frozen musical composition, others are snow-white sails filled with wind, others are sure that from afar the building looks like a huge whale washed up on the seashore by a storm.

The most unique thing about the theater is its roof, made in the shape of sails or flower petals. It cannot be confused with any other building. The Sydney Opera House is on the famous UNESCO cultural heritage list.

Description

It is well known that the vast majority of other theaters in the world were built in the strict style of classicism. And the Sydney Opera House is true expressionism in architecture, a fresh look at classical music and opera singing.

It has an unusual roof and stands on stilts in the water it is surrounded by. The theater has a huge area - about 22,000 square meters. m, many large halls, studios, cafes, restaurants, boutiques, souvenir shops and other premises.

The largest hall in the theater is the concert hall, which can accommodate more than 2.6 thousand people. There is a giant organ in this hall; organ music concerts are often held.

The second largest hall is called the Opera House, its capacity is 1.5 thousand people, operas and ballets are staged here. The third hall is called the drama theater, it is designed for 500 spectators, and is intended for theatrical productions.

Theater roof

The height of the roof of this building is almost 70 m, and the radius is 75 m. It is made in the form of many petals or sails nested inside each other. The total weight of the roof is more than 30,000 kg.

The surface of the segments that cover the roof of the Sydney Opera House is covered with smooth white tiles. Interestingly, during the day, depending on the lighting, its color changes from pure white to light beige.

Due to the fact that the roof surface is not smooth, serious acoustic problems arose inside it. Therefore, we had to additionally make a ceiling with sound reflection. The reflective function is performed by special gutters on the ceiling.

The first author of the theater

The idea to build an opera house in Sydney came to the mind of the English conductor Eugene Goossens, who arrived in Australia to record concerts on the radio. There was not a single building where the opera could be located.

At the request of Hessens, the Australian authorities decided to build a theater where one could listen not only to classical music, but also to modern musical works.

In Sydney, a headland was chosen on the seashore next to the embankment. There was a tram park there at that time, it was moved to another location, and a professional competition was immediately announced for the best project for the future opera house.

In connection with the vigorous development of the construction of this theater, Goossens acquired enemies and envious people. Suddenly, customs found prohibited items in his luggage and he was forced to leave Australia.

The Sydney Opera House is the main attraction of Australia. Opened by Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has become one of Australia's most important attractions, and it would be an unforgivable mistake not to visit. Until 1958, on the site where the opera house now stands, there was a tram depot, and even before the depot there was a fort.

The theater took 14 years to build and cost Australia around $102 million. Initially, it was planned to complete the project in 4 years, but due to difficulties with internal finishing work, the opening date was significantly delayed. For normal operation, the theater needs as much electrical energy as would be enough for a city with a population of 25 thousand people. To build this unique complex, piles were driven into the ocean floor of Sydney Harbor to a depth of 25 meters. The roof covering consists of 1,056,006 pieces of white and matte cream tiles.

The Sydney Opera House has very recognizable shapes, reminiscent of giant sails. But if many people recognize the theater immediately, seeing it from the outside in a photo or on television, then not everyone will be able to answer with confidence what kind of building it is, looking at its decorations from the inside. You can experience all the beauties of the theater with a tour that departs through its depths at 7 a.m., that is, at a time when the Sydney Opera House is still dozing and its walls are not disturbed by sonorous and loud performances.

This excursion is conducted only once a day. A huge variety of different performers from all over the world perform in the theater, among them the tradition arose of kissing the wall before a performance, but only the most worthy and great among them are awarded such an honor. For example, on the kissing wall you can find imprints of Janet Jackson's lips. But still, the excursion can only be an introductory stage into the world of the Sydney Opera House. In order to get maximum impressions and positive emotions, you need to attend at least 1 performance.

Another impressive performance venue in Sydney is Stadium Australia, which seats 83.5 thousand people.

Information for visitors:

Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000.

How to get there: The opera house is located on Sydney Harbor at Bennelong Point. It will be easy for you to get here from anywhere in Sydney; the intersection of sea and land transport routes is nearby.

Working hours:

Every day (except Sunday) from 9:00 to late evening;

Sunday: from 10:00 to late evening (depending on the event).

Prices: depending on the event.

Sydney Opera House on a map of Sydney

The Sydney Opera House is the main attraction of Australia. Opened by Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has become one of Australia's most important attractions, and it would be an unforgivable mistake not to visit. Until 1958, on the site where the opera house now stands, there was a tram depot, and even before the depot there was a fort.

- was created in 1973, the British director Eugene Goossens shared the idea. He arrived in Australia as a conductor, but was shocked to learn that there was no opera house in Australia. This was the beginning of the building, or rather the beginning of the dream of building an opera house. He searched areas where it was possible to build an opera house, and also convinced the deputies of this country about the importance of this building, after which it was decided to start a competition for the best project of an opera house. Unfortunately, however, Eugene Goosens' enemies set him up and he had to leave Australia without seeing the fruits of his dreams.

The competition continued and the winner of the best project was the Danish architect Jorn Utzon. Jorn Utzon became an innovator in the history of construction, since before that time there were no such buildings on earth. On the one hand, it was promising, but on the other hand, it was a risky project, which was to be built over the sea; in the area of ​​Bennelong Point, there had previously been a tram depot there. This project amazed the whole world and never ceases to amaze.

Construction began in 1959, the construction was planned to take 4 years, but everything did not go as smoothly as we would like and lasted for 14 years. The problem was mainly due to the roof (superstructure). Many call them sails, some fins or shells. The roof of the opera house consists of 2194 previously manufactured sections. The entire roof is covered with about one million matte or cream colors. In principle, the roof came out very smoothly, but the internal acoustics of the hall suffered; later this problem was solved at considerable expense, since it was necessary to demolish the current foundation and pour a new, strong foundation. Some details also needed to be redone.

Unfortunately, expenses increased, and construction time slowed down, so that even the money that was intended for construction was spent on other objects. Because of this, Utzon had to leave Sydney, as the estimated amount was seven million Australian dollars, but in reality it took about one hundred million dollars. A few years later, the Australians again asked Utzon to begin construction, but he categorically refused this idea. After which the new architect Hall completed the operatic miracle. The exact date of the opening of the Sydney Opera House in 1973 with thunderous applause from numerous people and fireworks. Still, in 2003, Jorn Utzon, the chief architect of the opera house, received an award. The dramatic and difficult construction lived up to all these years of anticipation, it became a symbol of the Australian city. On June 28, 2007, the UNESCO list of world peace sites was expanded, and the beautiful Sydney Theater was added to this list.

The Sydney Opera House became a center of tourist accumulation, hotels, cafes, restaurants and the like began to be built. And if you look at the Opera House at night from the Harbor Bridge, it was an indescribable delight for tourists.

When entering the Sydney Opera House, which consists of quite a few halls, tourists first enter the concert hall.

Concert hall with the largest audience in this theater. This hall houses the largest organ, which has 10 thousand organ pipes. One of the highest quality musical instruments on earth.

The hall seats 2,679 spectators. The opera hall accommodates 1,507 spectators, as well as 70 musicians on stage. The Drama Hall seats only 544 spectators.

Also the Play House hall, which seats 398 spectators. And the very last hall, which was inaugurated relatively recently in 1999, was called “Studio”. However, despite the fact that it opened last, it accommodates only 364 spectators.

In the opera house, namely in each hall, different artistic scenes were held, as well as opera, ballet, drama, dance scenes, miniature theater plays, as well as plays in the spirit of avant-garde.

Sydney Opera House has many advantages, namely:

• unusualness of the project;
• location;
• an ideal place for art lovers;

Many tourists come here to see the interesting architecture, as well as to watch various art scenes.

Sydney has always been famous not only for its rich flora and fauna, but also for its architectural buildings, most of which follow European trends. But among them one building stands out, which is completely different from all the others. The name of this building is Sydney Opera House.

Sydney Opera

The Sydney Opera House has attracted generations of tourists, being one of the city's most striking attractions. Literally everything about the opera house is interesting - from the jagged roof, location on the water to the ascetic interior decoration. Many tourists are perplexed as to how such a luxurious-looking building can accommodate such modest ceilings and stairs. After all, it seems like there should be red carpets and golden statues here! In a word, the Sydney Opera House conquers many hearts and minds, but where did its history begin?!

The appearance of Eugene Goossens

Upon the arrival of the British composer, the problem of a lack of venue for concerts emerged, and this was despite the excellent hearing of the Australians. Eugene Goossens was amazed at the lack of interest on the part of the authorities in the construction of such a building. After all, it was almost impossible to show your talents in the city hall - the acoustics and the small hall got in the way. In addition, Goossens encountered a clear admiration for the ideas of Western architects, and this, in his opinion, spoiled the appearance of the entire city. After all, no one noticed the beauty of the peninsula, everyone rushed deeper into where skyscrapers arose.

Goossens has always been distinguished by his desire for exquisite beauty and even luxury. He already saw the image of a palace in which he could, without hesitation, organize large concerts, theatrical performances, and delight the public with ballet and opera. After all, the main task is to educate, but how can such an important task be accomplished without a special room, one that could accommodate 4,000 spectators.

Captivated by the idea, Goossens and his friend, the architect Kurt Langer, set out to look for a location. It became Cape Bennelong Point. The place promised to be profitable because it was visited by a large number of people, constantly transferring from ferry to train. However, by that time the cape was decorated with Fort Macquarie, behind which there was a tram depot.

First of all, Goossens turned to Ashworth, a professor of architecture at the University of Sydney. As it turned out, he understood little of Goossens’s idea, but introduced him to the right person - John Cahill, who raised the entire Australian public. So construction opera in Sydney it was soon resolved.

Start of construction

The state agreed to the construction of the theater only on the condition that its financial assistance would not be required for anything. Therefore, an international competition was announced in 1959. Cahill gradually lost his power, he had many ill-wishers, whose machinations managed to send Goossens home and slow down the construction of the Opera.

However, the competition has already attracted worldwide interest and hundreds of entries have been submitted again and again. In addition, Goossens had already selected a jury, which included professional architects, and outlined the plan and components of the Opera. In his opinion, the Sydney Opera House should include a small and large hall, as well as a hall for rehearsal and storage of props. Visitors were sure to sample Sydney cuisine at the fine dining restaurant. This idea required a large area and caused concerns in the design. She should not have been faceless; on the contrary, she should have been the first to be noticed on the surface of the water.

Danish victory

Contestants struggled with the challenge of building on a small plot of land, and only one entry attracted all the judges, who unanimously decided that it was the winner. The Dane Jörn Wotzon placed the Big and Small Theaters close to each other, which solved the problem of walls and did not require layering several rooms, as other architects proposed. The roofs were fan-shaped and fixed to the podium, and the scenery was stored in the platform, and the problem of the backstage disappeared.

The architect himself was not very famous; he lived modestly with his family near Elsinore. Growing up by the sea, Jorn deeply absorbed his love for it. Perhaps this is why many people still notice the similarity of the theater’s shape with a ship that has set off on a long voyage.

Jorn's architectural talent developed in the Danish Royal Academy, then in Sweden. While the cities began to become more and more similar to each other, Jorn's value system was just taking shape. After graduating from educational institutions, Jorn began to introduce his talent to the world, offering to implement a variety of projects. While still a student, he and his friend developed a project for a concert hall for Copenhagen, for which they were awarded a gold medal. Watson's works struck no longer with majestic beauty, but with flights of imagination. It had no right angles or lines. On the contrary, the Dane tried to bring something original, at least the fan-shaped roofs of the Sydney Opera House. His work was hard to miss.

Sydney Opera House - contrasts

The facade of the Opera building evokes different fantasies: some say that it is a galleon, others see in it nine nuns, a white whale or a semblance of frozen music. The Sydney Opera really invites us to unravel its mystery, it invites us to fantasize and whatever we say will be true, because there is no single answer.
The interior of the building, on the contrary, does not fit in with such a loud name of the Opera. There is very little space here, there is almost nowhere to turn around and, alas, it is impossible to stage a large opera. There is only a small hall where only chamber performances can be staged, but if you slightly change its layout, it can easily turn into a disco hall. Just one detail in the form of a huge shiny ball on the ceiling is enough.

The Sydney Opera House is a landmark and fans of this grandiose architectural project had to wait 14 years from the start of construction until its grand opening by Queen Elizabeth II of England on October 20, 1973.

The Sydney Opera House has withstood a lot of criticism: it had to be re-planned, adjustments made to the original sketches, but it still delights us with its view soaring above the water, as if inviting us to soar upward on its tightly stretched sails, soar upward, listening to classical and modern music , plunging into the foggy depths of art.