Sydney Opera House Tour Sydney Australia
Sydney Opera House is a masterpiece of late
modern architecture. It is admired internationally and proudly
treasured by the people of Australia. It was created by a young
architect who understood and recognised the potential provided by
the site against the stunning backdrop of Sydney
Harbour. Denmark’s Jørn Utzon gave Australia a challenging,
graceful piece of urban sculpture in patterned tiles, glistening
in the sunlight and invitingly aglow at night.
In its short lifetime, Sydney Opera House has earned a
reputation as a world-class performing arts centre and become a
symbol of both Sydney and the Australian nation.
The Essential Tour
See inside the world's most recognisable sails. Experience this
miracle of architecture and engineering. A work of art that came
into existence against impossible odds - to become one of the
busiest performing arts centres in the world.
Working with new, rich audio-visual components, where images
are projected onto the fabric of the building - our guides will
take you on an emotional journey, engrossing you in a story to
rival any opera plot with its dramatic twists and turns.
You'll visit at least one of our venues - where we live
performance every day. Some 1,500 performances, from opera to
circus, rock and cabaret, are staged each year to audiences of
around 1.5 million.
Duration: Approx. 1 hour
Backstage Tour
This intimate tour grants you exclusive access to areas
normally reserved for the stars and their crew. Limited to 8
people per tour, you will visit the backstage areas of one of the
busiest performing arts centers in the world as it prepares for
the upcoming performances.
Stand on the Concert Hall stage where some of the world's
performing legends, such as Dame Joan Sutherland, Michael Bublé,
Pavarotti and Australian Idols, have stood. Take up the
conductor's baton in the Opera Theatre orchestra pit. Peek inside
the dressing rooms of the stars. And hear about the secrets and
real-life dramas that go on behind the curtain.
Includes a full breakfast in the Green Room* - private domain
of our performers and staff.
*The Green Room is not open on Sundays or Public Holidays. A
continental breakfast will be served at an alternative venue.
Duration: 2 hours - please note that visitors
must be able to manage lots of steps on this tour
Experience Packages
For a complete evening of indulgence that combines the best of
the best. Enjoy an extraordinary night out with friends,
associates or that someone special at Sydney Opera House. With
more than 1,500 live performances every year, there's something
for everyone.
Please note that Experience Pages are only available
through New Zealand Australian Holidays as part of an itinerary.
- Red Carpet
Met by our guest liaison representative, your evening starts
with The Essential Tour for an insight into Australia's most
recognised landmark, followed by dinner at either Guillaume at
Bennelong or Aria and then a show of your choice.
- Sea & Stage
Begin your evening with a dinner cruise taking in the beauty of
Sydney Harbour. Then wander along the foreshore to the House
where you'll be greeted by our friendly guest liaison
representative to enjoy a world-class show of your choice.
- Showcase
Welcomed by one of our friendly guest liaison representatives,
enjoy a world-class performance of your choice, then relax with
an interval drink at one of our theatre bars, then take The
Essential Tour at a time that suits.
World Heritage Listed
Sydney Opera House was inscribed in the World Heritage List in
June 2007: “Sydney Opera House is a great architectural work of
the 20th century. It represents multiple strands of creativity,
both in architectural form and structural design, a great urban
sculpture carefully set in a remarkable waterscape and a world
famous iconic building.” UNESCO
The expert evaluation report to the World Heritage Committee
stated: “…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.”
Design/Structure
The distinctive roof comprises sets of interlocking vaulted
‘shells’ set upon a vast terraced platform and surrounded by
terrace areas that function as pedestrian concourses.
The two main halls are arranged side by side, with their long
axes, slightly inclined from each other, generally running
north-south. The auditoria face south, away from the harbour with
the stages located between the audience and the city. The
Forecourt is a vast open space from which people ascend the stairs
to the podium. The Monumental Steps, which lead up from the
Forecourt to the two main performance venues, are a great
ceremonial stairway nearly 100 metres wide.
The vaulted roof shells were designed by Utzon in collaboration
with internationally renowned engineers Ove Arup & Partners with
the final shape of the shells derived from the surface of a single
imagined sphere. Each shell is composed of pre-cast rib segments
radiating from a concrete pedestal and rising to a ridge beam. The
shells are faced in glazed off-white tiles while the podium is
clad in earth-toned, reconstituted granite panels. The glass walls
are a special feature of the building, constructed according to
the modified design by Utzon’s successor architect, Peter Hall.
History of the Design
The history surrounding the design and construction of the
building became as controversial as its design. In 1956 the NSW
Government called an open-ended international design competition
and appointed an independent jury. The competition brief provided
broad specifications to attract the best design talent in the
world; it did not specify design parameters or set a cost
limit. The main requirement of the competition brief was a design
for two performance halls, one for opera and one for symphony
concerts. Reputedly rescued from a pile of discarded submissions,
Jørn Utzon’s winning entry created great community interest and
the NSW Government’s decision to commission Utzon as the sole
architect was unexpected, bold and visionary.
Construction
Design and construction were closely intertwined. Utzon’s radical
approach to the construction of the building fostered an
exceptional collaborative and innovative environment. The design
solution and construction of the shell structure took eight years
to complete and the development of the special ceramic tiles for
the shells took over three years. The project was not helped by
the changes to the brief. Construction of the shells was one of
the most difficult engineering tasks ever to be attempted. The
revolutionary concept demanded equally revolutionary engineering
and building techniques. Baulderstone Hornibrook (then Hornibrook
Group) constructed the roof shells and the interior structure and
fitout. At the behest of the Australian Broadcasting Commission
(ABC) the NSW Government changed the proposed larger opera hall
into the concert hall because at the time, symphony concerts,
managed by the ABC, were more popular and drew larger audiences
than opera.
Completion and Opening
Cost overruns contributed to populist criticism and a change of
government resulted in 1966 to Utzon’s resignation, street
demonstrations and professional controversy. Peter Hall supported
by Lionel Todd and David Littlemore in conjunction with the then
NSW Government Architect, Ted Farmer completed the glass walls and
interiors including adding three previously unplanned venues
underneath the Concert Hall on the western side. Opened by Queen
Elizabeth II in 1973, new works were undertaken between 1986 and
1988 to the land approach and Forecourt under the supervision of
the then NSW Government Architect, Andrew Andersons, with
contributions by Peter Hall.
For the future
In 1999, Jørn Utzon was re-engaged as Sydney Opera House architect
to develop a set of design principles to act as a guide for all
future changes to the building. These principles reflect his
original vision and help to ensure that the building’s
architectural integrity is maintained.
Utzon Room
Utzon's first major project was the refurbishment of the Reception
Hall into a stunning, light filled space which highlights the
original concrete 'beams' and a wall-length tapestry designed by
him which hangs opposite the harbour outlook. Noted for its
excellent acoustics, it is the only authentic Utzon-designed space
at Sydney Opera House and was renamed the Utzon Room in his honour
in 2004.
Modern Alterations
This project was followed by the first alteration to the
exterior of the building with the addition of a new Colonnade
along the western side, which shades nine new large glass openings
into the previously solid exterior wall. This Utzon-led project,
which was completed in 2006, gave the theatre foyers their first
view of Sydney Harbour. The foyers' interiors are now being
renovated to Utzon's specifications, to become a coherent
attractive space for patrons. The design also incorporates the
first public lift and interior escalators to assist less mobile
patrons.
Utzon has also been working on designs to renovate the ageing
and inadequate Opera Theatre. On all projects, he has worked with
his architect son Jan, and Sydney-based architect Richard Johnson
of Johnson Pilton Walker.
Architecture Prize
In 2003 Utzon received the Pritzker Prize, international
architecture's highest honour
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