The Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous and recognizable architectural masterpieces in the world. Its impressive white sails have become a symbol of Australia and a modern wonder of the world. The Danish architect Jorn Utzon, who received the Pritzker Prize for this project, managed to create an outstanding global Performing Arts Center, which still attracts attention to this day. And not only with its delightful forms, but also with secrets, stories and interesting facts.
1. Funds for the construction of the Opera House in Sydney have been collected for 20 years
The history of the creation of The Sydney Opera House began with the light hand of the chief conductor of the opera, Eugene Goossens, who insisted on the need to build a new building. The old building was in no way suitable for holding musical performances (neither the size, nor the acoustics did not correspond to the elementary requirements for such objects). At the suggestion of the conductor in 1954, fundraising began, for the sake of this the State Lottery was announced and already in 1956 the Competition for the best project of the new Opera House was announced. Over the course of 20 years, money was collected, which immediately went to construction, because the country's budget allocated only $ 7 million, and spent more than $ 100 million.
2. Out of 233 design projects, the weirdest concept at that time was chosen
Two years after the start of fundraising, New South Wales Prime Minister Joseph Cahill announced an open competition for the best design for the National Opera House, which they decided to build at Bennelong Cape in Sydney Harbor. For several centuries there was a fort on this place, and in the years preceding the construction - a tram depot. This event caused an unprecedented excitement, 233 architectural projects were submitted to the competition, the chairman of the jury of which was Eero Saarinen, a famous American architect of Finnish origin.
Interesting fact: It is he who is considered the person who determined the fate of the little-known Danish architect Jorn Utzon, and the future cult site of world significance. Despite the fact that now we all admire the fantastic forms of the "white sails" of the Sydney Opera, many critics and colleagues in the shop considered the project ugly and unworthy of implementation.
3. Structural features and uniqueness of the roof
The expressive style and gigantic dimensions (building area of 2, 2 hectares) of the theater required a careful development of the project, which had to be redone several times due to errors or miscalculations. As a result, it was possible to build an object with a length of 185 m, with a maximum width of the complex of 120 meters and a roof height of 67 m. Considering that the theater building is located on the embankment and is washed from both sides by water, it was necessary to install 161 ton structures on 580 piles, which were reinforced by 25 m depth.
According to the Novate.ru editors, more than 1 million self-cleaning "scales" like azulejo (glazed white and matte cream tiles) manufactured by the Swedish company Höganas. Due to the fact that the material was laid mechanically, the surface turned out to be perfectly smooth as an egg, hence the popular names for dome-shaped shells assembled in the form of a triangle - "shell" or "sail". It is also worth noting that the self-cleaning of materials can be observed only on advertising brochures, and in fact, you have to regularly carry out work on cleaning and replacing damaged tiles.
4. The author of the project left the construction and even threw all the blueprints into the ocean
The new Wonder of the World, which was considered by the theater not only by the majority of the jury, but also by those who understood that an eccentric object with an unimaginable roof on the coast of the bay would “look as natural as the sails of the yachts in it”, were not accepted by everyone. Many architects called him "terrible" and "ugly", constantly humiliating the ideas of the young creator. The public was outraged by the exorbitant costs, because the cost of the project jumped more than 10 times.
Plus, the government of Sydney and the whole of New South Wales has changed. The new prime minister did not share the enthusiastic views of the creative team working on the project. He forced to simplify the interior design, which was the last straw that overwhelmed the architect's patience. All these circumstances so exhausted Jorn Watson that he left Sydney, and on the way to Denmark, out of despair and disappointment, threw all the drawings and related documents of The Sydney Opera House into the ocean.
5. Impressive facts about the organization of internal space
The Sydney Opera House consists of 7 main venues for a variety of events. The main concert hall, which houses the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, has a capacity of 2,679 spectators, the opera hall seats 1,547 visitors and is used by the Australian Opera and Australian Ballet.
Theater and cameral performances (Sydney Theater Company) are held at the Drama Theater, which has 544 seats. Also in the grand complex there is a Theater Studio with a simulated stage that can accommodate up to 400 people, a Small Dramatic Stage for 398 spectators, the Utzon Room (in the open air), a recording studio, a lot of venues for exhibitions and auxiliary premises, including halls, dressing rooms, choreographic classes, rehearsals, workshops, restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops and more.
In one of the most significant cultural complexes in the world, there is also a definitive pronoun that forms a superlative degree. The Sydney Opera House boasts:
• the largest curtain in the world, which is called the "Curtain of the Sun and Moon". It was created according to a sketch by the artist Coburn in France. The total area of the canvas is 186 sq. m and consists of two parts;
• The main concert hall of the theater has the world's largest mechanical organ, consisting of 10, 154 pipes. It took the best craftsmen more than 10 years to create it;
• The Sydney Opera House annually hosts about three thousand concerts, performances and other events, which are attended by more than 2 million people, and this, not to mention excursions;
• the huge area of the theater complex requires the stage workers to be in perfect physical shape, because each of them has to walk a distance of 13 km every day;
• in the only room in which 100% original interior created by the author of the project has been preserved, there is a unique tapestry. For its production 8 weavers spent 8 months of continuous labor and used 4, 5 thousand km of threads.
6. Fantastic power consumption
In order to provide the grandiose building with decent and correct lighting not only inside, but also to create impressive light shows on the edges of the futuristic roof, 645 km were paved. electrical cable. How many light bulbs are installed in this unique complex is unlikely to be counted, but it is known for certain that more than 15, 5 thousand units change annually in order to maintain harmonious lighting. As well as the fact that the energy consumption of the facility is equivalent to providing electricity to a town with a population of 25 thousand people.
Despite this, those who have managed to visit the most iconic theater and watch the light show, which is arranged every evening, believe that such expenses are really worth it.
7. The theater is open 363 days a year, and around the clock
Sydney Opera House is perhaps the only such institution in the world that is open to the general public 363 days a year. The only exceptions are Christmas and Good Friday. Moreover, it works around the clock! And the most impressive thing is that not only entertainment areas are open, but various events are also held, so that employees and actors have to work in shifts.
Anyone can enjoy the beauty and impressive interiors of a world landmark, though you have to spend money for this. Admirers of high art can go to a performance or a concert that presents a truly incredible spectacle, where you can see both a grand show and the most famous actors, dancers and musicians of the world. For this pleasure you will have to pay at least 250 Australian dollars, which is 18.6 thousand rubles. (!).
There is also a more economical option, you can go on an excursion by paying $ 22, during which the guide will tell you how the construction took place, tell about the most impressive processes taking place in the theater, lead you in the backstage, store the scenery, in a lot of other secret rooms and pompous halls …
You can also visit exhibitions, city or themed events held in small halls, lobbies and studios, or have a good time in bars or restaurants. Well, the beauty of the fantastic forms of the Sydney Opera itself or the light show can be enjoyed endlessly and absolutely free of charge.
8. Jorn Watson himself was not invited to the opening of one of the most significant architectural objects in the world
In October 1973, the grand opening of The Sydney Opera House was held, which was attended by Queen Elizabeth II herself, but the author of the project of the most impressive structure of our time was not even invited. Sadly, but the bronze plaque installed at the entrance does not have his name.
Despite such ingratitude and injustice, Watzon was awarded the highest architectural award in 2003 - the Pritzker Prize (for this project), and in 2007 his creation was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. And this happened during the life of the author, which in itself became a unique event in the history of the organization. It is also worth noting that The Sydney Opera House was a candidate for the Seven New Wonders of the World list, but lost in the final, although the building was still noted in the Guinness Book of Records.
For those who decide to go to Australia, we advise you to visit not only the most famous landmark of the country. Thrill-seekers will find a lot of fun if they go to the Victoria Desert, and dare to look into the hole, where the most bizarre underground city in the world is hidden.