Sydney Opera House og Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon.

Construction

The Sydney Opera House is a modern design; it has a shell shaped roof. Planning for the Sydney Opera House began in the late 1940s. A design competition was launched on 13 September 1955 and received 233 entries, representing architects from 32 countries. The criteria specified a large hall with 3000 seats and a small hall for 1200 people, each to be designed for different uses, including full-scale operas, orchestral and choral concerts, mass meetings, lectures, ballet performances and other presentations. The winner, announced in 1957, was Jørn Utzon, a Danish architect. The prize was £5000.

The Opera House was completed in 1973, having cost $102 million

Rooms

The Concert Hall, with 2,678 seats, is the home of the Sydney Symphony and used by a large number of other concert presenters. It contains the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ, the largest mechanical tracker action organ in the world, with over 10,000 pipes. The Opera Theatre, a proscenium theatre with 1,507 seats, is the Sydney home of Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet. The Drama Theatre, a proscenium theatre with 544 seats, is used by the Sydney Theatre Company and other dance and theatrical presenters. The Playhouse, an end-stage theatre with 398 seats. The Studio, a flexible space with a maximum capacity of 400 people, depending on configuration. The Utzon Room, a small multi-purpose venue, seating up to 210. The building also houses a recording studio, cafes, restaurants and bars and retail outlets.