Theater in Australia name. The Sydney Opera House is the symbol of Australia's largest city

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous buildings of the 20th century and is by far Australia's most popular architectural structure in the style. It is located on Sydney Harbour, close to the huge Harbor Bridge. The unusual silhouette of the Sydney Opera House resembles a row of sails soaring above the surface of the sea. Nowadays, smooth lines in architecture are quite common, but it was the Sydney Theater that became one of the first buildings on the planet with such a radical design. Its distinctive feature is its recognizable shape, which includes a number of identical “shells” or “shells”.

The history of the theater's creation is full of drama. It all started in 1955, when the state government of which Sydney is the capital announced an international architectural competition. From the very beginning, great hopes were placed on the construction - it was planned that the implementation of an ambitious project to create a new magnificent theater would serve as an impetus for the development of culture on the Australian continent. The competition attracted the attention of many famous architects around the world: the organizers received 233 applications from 28 countries. As a result, the government chose one of the most striking and unusual projects, the author of which was the Danish architect Jorn Utzon. An interesting designer and thinker in search of new means of expression, Utzon designed a building that seemed to “come from the world of fantasy,” as the architect himself said.

In 1957, Utzon arrived in Sydney, and two years later construction of the theater began. There were many unforeseen difficulties associated with the start of work. It turned out that Utzon's project was not sufficiently developed, the design as a whole turned out to be unstable, and the engineers could not find an acceptable solution to implement the bold idea.

Another failure is an error in the construction of the foundation. As a result, it was decided to destroy the original version and start all over again. Meanwhile, the architect attached paramount importance to the foundation: in his design there were no walls as such, the roof vaults rested directly on the plane of the foundation.

Initially, Utzon believed that his idea could be realized quite simply: make sinks from reinforcing mesh, and then cover them with tiles on top. But calculations showed that this method would not be suitable for a giant roof. Engineers tried different shapes - parabolic, ellipsoidal, but without success. Time passed, money melted, customer dissatisfaction grew. Utzon, in desperation, drew dozens of different options over and over again. Finally, one fine day, it dawned on him: his gaze accidentally stopped at orange peels in the form of the usual triangular segments. This was the very form that the designers had been looking for for so long! Roof vaults, which are parts of a sphere of constant curvature, have the necessary strength and stability.

After Utzon found a solution to the problem with the roof vaults, construction resumed, but the financial costs turned out to be more significant than originally planned. According to preliminary estimates, the construction of the building required 4 years. But it took 14 long years to build. The construction budget was exceeded by more than 14 times. Customers' dissatisfaction grew so much that at a certain point they removed Utzon from work. The brilliant architect left for Denmark, never to return to Sydney. He never saw his creation, despite the fact that over time everything fell into place, and his talent and contribution to the construction of the theater was recognized not only in Australia, but throughout the world. The interior design of the Sydney Theater was done by other architects, so there is a difference between the exterior of the building and its interior.

As a result, the roof segments, seemingly crashing into each other, were made of precast and monolithic reinforced concrete. The surface of the concrete “orange peels” was covered with a huge number of tiles made in Sweden. The tiles are coated with a matte glaze, allowing the roof of the Sydney Theater to be used today as a reflective screen for video art and the projection of vibrant images. The roof panels of the Sydney Opera House were built using special cranes ordered from France - the theater was one of the first buildings in Australia to be erected using cranes. And the highest “shell” of the roof corresponds to the height of a 22-story building.

Construction of the Sydney Opera House was officially completed in 1973. The theater was opened by Queen Elizabeth II, the grand opening was accompanied by fireworks and a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The first performance performed in the new theater was S. Prokofiev’s opera “War and Peace”.

Today the Sydney Opera House is Australia's largest cultural center. It hosts more than 3 thousand events annually, and has an annual audience of 2 million viewers. The theater program includes an opera called “The Eighth Miracle”, which tells about the complex history of the construction of the building.

The Sydney Opera House is an outstanding architectural structure 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 attraction in Australia.

The Sydney Opera House is located in the local harbor, on Cape Bennelong point. The building was built on 580 concrete piles driven into the bottom. Its length is 183 m, width - 118, and occupied area - more than 21.5 thousand m2. The maximum height of the building is 67 m.

Interesting Facts about the Sydney Opera House relate not only to the history of construction and architectural implementation (we will discuss them below). No other theater has a work about him in its repertoire. The opera “The Eighth Miracle” 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 Goosens, 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, approximately AUD 10,000,000 was collected. The initially declared cost of the construction of 7,000,000 AUD ultimately turned out to be 10,200,000 AUD actually spent.

According to the terms of the announced competition, the limited territory of Cape Bennelong was designated as the site for the construction of the theater. The main hall with 3 thousand seats of the designed building was reserved for opera and ballet. A small hall for 1200 spectators was planned for chamber theater and musical productions. Among 233 competitors, the young Danish architect Jorn Utson won. According to his design, the building externally resembled a multi-sail ship on the surface of the water surrounding the cape.

The work, which began in 1959, lasted 14 years instead of the planned four, extending the construction date until 1973. The delay had both objective and subjective reasons. The first includes the authorities' requirement to add two additional halls. And the sail-shaped roof shells originally designed by Jörn Utson had acoustic disadvantages. 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 expenses and delays in construction strained Utson's relations with local authorities, and he left Sydney. In 1966, local architects continued construction. According to many experts, this had a negative impact on the interior of the building. The inside of the theater is significantly inferior to the stunning façade.

The new Sydney building actually opened on 28 September 1973 with Sergei Prokofiev's 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. His name is not on the authors’ bronze plaque at the entrance either. True, in the same year the local Institute of Architects awarded Jorn Utson a gold medal. And in 2003, he received the Pritzker Prize for his project, the highest award for architects.

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

Sydney Opera House by its architect and architect

Opera houses are usually built in the classical style. In contrast, the Sydney Opera House is a striking example of the Expressionist architectural style. 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 exactly how the architect saw the future theater. He said that he wanted to take viewers away from their usual routine into a world of fantasy where actors and musicians live.

The area allocated for construction was limited. The projects rejected by the competition jury had a common drawback - cumbersomeness. Jorn Utson solved this problem by shifting 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 entire structure is secured with metal cables with a total length of 350 km.

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

The top of the roof-sails is covered with white polished and creamy matte azulejo tiles (Portuguese tiles). It was specially made for the theater. Matte tiles predominate along the edges, while shiny ones in the center, which made it possible to create an iridescent effect. Over a million pieces of tile were required to cover a total area of ​​1.62 hectares. The mechanical laying method made it possible to achieve ideal evenness, unattainable with manual cladding.

Although the roof sails appear white from a distance, they change color depending on the lighting. As the architect said, the sun and clouds will make the roof come 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 undergone changes. The main hall, initially planned for opera and ballet performances, was decided to be repurposed as a concert hall. The opera hall itself became the second largest hall. Now the complex has 6 main halls.

• Concert Hall (Concert) for 2679 spectators. It houses one of the world's largest organs with 10 thousand pipes. The stage measures 17*11 m and can be expanded to include 85 front seats.
• Opera Theater (Opera) seats 1547 spectators. His tapestry curtain, called “Solar”, is the largest on the planet.
• Drama Theatre, with a capacity of 544 spectators, is used for theater and dance performances. His dark tapestry curtain is called “Moonlight”.
• The Playhouse, which seats 398, hosts intimate theater performances, lectures and film screenings. The hall's stage can be expanded in two stages, sacrificing 46 seats.
• The Studio hall, opened in 1999, can accommodate 364 lovers of avant-garde plays, contemporary music or corporate events.
• Jorn Utson's small hall is decorated with a wool 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 contains 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 layout of the theater to get lost in it.

There is an anecdotal case with a novice courier who delivered a parcel. 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!” Viewers considered his remark part of the plot.

Another comical incident occurred during the performance of Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov. Her decorations included real chickens. One of them flew from the stage onto the musician’s head. After this, a net was installed over the orchestra pit.

Theater tickets

The Sydney Opera House, Bennelong point, Sydney NSW 2000, hosts about three thousand cultural events 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 take place from 9am to 5pm every day except Christmas Day and Good Friday and last about an hour.

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

Key facts:

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

Yacht sails, bird wings, seashells - all this may come to mind when looking at the Sydney Opera House. It became a symbol of the city.

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

The amazing opera house came to 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 controversial, 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. Construction began in 1959 and, unsurprisingly, came controversy and complications.

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

But in 1973, construction was finally completed; the interiors did not require much time. The opera house opened that same year, and 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 interconnected shells hang over a massive base of granite slabs, where service spaces are located - rehearsal and dressing rooms, recording studios, workshops and administrative offices. There is also a drama theater and a small stage for performances.

The two main shells contain two main halls - a large concert hall, over which hangs a ceiling of circular segments, 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 you can enjoy stunning views of the entire area. From all the theater halls you can go to the common hall below. Both main concert halls can also be accessed from the outside via wide staircases.

The competition jury was right in choosing the project for the Sydney Opera House, although the acoustics there are complex, and the simple furnishings inside erase the impressions of the 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 created a lot at home, studied theory, but his name is forever associated with the Sydney Opera House (although difficulties with this project damaged his career and almost ruined the life of the architect).

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 appreciated Utzon's initial drawings, but for practical reasons he replaced the original elliptical shell-shaped design with a design with uniform spherical fragments reminiscent of an orange peel. Due to numerous problems, Utzon left the project, and the 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 included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The tallest concrete panel sink is equivalent in height to a 22-story building. The exterior of the shell is covered in a chevron pattern of more than a million cream tiles interspersed with pink granite panels. The interior of the building is clad in Australian birch plywood.

Everyone knows that the Sydney Opera House is a true architectural symbol of the city, raising the architect Jorn Utzon (1918-2008) to the pinnacle of fame outside his native Denmark. After the end of World War II, Utson traveled throughout Europe, the USA and Mexico, became acquainted with the works of Alvar Aalto and Frank Lloyd Wright, and examined the ancient Mayan pyramids. In 1957, he won the design competition for the Sydney Opera House, after which he moved to Australia. Construction work began in 1959, but he soon encountered problems with the roof's design 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, but despite this, he was invited to redesign the reception hall, called the Utson Hall (2004). Later he participated in the restoration of other fragments of the structure.

Utson's departure caused a lot of rumors and hostile reviews, and Hall's appearance to complete the Project was met with hostility. Hall is the author of other administrative buildings, such as Goldstine 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 the song Ol Man River at the very top of the scaffolding during a lunch break for construction workers.

- 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 Bennelong Point area there had previously been a tram depot. 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 fact 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 Opera House (Sydney, Australia) - repertoire, ticket prices, address, phone numbers, official website.

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Cruise ship passengers approaching the Sydney Harbor Bridge see huge sails rising to the sky on the left side. Or are these the doors of a giant shell? Or maybe the skeleton of a beached prehistoric whale? Neither one nor the other, nor the third - in front of them is the building of the Opera House, the symbol of the largest city in Australia. The sun's reflections reflected from the water wander along the roof, painting it in different colors; hundreds of tourists on the embankment admire the views of the bay, ships and yachts passing nearby.

A little history

In 1955, the New South Wales state government announced an international competition to design the best opera house for its capital. Among the 233 constructivist concrete boxes, the complex system of curved surfaces drawn by the Dane Jorn Watson stood out. The new architectural style would later be called structuralism or structural expressionism. The author received the Pritzker Prize for his project, an analogue of the Nobel Prize for architects, and the building was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List during the author’s lifetime.

Watson did not see his creation complete. The reason, as always, is money. The preliminary estimate turned out to be 15 times underestimated; the architect was not allowed to complete the construction and was not even paid the full fee. He only managed to erect an extraordinary roof, while other people were engaged in finishing the façade and interior. Later, on the eve of the Olympics, the Australians offered Watson any money to return and finish what he started. But he proudly refused.

Architecture and interior of the theater

The huge building is surrounded by water on three sides and stands on deeply driven stilts. 2 million matte ceramic tiles cover the concrete roof as high as a 22-story building. The changing angle of incidence of the sun's rays paints it in different colors. Absolutely fantastic evening lighting transforms the building into a shining gem. The roof surface often serves as a screen for demonstrating video art and color and musical compositions.

One of the two largest “shells” hides the Concert Hall for 2,679 spectators with a magnificent organ of 10 thousand pipes. Under the other is the Opera Hall with 1,547 seats. Its stage is decorated with a tapestry curtain woven in Aubuisson, it is called the “Curtain of the Sun”.

The sound under the magnificent roof was monstrously distorted. The acousticians had to build insulating ceilings over the halls and shape the interior taking these features into account.

The third hall with a capacity of 544 people is dedicated to the Drama Theater. His stage is hidden behind the “Curtain of the Moon”, also from French masters. The 4th is intended for lectures and film screenings. In the 5th, avant-garde theater troupes perform experimental performances. The Bennelong restaurant is located in the smallest shell a little to the side.

Today the Opera House is the main cultural center not only of Sydney, but of all of Australia. On its stages there are performances every day, orchestras perform, and art exhibitions are held in the lobby.

Practical information

Address: Sydney NSW 2000, Bennelong Point. Website (in English).

How to get there: by train, bus or ferry to the Circular Quay interchange hub, then walk along the embankment for 10 minutes (800 m), office. website of the carrier Sidney Trains (in English)