Sydney Opera House
Supriya The Sydney Opera House is absolutely amazing! The day we went over there it was one sunny day in a week of gloom. We got lucky that we still had University Student IDs and got a discount. Tickets are usually $35 AUD but we received the “concession” price, which is $24.50 AUD. I loved the structure from when I first saw it in books and then again when I saw it in person. Seeing the building up close really helps you imagine what kind of effort and manpower went into the design.
On the tour, I learned more about the history of the World Wonder. We walked through some of the smaller venues, which can be used for anything from local theater, major productions and even made into a discotheque for the VIVID light show. They’re by no means small in size and every seat is a good seat. The largest room, the Grand Opera Room, is gigantic and decorated with gorgeous light wood seats and red plush cushions. The room is perfectly tuned so that there is very little reverberation off the walls. I would love to sit in the seats on the stage during a symphonic concert. Not only are these the cheapest (and best, in my opinion) seats in the house, but also you can watch the conductor and musicians create beautiful sound. My favorite room in the opera house was the waiting area outside of the Grand Opera Room because it is decorated with rich, purple carpet EVERYWHERE. It just looks so regal; perfect to get dressed up for and enjoy a night out at the Opera. Some fun facts: - It took 7 years to complete the MODEL for the building and 17 years to build the actual space - The original estimate for the budget was $7 million and they spent $102 million, completing the project in 1973 - In the Concert Hall, Arnold Schwarzenegger won his final Mr. Olympia title in 1980. I’ve now been to over 15 World Heritage sites! See how you do on http://whc.unesco.org/en/list. |
Bryan The Sydney Opera House was truly the most amazing example of outstanding architecture. It was well worth it to participate in the hour tour. It was a challenging, long, and controversial process to imagine and build this iconic building. The Sydney Opera House must be one of the most recognizable images of the modern world - up there with the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building - and one of the most photographed.
Apparently, there were hundreds of sketches submitted from architects all around the world. The sketch of the building we see today was dismissed at first. The designs were later reconsidered. Architecturally, this building was way before its time. The construction took 14 years to finish. The Concert Hall Grand Organ took ten years to build. It’s the largest mechanical organ in the world with 10,154 pipes.
After we left the tour, we had an itch to see one of the shows. Tickets ranged from 50 to 150 depending on what you are seeing and where you sit. For now, we will just look for shows coming up. After all we are in Sydney, and it would be a crime if we leave without going. This year our new motto is WHY NOT. |