Transcript Sydney Opera House

The biggest attraction in Sydney, Australia and (arguably) the world, is
the Opera House. It is a work of art and engineering, that is for sure.
From land or from the harbor, the unique shape of the multi-faceted
Opera House catches your eye—the scalloped arches reach for the sky.
Begun in the 50’s, the project, designed by a Danish engineer, was to take a few
years and about $2 million. Instead, it took nearly 20 years and it cost over $100
million—with many challenges and arguments regarding the design.
Glass covered with unique
tiles make up each scallop
and there are a number of
performance halls in the
complex.
Each part of the Opera House is
inviting to the photographer.
The Opera House sits on the edge of the harbor, easy walking distance
from the downtown area, the subway station, and the ferry wharves.
If you come from the downtown side, you climb a number of stairs to
get to the entry—there is also a downstairs entrance for tickets / tours.
The ceramic tiles are special and each are designed specifically to be
placed such that they cover the scalloped roofs of the various sections.
Inside, the Opera House is sparsely
decorated, but very nicely done.
These are small tables for those
attending a function to enjoy a drink.
Ribbed cement and steel
ceilings and window partitions
allow light and create the
illusion that the halls seem
even bigger than they are.
A few banners told what had
come or what was coming to
the performance hall.
I loved the way these stairs
melded with the unique
ceiling and the glass and
wooden sides.
This was a very
unique section of the
Opera House—the
laminated wood was
very pretty.
Note the way the
wood, glass, and
carpet are integrated
very tastefully.
During the tour, we
were shown some
historical videos—
and they just shined
them on the walls.
Amidst the rather bland
concrete and wood and glass,
there was this one section of
bright carpet that really set
off the area.
The tour gathered at the bottom of
the stairs as I continued to shoot
photos of this beautiful building.
There are several
performance “halls,” but we
couldn’t take photos of
most of them. This is the
largest and most
magnificent—note the huge
pipe organ in the back.
The slightly blurry photo is
because there was little light
in the hall—so my small
digital camera didn’t light up
the room much.
The ceiling was “alive” with
lighting and speakers – we
didn’t take in a performance,
but I suspect it would have
been incredible.
Our 90—minute visit to the Opera House
was very enjoyable; however, it would have
been even better to attend a performance!