Sydney’s Home for the Arts
By “Awake!” correspondent in Australia
AS THE orchestra finishes tuning, lights dim and a hush comes over the audience. A baton is raised and the overture begins. Then the curtain opens and Act I of an opera is about to start at the Sydney Opera House.
This place, however, is much more than an opera house. The four-and-one-half-acre (1.8-hectare) area contains four main performance halls, two restaurants, a library, a reception hall, an exhibition hall, all the needed rehearsal and dressing rooms, administrative offices and storage areas—about 900 rooms in all!
Construction Technology and Features
Probably no other single building in the world has ever consumed so many thousands of hours of computer calculations. In fact, after the design was selected, engineers spent about three years figuring out how to build it. Some 16 years from the design stage, the Sydney Opera House was officially opened on October 20, 1973.
Situated on a finger of land projecting into beautiful Sydney harbour, the complex resembles a flurry of 10 huge glistening white shells that stand on end to the height of a 22-story building. The mouths of the shells are closed by massive walls of amber-coloured (topaz) glass—2,000 panes in 700 different sizes!
Thirty-two countries competed for the privilege of designing this opera house, and 233 design entries were submitted. First prize went to 38-year-old Danish architect Jørn Utzon, who thoughtfully patterned his design to echo the windblown sails of boats navigating the harbour. His design required erecting more than four acres (1.6 hectares) of concrete and suspending it in the air. All 10 shell-like concrete formations had irregular curvatures. Engineers in London, England, tried six experimental construction methods, each of which had to be abandoned. In fact, the foundation was begun before it was even known whether it would be possible to build a structure according to the magnificent concept.
Finally the Danish architect suggested changing the irregular shape of the shells to the geometry of a perfect ball—one that would be 492 feet (150 meters) in diameter. This meant that each of the 10 shells, though different in height, would follow the same basic curvature. The new design enormously simplified construction.
The concrete ribs forming the walls of each shell taper from a very narrow point at ground contact, expanding as they rise upward, and they also curve inward to form both the roof and the wall. The basic wall and roof pattern resembles what one sees when looking at the blades of an expanded hand-operated fan.
Over 1,000,000 ceramic tiles provide the outer covering for the concrete structure. Some of the tiles are glossy white, and some have a cream finish. The massive off-white superstructure is accentuated even more by being situated on a 600-foot (180-meter) podium or foundation area made of pinkish-colored granite and fronted by what is claimed to be the largest exterior staircase in use anywhere.
Since the official opening, over 6,000,000 patrons have enjoyed thousands of performances here. High has been the praise of the exquisite location and the fascinating beauty of the design. The acoustics of the performance halls are generally agreed to be on a par with the best in the world. One musician said of the Concert Hall: “We have to be so careful what we play here—the acoustics are so good.”
Each hall is designed acoustically so that the sound will neither be distorted nor need amplification. However, a sophisticated sound system is incorporated in each hall. When needed, this system evenly distributes sound to all seats undistorted and with equal intensity. For acoustic reasons, there are no carpets on the floors of the two large halls. When a person sits down or gets up, he will hardly make a noise. This is because all seats are hydraulically controlled.
Those who are late for a performance must wait outside for a suitable break. But there is no reason for them to be too upset. A closed-circuit television system enables the public outside, the artists or the staff to listen to and observe what is going on in the various theatres at any time.
The air seems fresh, and the temperature is just right. Some 4.5 million dollars’ worth of air-conditioning equipment changes the air every eight minutes in all theatres and once every two minutes in the kitchens.
The many passages, staircases and rooms backstage and on levels under the main auditorium are off limits to ordinary patrons. Here, for example, a symphony orchestra conductor can tune an instrument in his dressing room by calling up the precise sound he needs through his room-service module. By means of closed-circuit television, he can get an early view of the audience or watch his orchestra tuning up or rehearsing. He may even look at a performance in another auditorium. After his performance, he can, if he desires, relax and watch a movie on the module. The same module contains a telephone that allows him to call anywhere in the world.
On account of the maze of passages, staircases and rooms, some performers have become confused. One conductor said: “I have lost my way to the stage twice. Once I ended up in the canteen and the other time in a broom cupboard.”
Very impressive is the 2,690-seat Concert Hall with its sculptured white-birch ceiling rising 90 feet (27 meters) above. Here one may hear symphonies, chamber music, choral productions or popular music. The Concert Hall is also used for conventions. There are translation facilities for up to five languages. Since these facilities employ a radio system, no plugs or wires connecting the headphones are needed.
Suspended well above the platform are 21 large acrylic doughnut-shaped “acoustic clouds.” These reflect some of the sound back down to the stage, giving the orchestra its own private acoustical system without interfering with the sound directed to the audience.
The $400,000 Grand Organ, which is still under construction, provides a dramatic backdrop to the stage. It will be the largest mechanical-action organ in the world, with 10,500 pipes. Only 100 of the burnished tin pipes and 24 bronze bells will be visible from the audience. The organ will be 30 feet (9 meters) above the floor, and will be 50 feet (15 meters) high. The organist will have to watch the conductor on closed-circuit television.
There are smaller theatres too. The Drama Theatre, seating 544, has an adaptable stage. Its front part can be lowered to form an orchestra pit, alternative entrance for actors or an extra seating area. The stage also has two concentric turntables so that scenes can be changed in a matter of seconds. Or, the actors can simply walk from one set to the other as if going from the one location to the other. As with all auditoriums, the stage lighting can be programmed to turn on and off automatically. Up to 200 light changes can be stored on computer tape for use whenever any performance is to be repeated.
The Opera Theatre
This evening we enjoyed an opera in the 1,547-seat Opera Theatre. We had no trouble concentrating, as the walls and roof around us are stained black so that nothing visually would distract us. There were four acts, with a short break between each as the scenery changed. As there was very little space in the wings, we wondered where all the scenery disappeared. We learned that a special lifting platform raises lighter scenery into the space above the stage or brings up scenery from below the stage to a height of three stories. Because a large section of the stage revolves, it is used to make quick scenery changes during an act.
A New International Trademark
In the daytime the area is very much alive with rehearsals, matinee performances, lunchtime lectures, film showings, sightseers, people lunching at the outdoor harbourside restaurant, and even lunchtime joggers using the “Broadwalk” to keep fit.
But it is at night that the activity really attains its zenith. With its 10 great white roof shells lit up amid the pinpricks of light from around the harbour, the whole complex seems to live as in another world. Old and young arrive, bedecked with jewelry and furs or just clothed in shirts and jeans, to escape from the rush and pressure of life into a world of fantasy for a few hours.
The building complex has become a new international symbol for Australia, alongside the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the kangaroo and the koala bear. After visiting it, we can indeed agree that it is majestic in concept and an astonishing feat of construction—a tribute to man’s divinely endowed creative abilities.