Sydney Opera House?

Question

What are some things about the sydney opera house that are interesting and that i could put in my speech?

Answer 1

its fun to go sliding down the arches when you're little

or at least it was when I was a kid. they probably don't let you do it now.

Answer 2

We were there last year and took a tour.  It's beautiful, but the architect had a disagreement with the city before it was finished and left and has never seen the finished Opera House.

Answer 3

The Opera House is situated on Bennelong Point, which reaches out into the harbour. The skyline of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the blue water of the harbour and the Sydney Opera House, viewed from a ferry or from the air, is dramatic and unforgettable.

Ironic, perhaps, that this Australian icon - the Opera House with a roof evocative of a ship at full sail - was designed by renowned Danish architect - Jorn Utzon.

In the late 1950s the New South Wales (NSW) Government established an appeal fund to finance the construction of the Sydney Opera House, and conducted a competition for its design.

Utzon's design was chosen. The irony was that his design was, arguably, beyond the capabilities of engineering of the time. Utzon spent a couple of years reworking the design and it was 1961 before he had solved the problem of how to build the distinguishing feature - the 'sails' of the roof.

The venture experienced cost blow-outs and there were occasions when the NSW Government was tempted to call a halt. In 1966 the situation - with arguments about cost and the interior design, and the Government withholding progress payments - reached crisis point and Jorn Utzon resigned from the project. The building was eventually completed by others in 1973. After more than 30 years, the Sydney Opera House has its first interior designed by Utzon. The Utzon Room, a transformed reception hall that brings to life Jorn Utzon's original vision for his masterpiece, was officially opened on September 16 2004.

Some facts:

Was designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon

Was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973

Presented, as its first performance, The Australian Opera's production of War and Peace by Prokofiev

Cost $AU 102,000,000 to build

Conducts 3000 events each year

Provides guided tours to 200,000 people each year

Has an annual audience of 2 million for its performances

Includes 1000 rooms

Is 185 metres long and 120 metres wide

Has 2194 pre-cast concrete sections as its roof

Has roof sections weighing up to 15 tons

Has roof sections held together by 350 km of tensioned steel cable

Has over 1 million tiles on the roof

Uses 6225 square metres of glass and 645 kilometres of electric cable

Answer 4

it is a world heritage listing

Answer 5

* The Sydney Opera House was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and Ove Arup & Partners.

* It was made a World Heritage Site on June 28, 2007.

* Its contruction was officially completed in 1973 and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on October 20, 1973.

Hope this helps!