Echoes of Elegance: A Journey into the Sydney Opera House

Great buildings promise solace for the eye, though great halls entice with sound. The Sydney Opera House combines these elements together. My eyes immediately followed sandstone bases, dark inner shells, and white turfs, making up Australia's iconic landmark. The building was pressed against the gentle, calming oceans in harmony with the crimson, pink sky, illuminating with the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I could see the individual, hand-made tiles coating the shells, marking the significance of this popular structure.

A soothing scent of lavender was the Sydney Opera House's wind chime. It was as if the space welcomed my arrival, and I paused to take in my surroundings. The rich warmth of light timber wrapped around me like a comforting presence, and my eyes were drawn to the grandeur of the Concert Hall. Above the orchestra, the world-renowned mechanical pipe organ stood proudly, its 10,244 pipes leaving me in awe. I found my seat - velvet red, just firm enough to keep me alert but soft enough to relax into. The violet carpet beside me exuded a calming effect, pulling me further into the experience. The hall itself felt like a colour trip to the 1800s. Half the audience was absorbed in thick program books, while others showcased their wardrobe's finest. I noticed how some women’s lips shimmered with gold, remnants from their drinks at the Theatre Bar. Then, as the lights dimmed and the curtains parted, a hush fell over the crowd. The outside world faded, and my spirit left the Concert Hall. It was now journeying through the rich history of the Sydney Opera House.

Today, the Sydney Opera House is a tranquil and calm marvel. The construction progress, however, is far from peaceful. In 1956, a competition regarding the Sydney Opera House was internationally distributed from Australia, aiming for new designs and ideas into the battered nation. Two hundred and thirty-three entrants were received from over 32 countries. Jorn Utzon’s design dominated. His vision was of morning dew that would have dropped from the leaf shaped roofs: hauntingly beautiful (but dangerous). This could be open to the elements to match Australia's love of nature. Construction began and Utzon's dream was being realised. That is, until ties between Utzon and the NSW Government fell apart.

Budget issues were becoming alarmingly worse, leading to hesitation of supplying the required resources and funds into a simple stadium for an opera. Additionally, the Arup workforce - the company which built my residence - was questioning his plans for the structure. I believe the technology required was more fit for Star Wars rather than reality. This gradually incorporated the builders, shareholders, and the NSW Government; Jorn Utzon left Australia in protest, his original plans with him. The only plausible option to save the Sydney Opera House was to betray Utzon’s plan and devise a new one. The year 1967 saw the last shell of the Sydney Opera House being completed. It was finally ready for the public in 1973 after 14 years of dissonance. The current Sydney Opera House was born.

Home to Opera Australia, the Joan Sutherland Theatre is the sister of the Concert Hall, being the second biggest arts centre in the Opera House. Seven years after it was opened, an opera called Boris Godunov featured some live chickens. Though children may have enjoyed the show, a cellist would disagree as a hen decided to nestle on their head. Therefore, the Joan Sutherland Theatre is fitted with a net over the orchestra but a glass floor would be more efficient as the orchestra is still at risk from eggs.

As the orchestra bowed before the thundering audience, I made my way out of the exit and bid farewell to the Concert Hall. I visited the Souvenir shop downstairs as a treat to the Sydney Opera House. Walking through the small aisles, I collected a Monopoly Sydney Opera House: Collector's Edition and placed it on the register. The cashier, a woman, chuckles and smiles at me, as she deposits the purchase into a bag and a rectangular prism. I eagerly open my bag to find my Monopoly and a Sydney Opera House-styled card set. Perhaps she saw me as a cute boy. Now fingering a Joker, the game begins anew.