Standing atop the tallest shell of the brand-new Sydney Opera House, Woollarawarre Bennelong descendant Ben Blakeney OAM welcomed all Australians to a site of special significance to the Gadigal people.

I am Bennelong. And my spirit, and the spirit of my people lives. And their dance, their music and their drama and their laughter also remains.



Ben Blakeney, 'Spirit of Bennelong', 20 October 1973.

The location of the performing arts centre at Bennelong Point connected 65,000 years of cultural celebrations and ceremonies to those of an emerging nation. Fourteen years after construction commenced, Sydney unveiled Jørn Utzon's masterpiece: a monumental and instantly iconic building that projected to the world an image of optimism, innovation and sophistication.

Birth of an icon

In 1956, responding to growing calls for a dedicated multi-venue musical facility, New South Wales Premier Joseph Cahill announced a competition for the design of a National Opera House. Among 223 entries from 28 countries, Utzon's concept was unique in the way its form and materials emphasised the character of Bennelong Point. Visible around 360 degrees, the sandstone base of the building echoed the nearby cliffs, while its vaulted roof evoked the shells and sails of the surrounding harbour's beaches and water.

The judging panel of four eminent architects was unanimous in support of the then unknown 38-year-old Danish architect's winning entry, saying:

We have returned again and again to the study of these drawings and are convinced that they present a concept of an Opera House which is capable of becoming one of the great buildings of the world. Because of its very originality, it is clearly a controversial design. We are however, absolutely convinced of its merits.

Controversy

Others were not so convinced. Prominent Australian architect Walter Bunning likened the design to 'an insect with a shell on its back which crawled out from under a log'. American architect Frank Lloyd Wright complained that 'this circus tent is not architecture!'. The public was also divided, with letters to The Sydney Morning Herald's editor describing the Opera House variously as 'a Danish pastry', an 'armadillo' and 'the Loch Ness monster'.

Beyond the aesthetics, more serious controversies beset the building. The construction stage had been mired by rushed planning and cost blowouts that culminated in a stand-off between Utzon and the newly appointed Minister for Public Works, Davis Hughes. His position untenable, Utzon resigned, leaving Australia in 1966 and never returning to see his completed masterpiece. Despite public calls for his reinstatement, a team of Australian architects was charged with the building's completion.

Transforming over time

Over one million people gathered on and around the harbour to watch the opening, with many more watching the televised broadcast. It was an extravagant and festive occasion that marked the completion of a project delivered 10 years late and many times over budget.

Almost immediately the building's functional limitations were laid bare, with performers and audiences complaining of the sonic shortcomings of the performance spaces. The poor acoustics stemmed from the NSW Premier's decision in 1967 to deviate from Utzon’s original vision, switching the small shell’s original theatre to an opera space and the large shell’s original opera theatre to a concert hall.

In 1999, the NSW government and Utzon reconciled, with the architect agreeing to develop a set of design principles to inform future alterations. The first application of these principles was the redesign of the Reception Hall, which re-opened in 2004 as the Utzon Room. Of the naming of the room in his honour, Utzon remarked: 'I don’t think you can give me more joy as the architect. It supersedes any medal of any kind that I could get and have got.' With further upgrades to the Joan Sutherland Theatre (2017) and Concert Hall (2022), it could finally be said that the utility of the building was in harmony with its breathtaking aesthetics.

The events and performances that have graced the stages and steps of Sydney Opera House over the years capture the diversity of Australia's culture and its engagement with the world. The 50th anniversary of the opening offers an opportunity for the nation to reflect on the cultural and historical significance of this remarkable building. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, this wonder of expressionist architecture has become an enduring metaphor for both a city and a nation.

Opera House: Design 218

Professor H. Ingham Ashworth, in conversation with Danish architect Jørn Utzon and engineer Jack Zunz, discuss the design of the Sydney Opera House. Together they explain how the construction challenges of building the shell structures were resolved. This program was produced by Tom Manefield for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1962.



NAA: C475, 124633