"The two halls hang from the shells visibly as a piece of furniture from the outside, and…the halls and the stage tower in forms and color will stand out like a exotic bird,” “You look at the bulging shape of a walnut and inside you see the bulging kernel. You know why it looks the way it does". (Quotes from Jorn Utzon.)
The judges in the competition for the Opera House were so impressed with Utzon's brilliant design, that they were convinced they could overcome the difficulties of building the Opera House.
The Sydney Opera House, originally designed by the Danish Architect Jorn Utzon, is meant to look like a giant sailing ship. The most striking design, which stood out for its originality and imagination, was the one handed in by Jorn Utzon.
Even today, many visitors are surprised to find that the Sydney Opera House is really a complex of theaters and halls all linked together beneath its famous shells. In a average year, the Sydney Opera House presents theater, musicals, opera, contemporary dance, ballet, every form of music from symphony concerts to jazz as well as exhibitions and films. It averages around 3,000 events each year with audiences totaling up to two million. In
Addition, approximately 200,000 people take a guided tour of the complex each year. The Opera House operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas and Good Friday.
