Sydney Opera House Facts

Take a tour of Sydney's famous opera house

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What are the Sydney opera house facts? Discover the secrets of Sydney's most famous landmark. Enjoy Sydney opera house tours and book your 2010 opera performance ticket



Sydney Opera House is certainly Australia's best-known building, actually, it is one of the most distinctive buildings designed and erected in the 20th century. Along with Uluru, it represents Australia abroad.

If you are as fascinated of the stunning architecture as I am, why not book one of the highly interesting Sydney opera house tours? See the Tours section on this page.

But first, I'll give you some facts.

Sydney Opera House Facts

• The opera house sits prominently on Benelong Point, surrounded by Sydney harbour on three sides. The building has been on the Unesco World Heritage List since June 2007.
• Jorn Utzorn, a Danish architect, won the design competition in 1957. His design was internationally admired as ground-breaking at that time. In my opinion, it still is.
• Construction of the opera house began in March 1959. The project was built in three stages.
  Major structual issues emerged during the process. The original budget of $ 22.9 million increased fianlly to $ 102 million.
  Difficulties, changes on the original plans, and political issues made Jorn Utzorn leave the project in 1966.
• Sydney Opera House was opened by her majesty Queen Elizabeth II on October 1973. Jorn Utzorn, the designer of the out-standing building, was not invited to the ceremony.
• The first opera performed was War and Peace by Sergei Prokofiev. The performance was on 28th September, a few weeks before the official opening of the opera house.

• The opera house is 185 m long, and 120 m wide. The roof, which resembles white sails, is covered with more than 1 million tiles.
• The Concert Hall is the largest performance venue with 2678 seats. The hall also contains a huge organ with more than 10,000 pipes. The Concert Hall is home to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
• The Opera Theatre has 1507 seats and is, of course, home of the Opera Australia, and the Australian Ballet.
• Other venues are the Drama Theatre, the Play House, the Studio, and the Utzon Room.

Sydney Opera House Tours

Even if you usually don't go to the opera, ballet, or classical concerts, joining such a performance in the famous Sydney Opera house is certainly something different, and an experience to remember.
Below are a few suggestions for your personal Sydney Opera House experience. Most tours are likely to book out, so book early to avoid disappointment.

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Sydney Opera House, Harbour Dinner Cruise and Sydney Symphony Orchestra Package

Enjoy the Sydney Opera House by sea, land and stage, and hear a performance by the marvelous Sydney Symphony Orchestra. This magical eight-hour package includes a guided tour of the Sydney Opera House, a cruise on Sydney Harbour as you dine on a two-course meal, and ends the night on a high as the spectacular Australian Sydney Orchestra performs for you at the Sydney Opera House.


Sydney Opera House, Harbour Dinner Cruise and Australian Ballet Package

Experience the Sydney Opera House by sea, land and stage on this magical eight-hour package, featuring a performance by the Australian Ballet. You'll take a guided tour of the Sydney Opera House, cruise Sydney Harbour while dining on a two-course meal and see a spectacular Australian Ballet performance at the Sydney Opera House.


Opera Performance at the Sydney Opera House

Catch one the many amazing performances by Opera Australia at the World-Heritage listed Sydney Opera House. With your choice of seating, the 2011 season includes performances of Madama Butterfly, Carmen, The Merry Widow, The Barber of Saville, Partenope, Capiccio, La boheme, Of Mice and Men, Lakme, Macbeth, The Love of the Nightingale and Don Giovanni.

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Sydney Opera House Guided Backstage Tour

By joining this tour you have acces to areas of the building that are normally reserved for artists and staff. Imagine YOU perform on stage of the famous Concert Hall, or conduct the Symphony.
Enjoy breakfast in the Green Room (closed Sundays and Public Holidays), the private domain of the stars.
This famous tour starts early, at 7 am, to enable you to go to all the places usually reserved for the crew and the artists.

Schedule: Tour departs daily from Sydney Opera House.
Duration: Approximately 2 hours.




Hopefully, you enjoyed the Sydney Opera House Facts and tours.

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