The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

a public appeal, a controversial build, a lavish opening – and a venue for all

  • Written by Michelle Arrow, Professor of History, Macquarie University
a public appeal, a controversial build, a lavish opening – and a venue for all

It is one of the most famous buildings in the world. It has an instantly recognisable silhouette that adorns tea towels, bottle openers and souvenir sweatshirts.

Miniature versions huddle in snow domes. You can build your own from Lego[1]. Bidjigal artist and elder Esme Timbery constructed a replica in her trademark shell art[2]. Ken Done put it on doona covers and bikinis. If you search the hashtag on Instagram, you will see over a million posts.

Fifty years ago today, after a prolonged and controversial period of construction, the Sydney Opera House was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in a lavish ceremony.

Spectators carrying flasks of coffee and cushions watched from the sidelines. More than 2,000 small boats viewed the ceremony from the water.

The Queen speaks to a crowd on the opera house steps.
Queen Elizabeth II declares the Sydney Opera House open on October 20, 1973. AP Photo

After the national anthem was played and nine F111 aircraft roared overhead, the crowd heard a didgeridoo and Aboriginal actor Ben Blakeney delivered a prologue “representing the spirit of Bennelong[3]”.

In her speech, the Queen remarked the Opera House had “captured the imagination of the world”.

The opening festivities gestured both to Australia’s deep Indigenous roots and white imperial origins. The building itself symbolised a new era of state investment in cultural infrastructure. This was a hallmark of the “new nationalism” in the 1970s: the arts were regarded as essential to Australia’s newly confident sense of national identity.

Today, the Sydney Opera House reminds us Australia can value culture for its own sake. But what did the Opera House mean to Australians when it opened 50 years ago?

Read more: 16 visits over 57 years: reflecting on Queen Elizabeth II's long relationship with Australia[4]

Building the Opera House

The campaign for an Opera House in Sydney was initiated by Sir Eugene Goosens, who came to Australia as conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 1947. He found a sympathetic ear in Joe Cahill, the Labor premier who committed Bennelong Point to the project and launched an international competition to design the building in 1955.

Sydney Opera House under construction, 1964. City of Sydney Archives, CC BY-NC-ND[5][6]

This part of the story is well-known (indeed, there was even an opera[7]). Danish architect Jørn Utzon’s bold, avant garde design won the competition and construction began in 1961, funded – in a democratic touch – by the NSW government’s Opera House lottery.

Construction was plagued by difficulties and expanding costs. Utzon famously resigned from the project in 1966; Australian architect Peter Hall oversaw the construction of the interior.

In spite of the jokes and doubts, by the time the building was finished, Australians had embraced the Opera House as their own.

Model of inside of Opera House from 1966. City of Sydney Archives, CC BY-NC-ND[8][9]

The Queen tactfully acknowledged the building’s construction delays in her speech at the opening ceremony, suggesting[10] “every great imaginative venture has had to be tempered by the fire of controversy”.

Read more: 40 years on: how Gough Whitlam gave Indigenous art a boost [11]

Cringe and strut

As historians Richard White and Sylvia Lawson note[12], while the Opera House was intended for all performing arts, the centrality of opera – with its expense and small audiences – made a symbolic statement a “new, more sophisticated Australia” had arrived.

As Australia sought to find an identity independent of Britain, the Opera House became a symbol of this new nationalist turn.

Giraffe’s eye view of the city, Taronga Zoo Mosman, 1998. City of Sydney Archives, CC BY-NC-ND[13][14]

Some fitted the Opera House into older narratives of Britishness: in his book Sydney Builds an Opera House, Oswald Zeigler remarked we needed to thank Captain Arthur Phillip “for finding the site for this symbol of the Australian cultural revolution”.

Gough Whitlam declared[15] it was

a magnificent building, Our civilisations are known by their buildings and future generations will honour the people of this generation […] by this building.

In spite of this, there was still cultural cringe. The Canberra Times[16] reported the British media believed the Opera House was a sign that “the country had turned a corner artistically”. It was a telling sign of cultural cringe that their opinions were sought at all.

The Sydney Opera House on its opening day, October 20 1973. John Ward, John Ward Collection - Shipping. City of Sydney Archives, CC BY-NC-ND[17]

The Opera House was part of an Australian cultural renaissance in 1973. The ABC broadcast an adaptation of Ethel Turner’s beloved Seven Little Australians. The bawdy Alvin Purple was a box-office smash. Patrick White became the first (and so far, only) Australian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The new wave of Australian drama was in full swing, and the Opera House’s opening season included a play by new wave star David Williamson alongside Shakespeare’s Richard II.

Historians have nominated many emblems for the new nationalist mood (from the new national anthem to The Adventures of Barry McKenzie) but I would suggest the Opera House embodies it best: the soaring sails, the bold, rich colours of the interiors, and John Coburn’s glorious, confident curtains for the performance venues.

Poster, lithograph, ‘Australia / Opera House Festival’, paper, designed by Allan Grant, featuring ‘Curtain of the Sun’ tapestry design by John Coburn, NSW Department of Tourism for the Opera House Opening Committee, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1973. Powerhouse Museum. Purchased 2000. Photograph DatacomIT.

For the elite or for the people?

There were always objections on the grounds that government investment would be better focused elsewhere, rather than on a performance venue for “elites”. These arguments are wearyingly familiar today.

Premier Joe Cahill rejected this charge from the outset: in 1959 he declared[18]

the average working family will be able to afford to go there […] the Opera House will, in fact, be a monument to democratic nationhood in its fullest sense.

Opera House interior, Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay, 1996. City of Sydney Archives, CC BY-NC-ND[19][20]

Cahill’s insistence this was a building for everyone to enjoy and be proud of has been fulfilled by its creative use ever since. School children regularly perform; new audiences have been drawn by musicians of all genres, from punk to Prince. But the Opera House has also been a place for creative experimentation and innovative performance – as it should be.

Today, 50 years from its opening, the Sydney Opera House reminds us the state still has a role to play in supporting the performing and creative arts in Australia. This radiant, soaring building belongs to all of us: a great reason to celebrate its birthday.

Read more: The Golden Mean: a great discovery or natural phenomenon?[21]

References

  1. ^ Lego (www.lego.com)
  2. ^ shell art (recollections.nma.gov.au)
  3. ^ spirit of Bennelong (nla.gov.au)
  4. ^ 16 visits over 57 years: reflecting on Queen Elizabeth II's long relationship with Australia (theconversation.com)
  5. ^ City of Sydney Archives (archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au)
  6. ^ CC BY-NC-ND (creativecommons.org)
  7. ^ opera (www.theeighthwondertheopera.com)
  8. ^ City of Sydney Archives (archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au)
  9. ^ CC BY-NC-ND (creativecommons.org)
  10. ^ suggesting (nla.gov.au)
  11. ^ 40 years on: how Gough Whitlam gave Indigenous art a boost (theconversation.com)
  12. ^ note (trove.nla.gov.au)
  13. ^ City of Sydney Archives (archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au)
  14. ^ CC BY-NC-ND (creativecommons.org)
  15. ^ Gough Whitlam declared (nla.gov.au)
  16. ^ Canberra Times (nla.gov.au)
  17. ^ CC BY-NC-ND (creativecommons.org)
  18. ^ 1959 he declared (mhnsw.au)
  19. ^ City of Sydney Archives (archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au)
  20. ^ CC BY-NC-ND (creativecommons.org)
  21. ^ The Golden Mean: a great discovery or natural phenomenon? (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/sydney-opera-house-at-50-a-public-appeal-a-controversial-build-a-lavish-opening-and-a-venue-for-all-213252

Times Magazine

From Beach Bops to Alpine Anthems: Your Sonos Survival Guide for a Long Weekend Escape

Alright, fellow adventurers and relaxation enthusiasts! So, you've packed your bags, charged your devices, and mentally prepared for that glorious King's Birthday long weekend. But hold on, are you really ready? Because a true long weekend warrior kn...

Effective Commercial Pest Control Solutions for a Safer Workplace

Keeping a workplace clean, safe, and free from pests is essential for maintaining productivity, protecting employee health, and upholding a company's reputation. Pests pose health risks, can cause structural damage, and can lead to serious legal an...

The Science Behind Reverse Osmosis and Why It Matters

What is reverse osmosis? Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification process that removes contaminants by forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane. This membrane allows only water molecules to pass through while blocking impurities such as...

Foodbank Queensland celebrates local hero for National Volunteer Week

Stephen Carey is a bit bananas.   He splits his time between his insurance broker business, caring for his young family, and volunteering for Foodbank Queensland one day a week. He’s even run the Bridge to Brisbane in a banana suit to raise mon...

Senior of the Year Nominations Open

The Allan Labor Government is encouraging all Victorians to recognise the valuable contributions of older members of our community by nominating them for the 2025 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards.  Minister for Ageing Ingrid Stitt today annou...

CNC Machining Meets Stage Design - Black Swan State Theatre Company & Tommotek

When artistry meets precision engineering, incredible things happen. That’s exactly what unfolded when Tommotek worked alongside the Black Swan State Theatre Company on several of their innovative stage productions. With tight deadlines and intrica...

The Times Features

Running Across Australia: What Really Holds the Body Together?

How William Goodge’s 3,800km run reveals the connection between movement, mindset, and mental resilience As a business owner, I’ve come to realise that the biggest wins rarely com...

Telehealth is Transforming Healthcare Services in Australia

It has traditionally not been easy to access timely healthcare in Australia, particularly for people who live in remote areas. Many of them spend hours on the road just to see a...

Launchd Acquires Huume, Strengthening Creative Firepower Across Talent-Led Marketing

Launchd, a leader in talent, technology and brand partnerships, has announced its acquisition of influencer talent management agency Huume from IZEA. The move comes as the medi...

Vietnam's "Gold Coast" Emerges as Extraordinary Investment Frontier and Australian Inspired Way of Life

$2 Billion super-city in Vung Tau set to replicate Australia's Gold Coast success story A culturally metamorphic development aptly named "Gold Coast" is set to reshape Vietna...

Choosing the Wrong Agent Is the #1 Regret Among Aussie Property Sellers

Selling your home is often one of the largest financial transactions you’ll make, and for many Australians, it’s also one of the most emotional. A new survey of Australian home se...

Travel Insurance for Families: What Does it Cover and Why it’s Essential

Planning a family trip is exciting, but unexpected mishaps can turn your dream vacation into a stressful ordeal. That’s where travel insurance comes in—it’s your safety net when ...