You know when you go to an exotic locale, that’s home to a world famous landmark, you brace yourself as you prepare to set your eyes on what you have built up in your mind as a mythical place? You’re hoping that when you visit it, you won’t be disappointed. Paris has the Eiffel Tower, Agra has the Taj Mahal, and Rome has the Colosseum. For Sydney, Australia, it’s all about the famed Opera House. For locals, it is a beautiful landmark that’s home to a performing arts culture. For new visitors to this city, this building is everything they have fantasized about Australia, and then some. It seems rather bizzare to reduce a country or a city to one physical landmark. But once you lay eyes on this unique structure, you’ll no doubt me amazed!
I remember laying eyes on this place from atop Mrs. Macquaries Chair, and being totally speechless. It was a reminder of just how far away from home I was; I mean, I was in Sydney for goodness sake! But the experience didn’t come full circle until I got up close with the famed sail-shaped roofs. Or shell-shaped depending on how you look at it.
If you zoom in on the roof, it is made up of thousands of tiny little tiles. Although the roofs appear gleaming white from a birds-eye view, they are actually a combination of cream-colored, off white, and a pastel-like yellow. At the risk of taking some of the charm away from this place, staring at all those tiles reminded me of a fancy shower; that’s right, I just compared a famous world-landmark to a bathroom fixture! Not the architecture, heresay.
On the inside, however, is another story. Inside the Sydney Opera House is a, well, house of mahogany, velvet, purple, red, crystal, mirrors, and of course, music! I’ve been inside many famous Opera Houses and symphony halls like the Met and Carnegie Hall in New York, and the Savoy in London. And while they all boast an interior of chandiliers and columns that look like they have lept out of a fairy tale, the Sydney Opera House seems rather different. It has the exterior of a modern art museum, the colorful interior of an off-broadway theatre, and a huge performing space with excellent acoustics that rival even the largest concert halls. One must see the interior, and not just stare at the frozen sails on the outside. While I toured the inside, I got to see a rehearsal of Cirque du Soliel inside one of the performing halls. The hall wasn’t even half-filled, but that didn’t even matter. The sound coming from the orchestra was rich and alive; when I closed my eyes, I could swear I was at a packed house, filled with a mob of classical music afficianados.
The Sydney Opera House is more than just architectural eye-candy, it is a symbol of how cultured and sophisticated this city is. To think that this city went from being a penal colony more than 200 years ago, and somehow transformed itself into one the greatest cities on Earth. Some natives of Sydney even credit the Opera House as being a catalyst that helped bring in hordes of tourists into the city, and helped to transform it. It is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever been to. But I know that Sydney is known for more than just a great building, but you have to admit, it sure looks spectacular from across the harbor!
It is always interesting reading about your travels Jared. Great work.
Hey Jared i thought the article was informative and i really liked the pictures. brought it all together. good job buddy.