Magic of the Opera House

Drawn to the white, sail-like structure of the Sydney Opera House, VIMALA SENEVIRATNE is entranced by its splendour

IT has an imposing presence. As you stand at the entrance of the Sydney Opera House, you get the feeling of being wrapped around by the building, a place where your visual and aural senses go on overdrive.

It is a beautiful building, one that’s visually appealing with soaring roofs that look like sails. It is set beside a lovely landscape, the Royal Botanical Gardens. The ambience is totally pleasing.

The roof is designed to bounce off the sun’s rays — glowing, bright white light during the day and a softer orangey tone in the later part of the evening. When you look closely, you realise that there is no distinction between wall and roof, as one becomes the other.

As you come to the forecourt of the building and walk up the Monumental Steps, soaking in the sunshine and laughter, you notice street performers giving impromptu musical recitals which lift your spirits.

In fact, the crowd is entertainment in itself.

On any given day, the forecourt of this Australian icon, designed by reclusive Danish architect Jorn Utzon, is filled with tourists (both foreigners and Australians from other states) taking photographs from every imaginable angle. No one seems to be in a rush. The relaxed atmosphere drains away the tension in your muscles.

If you think the Opera House is appealing from the outside, wait till you step inside. There is a reason why this place is known as the busiest performing arts centre in the world. Each year it stages over 2,500 performances, drawing close to two million patrons.

Last year the building was added to the Unesco World Heritage List.

One of the best ways to check out the interior is to take in a show or join a tour group as I did. The public cannot access the theatres without a performance ticket.

But those in the tour group will be brought to both the Opera Theatre and Concert Hall and other “no access areas”.

Inside the building you will notice that there are no surface decorations, no columns, windows or division. There is nothing to distract you. This is done deliberately.

It is only when you climb a flight of stairs leading to the Concert Hall (yes, this building has a lot of stairs and it helps to wear sensible walking shoes) that you understand why.

Beyond the beautiful glass foyer is the spectacular view that any photographer worth his salt would die for — the wide expanse of sky, portions of the sail-shaped roof and the sparkling waters with the sail boats dotting the Harbour Bridge. It is truly a sight to behold.

The Concert Hall is tastefully designed and your eyes are immediately drawn to the high vaulted ceiling, fine interior finishing of birch timber and the Grand Organ, the largest mechanical organ with over 10,000 pipes, that sits against the back wall.

There is also the Opera Theatre contained within this building which has a small stage. The guide, almost apologetically, tells you that it is so small that during a performance, someone has to wait in the wings to catch the dancers — if they go too far, the person pushes them back to centrestage!

The walls and ceiling are all coloured black for a reason. As soon as the lights go down, there is nothing to distract you from what is taking place on stage.

Also within the premises is The Playhouse, an end-stage theatre, The Studio, a flexible space that can contain 400 people as well as the Utzon Room, a small multi-purpose venue.

And when you tire yourself out after the one-hour guided tour, you can stop for a drink at the Opera House bar or have lunch in one of the many waterside cafes just beside the Opera House.

If you have more time on your hands, make a second visit at night. The view is even more enchanting with sparkling lights and twinkling waters. This is, after all, the heart of Sydney.

Admission to the Sydney Opera House is free, but for a deeper insight of the building, join the tour priced at A$23 per adult. The tours are held every 30 minutes between 8.30am and 5pm daily.