Humble Roots Media

Travelogue: Sydney Opera House

Written by Myles Herod
on February 20th, 2017
@MylesHerod

Humble Experience

Can anything else be said about Australia’s iconic landmark?

Impressions such as otherworldly, tourist-swarming, and a hint of ocean air come to mind when I think back to the Opera House. Call it an addiction, or infatuation, but I made it my obligation to visit repeatedly.

And why not? Sydney acted as home port to the cruise ship I worked on. My world-class working vacation throughout the Pacific.

Locals and sightseers spill towards nearby Alfred St. awaiting public transit. Photo by Myles Herod

Prevailing Aussie wisdom suggests that the sun did not know how beautiful its light was until it reflected off the Sydney Opera House. Truth is, they might be right.

Blessed with heavenly wi-fi, and shade from the warm sun, it became my destination of choice when docked across the harbour. Thinking back, there was something deeper at play. This building was somehow seducing me.

White shells provide the perfect contrast to the dark water under the blue Australian sky. Photo by Myles Herod

Perhaps it is the jagged shell-like roof, a curious architectural design, which still spellbinds me to this day.

Impressions such as otherworldly, tourist-swarming, and a hint of ocean air come to mind when I think back to the Opera House.

By simply closing my eyes, I can summon the surroundings as if it were yesterday.

Didgeridoo buskers dot the esplanade and compete for one’s attention amidst face-painted mimes. Elsewhere, restaurants, UGG outlets, and the Circular Quay train station scurry with bodies, resulting in an intoxicating mix.

Patio cocktails only meteres from the Opera House. To the top right, my cruise ship. Photo by Myles Herod

However, compared to the legacy of the Opera House, they unravel as secondary stops.

Why you ask? Let’s take a closer look.

The History

Spanning construction from 1957 to 1973, the Sydney Opera House is the brain child of Jørn Utzon.

In full view. The Opera House from across Sydney Harbour. Photo by Myles Herod

Entering a National Opera House Competition in 1956, the Danish architect submitted a design that literally considered all angles.

By drawing inspiration from the wings of swans, Utzon insisted it could not have an ugly side or an ugly roof.

[Jørn Utzon] submitted a design that literally considers all angles.

In 1957, at the age of 38, Utzon and his concept beat out applicants from around the globe. Word spread that judges not only chose imagination over predictability but also a design that would challenge the parameters of possibility.

Words to live by. Construction commences at the world landmark. Photo by Myles Herod

After completing Stage 2 of 3, Jørn was fired in 1966 amidst political opposition. Stage 3 plans had yet been put to paper.

It was not until October 20, 1973, nearly seventeen years after Utzon’s design was selected, that construction was completed.

Judges not only chose imagination over predictability, but also a design that would challenge the parameters of possibility.

Each shell is covered with interlocking tiles, shaped to suit the curve of the roof. Photo by Myles Herod

Today, the one million tiles that dress Utzon’s landmark glimmer as Australia’s internal image.

In illuminating its place on the world stage, they also happen to shed light on my other favourite feature.

The Steps

No one tells you about the steps of the Sydney Opera House.

Never mentioned, rarely admired, its temple-pyramid design gives new meaning to beauty in repetition.

Continuously attracting tourists from around the world. Photo by Myles Herod

Presented as a grand staircase, each concrete step allows room for tourist’s eyes to wander. Predictably, many gaze high above with squinted brows, while others gather for inevitable selfies.

Never mentioned, rarely admired, its temple-pyramid design gives new meaning to beauty in repetition.

Truth be told, containing my awe was never easy. Inspiration for Jørn Utzon’s concrete staircase is, in fact, quintessentially Mesoamerican.

Mayan and Zapotec ruins are the unconventional blueprint for the Sydney Opera House. Utzon realized ancient cultures built temples above the forest line, in turn elevating them to greatness. He set out to achieve similar breathtaking results.

Up close and personal. Photo by Myles Herod

Old and new sit in perfect balance today. From the white sails of the Opera House soaring above the water, the steps below humbly unify the entire site. The result is practically Zen-like.

A Look Inside

On one of my last visits to Sydney, I set out to take the tour.

Since photography is prohibited, I only half-heartedly put my camera away. Our knowledgeable guide thankfully turned a blind eye.

Funny, walking into the concert hall you realize there is a whole other world apart from the iconic exterior. A desire washes over you, one to fork over serious cash to experience a great symphony inside. Alas, there was only lint in my pockets.

Inside the concert hall, with 2,679 seats. Photo by Myles Herod

Designed for every seat to be the “best one in the house,” no microphones are supposedly needed in this fine-tuned setting.

Curiously, others sing a different tune. Former conductors cite bad acoustics while publications rate it as having the worst sound out of many world stages.

Funny, walking into the concert hall you realize there is a whole other world apart from the iconic exterior.

Then again, to compare anything to the architectural wonder outside is an up-hill battle.

And yet, inside the Sydney Opera House is a place that comes off wonderfully unique and retro. Dwarfed by cavernous concrete walls, thick red carpet lines the stairs of the main lobby, leaving you wondering if you have miraculously time travelled back 45 years.