Opera House from inside and out

Australia’s greatest building still evokes a sense of pride among those built it and those who work there now.

Dean Jakubowski, the Opera House’s building operations manager takes in the view. Picture: Hollie Adams

Forty-five years ago today, Queen Elizabeth II cut the ribbon on the Sydney Opera House, opening the architectural wonder to the world. Even before it was completed, of course, the house was a cultural battleground, and the story of how its architect Jorn Utzon resigned from the project after a series of conflicts with the government needs no retelling. In recent weeks it has become the site of a new front in the culture wars between advertising and a place many consider sacrosanct. But while the public’s gaze is forever fixated on the sails that hang over Sydney Harbour, there is another story — there are, in fact, hundreds of them — scrawled on the walls of the tunnels that link the grand shells of Sydney. Today, Greg Bearup, with photographer Hollie Adams, hops into a safety harness and enjoys a rare privilege: climbing one of the modern wonders of the world. Along the way he encounters the scrawls of the workers who built it, and tracks down some workers, and an architect, who spent years on the project. The sense of pride among them is palpable. Chief executive Louise Herron, who so defiantly stood her ground this month over the advertising issue, should be commended. Her revitalisation plan to take the house into the future is well under way, and her stewardship of the institution is held broadly in high esteem. On the house’s birthday, it’s worth remembering it really is a most beloved institution. Last week I met Perth Festival artistic director Wendy Martin, who between 2000 and 2011 was the SOH director of theatre and dance, and whose father spent 24 years at the institution — 19 of them as general manager. When he died in 2005, the lights that nightly outline the sails were turned off in honour of its longest-serving chief. There was more to the tribute than met the eye. Martin recounted a conversation her father had with the building’s architect, which had been drummed into her from childhood. “Jorn Utzon told my father that the Opera House should only ever be illuminated as if by the moon.” Interesting.

Fans of Philip Roth and Salman Rushdie should turn to pages 8 and 9, where the latter eulogises the former. Magnificent writing by a magnificent writer on a magnificent writer.