While you couldn't imagine Sydney without the Opera House, construction delays, financial blowouts and the departure of chief architect Joern Utzon halfway through the project meant the four-year build ended up taking 14 years, finally opening in 1973. The back-story reads more like a soap opera than the 3,000 artistic events that take place within the eight venues and facilities of the cultural complex every year.
One of the images most synonymous with Sydney and Australia is the Opera House. The multi-sail exterior, like the First Fleet rolling into town in the late 18th century, and the gleaming bright-white structure poised in the glistening harbour is instantly recognizable the world over. Like most iconic post-modern architectural edifices, it wasn't always smooth sailing for Sydney Opera House with plenty of controversy during construction.
And it's not just a showcase for operatic vocal gymnastics, the iconic venue is home to seven resident artistic companies across the disciplines of ballet, indigenous dance, theater, classical music and, yes, opera. As that stunning exterior, Sydney Opera House is also renowned for both its acoustics and interior aesthetics, and visitors as diverse as the Pope and Tenacious D have graced the Opera House's auditoriums over the years.
If you are not taking in a show or concert at the venue, visitors can still get a behind-the-scenes preview with a tour of the facilities. The two-hour Backstage Tour provides VIP access to a range of venues within the complex and concludes with breakfast in the Green Room.