My morning Hot Chocolate at Bills
Bondi Beach in the wind
Look at the surf smashing the tidal pool at Icebergs
Views from our shoreline walk
Beautiful but so windy
Looking back Bondi beach is to the left of this Picture
Whale watching point along the walk. No whales now but some they will be migrating by
Another view from the walk
Kari nabbed a drink from Harry’s coffee shop
Cold Pressed juice: pineapple, pear, green apple, lemon and mint. 🔥
At 4 PM , we headed over to the Sydney Opera House for our tour. Our guide was Peter and his love for the Opera House could be immediately felt. A retired architect he actually worked with Peter Hall who I will feature prominently in the story of the Sydney Opera House.
The designer was Jørn Utzon from Denmark who may have only submitted 12 pencil sketches of the winning design. Finnish American architect, Eero Saarinen.
The opera house has multiple performance venues the 2 largest bring the Concert Hall (2,679 seats) and the Joan Sutherland theater (1507 seats) the Joan Suntheland Theatrer primary host operas, ballets and musicals.
The buildings are large precast concrete shells each makes up part of a sphere.
The Opera House construction was full of cost over runs and the project exploded in cost and time. Jørn Utzon was not known for compromise. Ground breaking for the project occurred March 1, 1959. Work on the podium the base was completed in February 1963. The original plan called for the whole project to be completed by 1963. The Sydney Opera House was finally completed in 1973. Planned cost for the Opera House was $7 million (AUS) final cost $102 million (AUS)
Cost over runs and changes in the government lead to a confrontation between Utzon and government leaders and he walked away from the Sydney Opera House never to return. Peter Hall took over as lead architect at that time. When it was clear he tried to follow Utzon vision as closely as possible.
The entrance to the Joan Sutherland Theater
Bruahwood in the hallway (Native Australian hardwood)
Joan Sutherland
Australian soprano opera singer and widely regarded as one of the of the best of all time. Her nickname was “La Stupenda”
She and her husband played a large role in the development of another opera singer you may have heard of Luciano Pavarotti. His break out performance was along side Joan Sutherland in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor.
The concrete, angular nature of the building the texture just screams. Make these photos Black and White
The back of Joan Sutherland theater looking at the Harbour Bridge.
Across to the Concert Hall
Inside Joan Sutherland theater.
Viggero Viggero!!!!
The external tiles just over 1 million of them. Ceramic tiles.
White and cream ceramic tiles
Between the Halls
Inside the entrance to the Concert Hall
The Concert Hall. Looking back from the stage. What color do you think those seats are?
Ceiling of the Concert Hall
From the doorway.
Love the ruggedness of this image
My single favorite photo
The level changes, the angles, the texture 🤩
After our tour we had dinner in the 3rd shell which contains the restaurant.
Let’s see if the food is as good as the building
The girls at Bennelong’s
Gracie loving it so far.
The menu so you can peruse it for yourself.
Western Australia Marron, finger lime, cultured cream ume and buckwheat pikelets (not pictured)
Wild Caught fish (Cold Snapper, I believe), Florence fennel, Kia-lan whole lemon purée, oyster jus
Fioretto vinaigrette
Young Kipfler potatoes, seaweed, anchovy.
After dinner we went to the Opera Bar on the lower level to enjoy the night air and enjoy the harbour views. We had to dodge the rain a little but still had a great night.
Not bad for a dude from Choteau!!!
The girls with the Harbour Bridge.
Might see some bridge climbers if you zoom in.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge in all its glory!!
2/3rds of the Anseth girls and The Sydney Opera House.
The Sydney Opera House at night
You have no idea how many Selfie stick packs of influencers were floating around this building. I was finally thankful for the rain as it ran most of them off.
Restaurant, Concert Hall, Joan Sutherland Hall
One more of the Harbour Bridge
Goodnight Opera Bar!!
Great times despite the rain.
One more before bed. Tomorrow we will check out the central highlands and maybe do a little wine tasting.
A quiet, poignant ending to our night at the Opera House. That is just the way this opera should end. More tomorrow from down under.
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