“Building a House”
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This piece deals with the tumultuous history of the Sydney Opera House’s construction, beginning with the launch of the Sydney Opera House Trust at Town Hall in 1958 by the Premier of NSW Joseph Cahill. It features recordings of the Sydney Opera House by architect Jorn Utzon (1957; 2004), Nobel-laureate Patrick White (1974), the late Australian modernist architect Harry Seidler (2004) and interviews with construction workers at the site (1960). Also featured here are the sounds of the official opening of the Sydney Opera House by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973, a day when all the ships in the harbour could be heard celebrating its official opening.
Recording Sources
-This Is Australia: Design And Construction Of The Sydney Opera House (ABC Radio 1960)
-Patrick White, Australian Author, Speaking At ALP Election Rally at the Sydney Opera House, 13-May-1974 (ABC Radio);
-Opening Of The Sydney Opera House Appeal, Ceremony From Sydney Town Hall, 07-Aug-1957 (ABC Radio);
-Opening Of The Sydney Opera House By Queen Elizabeth II 20-Oct-1973 Edited Version Of Queen’s Speech, Filtered To Reduce Wind Noise (ABC TV);
-Interview with Jorn Utzon, 2004 (ABC Radio 2004).