Sidney Opera House

   Like a ship with its sails set for the future, the Opera House dominates the harbor in Sidney, Australia. Built out on a peninsula, the building is a series of concrete shells that house a center for the performings arts.
   Geographically an Asian country, Australia has an English heritage strongly influenced by its isolation from Europe. Australia has also taken in many European refugees who have helped to make its culture more international.
   Thus, when the Australian goverment decided to build a center to celebrate the arts, it sponsored a worldwide competition to choose its architect, Joern Utzon, a Dane, was the winner. His building rests on a high platform, and the shells rise more than 200 feet (60 meters) above ground level. It contains four theaters, each acoustically perfect for the type of performance held. There is a concert hall, an opera theater, a drama theater, and a chamber music and film hall. Completed in 1973, the Sidney Opera House is today considered one of the modern world's outstanding buildings.