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The House: The dramatic story of the Sydney Opera House and the people who made it
The extraordinary story of the 20th century's most recognisable building, with new insights into the people involved and the controversy that surrounded its construction.
Winner of the 2018 Walkley Book Award
The best-loved building in Australia nearly didn't get off the drawing board. When it did, the lives of everyone involved in its construction were utterly some for the better, many for the worse.
Helen Pitt tells the stories of the people behind the magnificent white sails of the Sydney Opera House. From the famous conductor and state premier who conceived the project; to the two architects whose lives were so tragically intertwined; to the workers and engineers; to the people of Sydney, who were alternately beguiled and horrified as the drama unfolded over two decades.
With access to diaries, letters, and classified records, as well as her own interviews with people involved in the project, Helen Pitt reveals the intimate back story of the building that turned Sydney into an international city. It is a tale worthy of Shakespeare himself.
'A drama-filled page turner' - Ita Buttrose AO OBE
'Helen Pitt tells us so much about the building of the Sydney Opera House we've never heard before' - Bob Carr, former Premier of NSW
'Australia in the mullets, platform shoes and, miraculously, the Opera House. At least we got one of them right. A great read.' - Amanda Keller, WSFM breakfast presenter
Winner of the 2018 Walkley Book Award
The best-loved building in Australia nearly didn't get off the drawing board. When it did, the lives of everyone involved in its construction were utterly some for the better, many for the worse.
Helen Pitt tells the stories of the people behind the magnificent white sails of the Sydney Opera House. From the famous conductor and state premier who conceived the project; to the two architects whose lives were so tragically intertwined; to the workers and engineers; to the people of Sydney, who were alternately beguiled and horrified as the drama unfolded over two decades.
With access to diaries, letters, and classified records, as well as her own interviews with people involved in the project, Helen Pitt reveals the intimate back story of the building that turned Sydney into an international city. It is a tale worthy of Shakespeare himself.
'A drama-filled page turner' - Ita Buttrose AO OBE
'Helen Pitt tells us so much about the building of the Sydney Opera House we've never heard before' - Bob Carr, former Premier of NSW
'Australia in the mullets, platform shoes and, miraculously, the Opera House. At least we got one of them right. A great read.' - Amanda Keller, WSFM breakfast presenter
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2018
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192 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 9, 2018
I followed up Scott Bevan’s excellent kayak-powered “The Harbour” with Helen Pitt’s “The House”. Bevan’s took me on and around Sydney Harbour. Now Pitt has captured me with the tangled tale of the Harbour’s most outstanding piece of jewellery. Both Aussie books - unrelated other than in setting and the fact that they were released about a year apart - have underlined how much this 54 year old, Dublin-born, 48-years-resident loves this city, the harbour and that unconventional, beautiful, unlikely Sydney Opera House that draws my eye from road, rail, plane, ferry. Every time.
Pitt’s done a fine job. In this story, the whole world knows the ending - it’s sitting magnificently on Bennelong Point. If anything, the timeless success of the outcome makes the story all the more remarkable. And Pitt tells it so well. Even though I know this thing was built, the tension in this tale dragged me right thought this book.
Danish architect Yorn Utzon is undoubtably the hero of this story. His was the remarkable vision and his story is told really well. It’s inspiring, uplifting, infuriating and sad. Utzon’s ultimate departure split the community of the day and still raises questions of what might have been had he remained to complete the task. But Pitt doesn’t take sides, and she gives the contribution of Peter Hall as Utzon’s design replacement a respectful acknowledgment. She lets the reader rest in the tension of a dysfunctionally collaborative process that, with all its twists and turns, yielded such stunning results.
Utzon may be the protagonist, but Pitt gives plenty of space to the many players who made their mark on the whole remarkable drama (positively, negatively and benignly.) Many were drawn into the protracted complexity of politics, pragmatics, economics, engineering gymnastics and, ultimately, aesthetics that somehow, finally, actually got a building out of the ground.
In fact, it’s an epic cast - Eugene Goossens, Joe Cahill, Dame Joan Sutherland, Neville Wran, Bob Askin, Queen Elizabeth, Paul Keating, Bob Carr, Paul Robeson - some who, like the arches themselves, make a contribution on which the Opera House would ultimately stand. Others are colourful walk-ons, giving a wonderful sense of Sydney over the decades, the political, cultural and social climate accompanying the long transformation of idea to icon.
Given the technical nature of design, architecture, engineering, construction and the like, Pitt has managed to be invisibly educative. I never felt like she was trying me up in the technical. She cleverly introduces the reader to the design processes and to the architectural, engineering and construction community through their challenges and the intriguing weave of friends, mentors and competitors. It all hangs off - and serves - a great story. Even the NSW politics, which could easily become dense and stall the narrative, is delivered in carefully measured doses. As the tension increases, governments change, costs blow out and the critics howl, I found myself echoing the people of NSW of the day, asking “How on earth will this building ever be finished?”
It’s a great read that was over too soon. It’s sad and triumphant - both for Utzon and Hall - and Sydneysiders will feel the tug of tragedy in the story of both those men. In a sense, their souls are in the fabric of that amazing building, and since that building is so much ours, there’s something sacred about it all. Pitt has written a history, a whodunnit and a homage. Next time I gaze on the white sails astride Bennelong Point, I’ll be looking beyond, into its remarkable story. Having read this book, “The House” seems more wonderful than ever.
———————-
[As a aside to my review, I was interested to watch the 2010 inaugural UNSW Utzon lecture, delivered by Jorn’s son Jan.
https://youtu.be/EKeoK3lX0Kc
Jan is also an accomplished architect who worked as his father’s business partner for over 30 years. Towards the end of his address, Jan outlines the Opera House Trust’s 1999 invitation to Jørn Utzon to submit refurbishment plans for the interiors. Utzon Snr’s vision for the interior never materialised beyond a small number of sketches, plans and models, the task passing to Australian architect Peter Hall, who saw the project to completion as replacement design architect. After nearly half a century of wear and tear, the Trust approached the Utzons, in association with Australian architect Richard Johnson, to update and finally realise something of Utzon’s original intent for the interiors. The $230 million renewal works still in progress are evidence of the Dane’s ongoing legacy. Pitt mentions this only in passing, but it seemed to me to be a closure of sorts to the whole epic tale. In some way, Jørn Utzon is at last shaping the interiors of his great masterpiece.]
NOTE TO PUBLISHER
At the time of this review, the kindle edition was the only available edition version option on goodreads. I read the paperback. It would be worth submitting the paperback as an edition to goodreads. (There doesn’t seem to be a way to do that as a reviewer.)
Pitt’s done a fine job. In this story, the whole world knows the ending - it’s sitting magnificently on Bennelong Point. If anything, the timeless success of the outcome makes the story all the more remarkable. And Pitt tells it so well. Even though I know this thing was built, the tension in this tale dragged me right thought this book.
Danish architect Yorn Utzon is undoubtably the hero of this story. His was the remarkable vision and his story is told really well. It’s inspiring, uplifting, infuriating and sad. Utzon’s ultimate departure split the community of the day and still raises questions of what might have been had he remained to complete the task. But Pitt doesn’t take sides, and she gives the contribution of Peter Hall as Utzon’s design replacement a respectful acknowledgment. She lets the reader rest in the tension of a dysfunctionally collaborative process that, with all its twists and turns, yielded such stunning results.
Utzon may be the protagonist, but Pitt gives plenty of space to the many players who made their mark on the whole remarkable drama (positively, negatively and benignly.) Many were drawn into the protracted complexity of politics, pragmatics, economics, engineering gymnastics and, ultimately, aesthetics that somehow, finally, actually got a building out of the ground.
In fact, it’s an epic cast - Eugene Goossens, Joe Cahill, Dame Joan Sutherland, Neville Wran, Bob Askin, Queen Elizabeth, Paul Keating, Bob Carr, Paul Robeson - some who, like the arches themselves, make a contribution on which the Opera House would ultimately stand. Others are colourful walk-ons, giving a wonderful sense of Sydney over the decades, the political, cultural and social climate accompanying the long transformation of idea to icon.
Given the technical nature of design, architecture, engineering, construction and the like, Pitt has managed to be invisibly educative. I never felt like she was trying me up in the technical. She cleverly introduces the reader to the design processes and to the architectural, engineering and construction community through their challenges and the intriguing weave of friends, mentors and competitors. It all hangs off - and serves - a great story. Even the NSW politics, which could easily become dense and stall the narrative, is delivered in carefully measured doses. As the tension increases, governments change, costs blow out and the critics howl, I found myself echoing the people of NSW of the day, asking “How on earth will this building ever be finished?”
It’s a great read that was over too soon. It’s sad and triumphant - both for Utzon and Hall - and Sydneysiders will feel the tug of tragedy in the story of both those men. In a sense, their souls are in the fabric of that amazing building, and since that building is so much ours, there’s something sacred about it all. Pitt has written a history, a whodunnit and a homage. Next time I gaze on the white sails astride Bennelong Point, I’ll be looking beyond, into its remarkable story. Having read this book, “The House” seems more wonderful than ever.
———————-
[As a aside to my review, I was interested to watch the 2010 inaugural UNSW Utzon lecture, delivered by Jorn’s son Jan.
https://youtu.be/EKeoK3lX0Kc
Jan is also an accomplished architect who worked as his father’s business partner for over 30 years. Towards the end of his address, Jan outlines the Opera House Trust’s 1999 invitation to Jørn Utzon to submit refurbishment plans for the interiors. Utzon Snr’s vision for the interior never materialised beyond a small number of sketches, plans and models, the task passing to Australian architect Peter Hall, who saw the project to completion as replacement design architect. After nearly half a century of wear and tear, the Trust approached the Utzons, in association with Australian architect Richard Johnson, to update and finally realise something of Utzon’s original intent for the interiors. The $230 million renewal works still in progress are evidence of the Dane’s ongoing legacy. Pitt mentions this only in passing, but it seemed to me to be a closure of sorts to the whole epic tale. In some way, Jørn Utzon is at last shaping the interiors of his great masterpiece.]
NOTE TO PUBLISHER
At the time of this review, the kindle edition was the only available edition version option on goodreads. I read the paperback. It would be worth submitting the paperback as an edition to goodreads. (There doesn’t seem to be a way to do that as a reviewer.)
June 27, 2019
The Sydney Opera House is an internationally recognizable symbol of Sydney. Its gleaming white sails rise from the harbour in counterpoint to the girders of the harbour bridge beyond it. It was a daring building for its time and even the initial design caused controversy. However, the story of its construction is worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy, to be played out in the hall beneath the sails. It is a story of politicians, architects, musicians and artists, money and power, and even a little witchcraft. And in the middle, strode the tall figure of Joern Utzon, the architect who resigned his position amid pressure being placed by the politicians of the day.
Helen Pitt tells the story behind the (frequently misleading) headlines. She has had access to private papers from the Utzon family and other players and interviews with surviving family members and others involved in the saga. It is a fascinating story and one that must be told, as it never was in the press at the time.
Helen Pitt tells the story behind the (frequently misleading) headlines. She has had access to private papers from the Utzon family and other players and interviews with surviving family members and others involved in the saga. It is a fascinating story and one that must be told, as it never was in the press at the time.
January 15, 2020
Good overview of the politics involved with the Syd Opera house. Seems a bit rushed post Utzon.
September 18, 2018
“Our house is a very, very, very fine house.” Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young might have been singing about the suburbs, but the same can be said about the Sydney Opera House. A building beloved by Sydneysiders and tourists alike, many people may not realise the project was a doomed one. It was almost thwarted at various points during its fourteen year construction. Helen Pitt’s new book, The House is a rich and comprehensive look at the incredible dramas that lie buried beneath this landmark building.
Pitt is a journalist, and she brings her investigative skills to the fore here. She remains impartial about what happened, and doesn’t pick sides nor offer her own opinions about things. Instead, she presents the facts whilst drawing on her meticulous research. This includes: original letters, newspaper clippings, previously classified documents, other books and her own interviews with the surviving players in this grand symphony.
The Opera House story is an unlikely one, and the history behind it is rather complex. The site at Bennelong Point was used for corroborees by Indigenous Australians before European settlement. From 1902, it was the Fort Macquarie tram depot for over fifty years. It was earmarked as the future site of the overseas passenger terminal until Eugene Goosens intervened. The head of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra lobbied the right people, convincing them that the city needed an Opera House.
The project received lots of support from an unlikely champion: NSW Premier Joseph Cahill, a man who was more likely to frequent the pub or the races than watch the opera. Yet he was adamant that the city needed a place for the people for the purposes of entertainment. The government held an international design competition and a Danish architect named Jørn Utzon won. His design has been compared to ship sails, shells and segments of an orange.
Construction began in 1959 and it would take fourteen years to build. Some 10,000 people would ultimately work on the building, and it would cost over $102 million to build. There were many stages to the project including: building the stairs like a Mayan temple; creating and erecting the huge sails of the roof; and fitting the interiors. The roof in particular requiring some clever mathematics and engineering. A former French spy named Joe Bertony calculated the geometry required for the truss that supports those incredible arches.
During the course of the project the government changed. This culminated in Utzon falling out with the NSW Public Works minister, Davis Hughes over non-payment and the use of plywood. The Dane would return to his native homeland mid-project. He would never return to Sydney and see his genius work completed. Australian architect, Harry Seidler was one of the many Sydneysiders who called for Utzon to be reinstated. But, it was Australian architect, Peter Hall who finished the job. Pitt acknowledges Hall’s contribution to the building and is respectful in doing so. She does this without detracting from Utzon’s grand design and visions for a building that wound up ruining him.
This book is full of many fascinating anecdotes and the stories behind the sails. Readers will find it entertaining and informative in equal measure. For instance, did you know that The Easybeats and Little Pattie performed at an early party on the construction site? Did you know some cheeky workers craned their boss’s car to the top of the sails at one point? Or how about Ben Blakeley’s story? He channelled indigenous elder, Woollarawarre Bennelong‘s spirit at the building’s 1973 opening. These are just the tip of this enormous white iceberg.
Pitt has written a gripping and accessible volume about one of the world’s most beloved buildings. She covers every drama-filled moment and unlocks so many of the amusing stories behind this amazing structure. The House is an absolute treasure of a book, capturing this bold tragedy in its complete glory. A love letter to this iconic landmark; it is just like a symphony reaching a rousing crescendo.
Pitt is a journalist, and she brings her investigative skills to the fore here. She remains impartial about what happened, and doesn’t pick sides nor offer her own opinions about things. Instead, she presents the facts whilst drawing on her meticulous research. This includes: original letters, newspaper clippings, previously classified documents, other books and her own interviews with the surviving players in this grand symphony.
The Opera House story is an unlikely one, and the history behind it is rather complex. The site at Bennelong Point was used for corroborees by Indigenous Australians before European settlement. From 1902, it was the Fort Macquarie tram depot for over fifty years. It was earmarked as the future site of the overseas passenger terminal until Eugene Goosens intervened. The head of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra lobbied the right people, convincing them that the city needed an Opera House.
The project received lots of support from an unlikely champion: NSW Premier Joseph Cahill, a man who was more likely to frequent the pub or the races than watch the opera. Yet he was adamant that the city needed a place for the people for the purposes of entertainment. The government held an international design competition and a Danish architect named Jørn Utzon won. His design has been compared to ship sails, shells and segments of an orange.
Construction began in 1959 and it would take fourteen years to build. Some 10,000 people would ultimately work on the building, and it would cost over $102 million to build. There were many stages to the project including: building the stairs like a Mayan temple; creating and erecting the huge sails of the roof; and fitting the interiors. The roof in particular requiring some clever mathematics and engineering. A former French spy named Joe Bertony calculated the geometry required for the truss that supports those incredible arches.
During the course of the project the government changed. This culminated in Utzon falling out with the NSW Public Works minister, Davis Hughes over non-payment and the use of plywood. The Dane would return to his native homeland mid-project. He would never return to Sydney and see his genius work completed. Australian architect, Harry Seidler was one of the many Sydneysiders who called for Utzon to be reinstated. But, it was Australian architect, Peter Hall who finished the job. Pitt acknowledges Hall’s contribution to the building and is respectful in doing so. She does this without detracting from Utzon’s grand design and visions for a building that wound up ruining him.
This book is full of many fascinating anecdotes and the stories behind the sails. Readers will find it entertaining and informative in equal measure. For instance, did you know that The Easybeats and Little Pattie performed at an early party on the construction site? Did you know some cheeky workers craned their boss’s car to the top of the sails at one point? Or how about Ben Blakeley’s story? He channelled indigenous elder, Woollarawarre Bennelong‘s spirit at the building’s 1973 opening. These are just the tip of this enormous white iceberg.
Pitt has written a gripping and accessible volume about one of the world’s most beloved buildings. She covers every drama-filled moment and unlocks so many of the amusing stories behind this amazing structure. The House is an absolute treasure of a book, capturing this bold tragedy in its complete glory. A love letter to this iconic landmark; it is just like a symphony reaching a rousing crescendo.
January 7, 2019
My favourite book of 2018, every chapter is a story in itself. I can't wait to visit the Opera house again and check out all the details!
December 4, 2018
When I lived in Sydney, I visited the Sydney Opera House for rock and jazz concerts, dance, theater, and a Mardi Gras Festival launch in the forecourt. It's a cultural jewel, a gorgeous structure built on the city's stunning harbor. Its iconic status is such that it is Australia's best-known building, loved by locals and visitors alike.
But, as Helen Pitt's fine history of the building of the Opera House shows, it wasn't always so well-appreciated. Not all of New South Wales' residents were enamored with the idea of a venue designed for artistic performance; architects and engineers fell out over the structure's details; politicians turned the House's construction into a political football.
Most famously - or infamously - Jorn Utzon, the Danish architect who won the competition to design the Opera House, left Australia long before the building's completion, worn down by political demands to rein in costs and in despair about how much he was expected to compromise his vision of a beautiful center for the performing arts.
Pitt takes the reader behind the scenes in her dramatic account of how the Opera House was built, providing valuable insight into the political pressures placed on Utzon and Peter Hall, the architect appointed to bring the project to completion after Utzon left.
The House is as much about Sydney - and, more broadly, Australia - in the middle of the 20th century as it is about the struggle to create an enduring and visually stunning home for aficionados of artistic excellence.
Pitt's book is a tribute to everyone whose imagination and hard work in the face of small-minded opposition gave us the magnificent structure that sits so elegantly on Bennelong Point. Having read The House, I will never again take the Sydney Opera House for granted.
But, as Helen Pitt's fine history of the building of the Opera House shows, it wasn't always so well-appreciated. Not all of New South Wales' residents were enamored with the idea of a venue designed for artistic performance; architects and engineers fell out over the structure's details; politicians turned the House's construction into a political football.
Most famously - or infamously - Jorn Utzon, the Danish architect who won the competition to design the Opera House, left Australia long before the building's completion, worn down by political demands to rein in costs and in despair about how much he was expected to compromise his vision of a beautiful center for the performing arts.
Pitt takes the reader behind the scenes in her dramatic account of how the Opera House was built, providing valuable insight into the political pressures placed on Utzon and Peter Hall, the architect appointed to bring the project to completion after Utzon left.
The House is as much about Sydney - and, more broadly, Australia - in the middle of the 20th century as it is about the struggle to create an enduring and visually stunning home for aficionados of artistic excellence.
Pitt's book is a tribute to everyone whose imagination and hard work in the face of small-minded opposition gave us the magnificent structure that sits so elegantly on Bennelong Point. Having read The House, I will never again take the Sydney Opera House for granted.
September 14, 2018
Helen Pitt's book is a rich, sensitive, impartial and ultimately deeply satisfying narrative of the epic human drama behind the creation of the Sydney Opera House.
November 5, 2018
Brilliant and fun read.
March 28, 2019
I discovered this book through a review in The Age (Melbourne's daily paper). I requested it from my library late last year and it came available to me early this month. This was a most fantastic read, a perfect companion to Shell, which I read and reviewed last month. While Shell is fiction and covers a short period from mid-1965 to early 1966, The House covers Utzon's (the architect who came up with the design) life from before he submitted his plan and being selected through to the end of his life. We follow all the twists and turns of the project and the political narrow-mindedness of the Liberal party when there was a change of government in 1965, with complaints of costs (which to this point was completely funded by a specific lottery for the building. Basically Utzon was a visionary artist, who designed the Sydney harbour currents, Southern skies light and Australian climate into the design of the complete building. It was going to take years to complete. Local politics could not abide and a way was found to force him out, and putting the job into the bands of functionaries who were instructed to get the job quickly and for as little extra cost as possible. They did a fine job under the circumstances. However marvellous the Sydney Harbour Bridge is, it could have been so much more. One item that struck me was one proposed name was to be The Royal Sydney Opera House, but it was mentioned they would have to request permission from the Queen to use that title. I thought how absurd - royal is a general usage word and you don't need permission from anyone to use- especially not from someone who was not funding the project, nor even donating to it. Later in life Utzon designed many famous buildings and the one he was most proud of was his own centre in his home town with his son in Limfjord.
September 13, 2020
As a Sydney resident in my early twenties I lived through those times and followed all the scandals, political mudslinging and the human drama involved in the planning and realisation of the dream to bring our city an Opera House of world standards.
Until I read Helen Pitt's excellent book I thought I knew most of what went on from the day Utzon was announced as the winner of the competition to when the House was finally opened by the Queen.
Apparently no-one was killed during the construction process, but the lives of the two men most involved were irreparably changed and not for the better. This book tells us everything from the original concept to the completed building, but it also gives an insight on the early lives of Utzon and Peter Hall, the inheritor of the task to complete the building after the former was forced to leave by the deliberate undermining of his plans by Askin and his government.
Other than the rather sketchy coverage of what Peter Hall went through, particularly after he completed the task, I wholeheartedly recommend this as essential reading for anyone who loves Sydney and our Opera House.
Until I read Helen Pitt's excellent book I thought I knew most of what went on from the day Utzon was announced as the winner of the competition to when the House was finally opened by the Queen.
Apparently no-one was killed during the construction process, but the lives of the two men most involved were irreparably changed and not for the better. This book tells us everything from the original concept to the completed building, but it also gives an insight on the early lives of Utzon and Peter Hall, the inheritor of the task to complete the building after the former was forced to leave by the deliberate undermining of his plans by Askin and his government.
Other than the rather sketchy coverage of what Peter Hall went through, particularly after he completed the task, I wholeheartedly recommend this as essential reading for anyone who loves Sydney and our Opera House.
January 28, 2019
Wow. I had no idea about the drama and length of time involved in the construction of this "eighth" wonder of the world. What a glorious and tragic tale. I was extremely surprised, and pleasantly so too, to discover that Bob Carr as NSW Premier had bestowed a great honour on Jorn Utzon by involving him in the refurbishments of our beloved Opera House in the early 2000s. I've lived in Sydney for 20 years but had never been inside the opera house until a couple of weeks ago when I visited the drama theatre for a performance. I felt such a thrill just gazing upon the white sales and now, having read this book, I feel so fortunate that I live in this gorgeous city and can visit the Opera House at any time with a mixture of sadness, awe and gratitude for the many people who saw the need for it and who continued to fight for it throughout the 50s, 60s & 70s. I heard about this book through an interview with the author, Helen Pitt, on 2GB radio late last year. Thank you so very much Helen for bringing history to life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2019
Up until I heard an interview on radio with the author of The House, Helen Pitt, I thought I knew everything there was to know about the Sydney Opera House. We have been there numerous times and my wife even more often as she regularly attends the ballet. But no, there was lots I didn't know and Helen Pitt tells it all in this adsorbing account that traces the story of the magnificent building on the shore of Sydney Harbour from before it was created, the architectural competition, the political wrangling, the departure of the creator back to Denmark and so on. The politicians do not come out in a good light and I'm pleased to see the blame laid where it should. It is also now, with the benefit of history, and what the Opera House returns in terms of tourist dollars, that a building that seemed to cost the earth at the time, now stands as a very modest value for money investment. The House is adsorbing tale and one that is really worth reading.
February 10, 2020
This was a very, very interesting read; a winding tour of development and politics in the 50s and 60s in a very fresh perspective. The Sydney Opera House was the mighty mission, and as the book illustrates, would not be as synonymous with Australian tourism without Jorn Utzon, a seemingly remarkable man. It speaks of the need of particular political figures of the time and their championing of the arts. It also speaks of flamboyant, incredibly intelligent, visionary, and consequently iconic characters that led the Sydney Opera House to its current glory. On the other hand, the individuals that almost harpooned the project, are also mentioned; and how a tug of war broke out between politics and architecture. The book is truthful and investigative, and rabbit holes into various pockets of the past. Sometimes a little too detailed, but overall a fascinating take on a true story more should know of.
August 10, 2020
You want to know the history of our beloved iconic Opera House ? Well - read this !
It takes you on the journey with the characters, the ethos of the times, the scandals, the courage of some, the protesting of others and the actual building itself manifesting.
The story of the Opera House of Sydney is action packed with the highbrow and the hoi polloi. It tells of the unstinting belief of a working class Premier Joesph Cahill over a decade despite being attacked by many who believed it to be waste of money. This visionary could see the future it would bring to parochial Sydney. The House tells of the journey from drawings to the wonder seen today from Circular Quay known world wide.
It takes you on the journey with the characters, the ethos of the times, the scandals, the courage of some, the protesting of others and the actual building itself manifesting.
The story of the Opera House of Sydney is action packed with the highbrow and the hoi polloi. It tells of the unstinting belief of a working class Premier Joesph Cahill over a decade despite being attacked by many who believed it to be waste of money. This visionary could see the future it would bring to parochial Sydney. The House tells of the journey from drawings to the wonder seen today from Circular Quay known world wide.
September 9, 2021
An enjoyable read given that the building of the Opera House played out in the years of my childhood. Helen Pitt’s treatment was reasonably even handed and made every effort to portray the major players fairly. I liked that Helen did not get overly technical with the construction details and I felt confident when reading it that I had understood the gist of the methods used. Thank you Helen for an interesting read. I would love to see John Weiley’s film Autopsy on a Dream.
PS I found the YouTube of the film Autopsy on a Dream and it is a cracker. Treat yourself after reading the book and watch it. You won’t be sorry.
Booktopia ebook
PS I found the YouTube of the film Autopsy on a Dream and it is a cracker. Treat yourself after reading the book and watch it. You won’t be sorry.
Booktopia ebook
February 5, 2022
There have been many books about the Sydney Opera House. Even an opera has been written about it. A dramatic story. Pitt’s book benefits from greater hindsight than some of her predecessors. It’s well researched, but delivered to the reader rather breathlessly, with dozens of clichés eg the results of the design competition “were awaited with bated breath”.
Pitt is an experienced journalist, but sometimes this reads like a Year 12 student's essay. Scenes tend to be over-described. Maybe because I am so familiar with Sydney myself, I am being over-critical.
Nevertheless the appointment of the relatively obscure and unknown Dane, Jorn Utzon, was a terrific gamble. A laudable and remarkable design of course; but Utzon himself hadn't constructed anything bigger than a high school. From that to project manage one of the largest and most complex construction & engineering projects in the world.
Like many architects, Utzon was a zealot and difficult to work with. A great temple, a magnificent sculpture, but not really fit for purpose with its limited seating and difficult acoustics. Off he went back to Denmark in a huff, never to return. But leaving an incredible legacy.
Pitt’s book focuses unashamedly on the celebrities. Every journalist who covered the Opera House construction also gets a good mention. Few of the workers. There were a great variety of individuals on the tools, but Pitt doesn’t have an interview with any of the 10,000 + workforce. Weren’t their stories worth telling? It’s not a social history at all. Other than that, it’s a comprehensive account.
Pitt is an experienced journalist, but sometimes this reads like a Year 12 student's essay. Scenes tend to be over-described. Maybe because I am so familiar with Sydney myself, I am being over-critical.
Nevertheless the appointment of the relatively obscure and unknown Dane, Jorn Utzon, was a terrific gamble. A laudable and remarkable design of course; but Utzon himself hadn't constructed anything bigger than a high school. From that to project manage one of the largest and most complex construction & engineering projects in the world.
Like many architects, Utzon was a zealot and difficult to work with. A great temple, a magnificent sculpture, but not really fit for purpose with its limited seating and difficult acoustics. Off he went back to Denmark in a huff, never to return. But leaving an incredible legacy.
Pitt’s book focuses unashamedly on the celebrities. Every journalist who covered the Opera House construction also gets a good mention. Few of the workers. There were a great variety of individuals on the tools, but Pitt doesn’t have an interview with any of the 10,000 + workforce. Weren’t their stories worth telling? It’s not a social history at all. Other than that, it’s a comprehensive account.
March 26, 2020
Incredible book, and should be essential reading for any Sydneysider (like me). Call me ignorant, but I had no idea the Opera House took so long to build, and had such a dramatic past. It both united and divided a nation, and brought fortune or devastation to people's lives. I also never knew that the Opera House was completed by an Australian called Peter Hall, and feel terrible for this nation's treatment of him. I hope his contributions will be acknowledged and recognised soon.
November 22, 2023
A clear, readable, and dramatic retelling of a story as operatic as the performances held under its roof. Part Puccini tragedy and part Wagner epic, this is a compelling and engaging read. Helen Pitt has well and truly done her research to bring to life the tragic visionary Eugene Goossens, the understated hero Joe Cahill, the genius of Jorn Utzon, the falsely-maligned Peter Hall, and the repugnant Davis Hughes (sidekick of the even more repellent Robert Askin). An excellent tale well told.
December 15, 2019
A wonderful read I can’t believe there hasn’t been a movie made of this epic story! Helen Pitt brought the players to life. I read this immediately following Shell by Kristina Olsen and had a glorious time in Opera House land for a couple of weeks
March 21, 2024
Interesting but the 437 page length was a little daunting. I wish it would have been possible for Mr. Utzon's plans could have come to fruition the way he wanted. It turned out the last portion was pictures, credits , index and names.
April 14, 2020
This story about the building of the Sydney Opera House is an excellent read - lucky it was finished!
May 2, 2020
A great story - only some of which I already knew. I really enjoyed the presentation
July 16, 2020
History book made interesting with a lots of captivating stories and characters. It was great read on an absolutely beautiful piece of architecture and the drama behind it.
January 2, 2022
Pitt's telling of the Opera House story is a sensitive, balanced and engaging account of extraordinary people delivering an extraordinary vision and who of course were only human.
February 17, 2022
Well written, well presented, well researched. So many pearls of wisdom. Who knew Danny Kaye offended every Dane in the 1953 film by pronouncing Copenhagen German-style rather than native-wise?
February 14, 2025
A detailed back history of the Sydney Opera house that made me much more appreciative of its elegance and singularity, yet, however not as scandalous as it led me to believe.
June 22, 2019
A fascinating read and great way to learn about the history of Sydney.
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