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Opera House Controversy
Title:
Opera House Controversy
NFSA ID
14041
Year
1957
Courtesy
Cinesound Movietone Productions
This Cinesound Review newsreel details the competition for the architectural design of the Sydney Opera House in 1957.
The winning design by Danish architect Jørn Utzon created both controversy and excitement. His prize was £5000.
The Opera House was projected to cost £3.5 million (A$7 million) and ended up costing $102 million (equivalent of A$927 million in 2016). It was largely paid for by a state lottery.
Construction began in 1959 and the building opened on 20 October 1973.
This excerpt comes from Cinesound Review no. 1319. Released on 7 February 1957.
Notes by Beth Taylor
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.