The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the 20th century's most distinctive buildings and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The iconic building was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and opened on 20 October 1973.
The Sydney Opera House is situated on Bennelong Point, a peninsula that juts out into Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), and its concert halls and theatres are surrounded by a large forecourt known as the 'Forecourt'. The main Concert Hall seats over 2,679 people and is renowned for its outstanding acoustics. The Concert Hall hosts more than 1500 performances each year, including opera, classical music, ballet, contemporary dance, theatre, and comedy.
The Opera Theatre is the second largest performance space at the Sydney Opera House, seating over 1,547 people. It is used for operatic productions, plays, musicals, and other performances. The Drama Theatre is a flexible space that can be configured to suit a variety of performance styles, seating up to 544 people.
The Joan Sutherland Theatre is an intimate space that seats up to 380 people and is named after the famous Australian soprano Joan Sutherland. It is primarily used for chamber music, recitals, and small-scale theatre productions.
In addition to its performance spaces, the Sydney Opera House also includes several restaurants and bars, retail outlets, administrative offices, and a dedicated education centre. The Opera House is also home to the Sydney Opera House Trust, which manages the venue and presents a wide range of performances throughout the year.