--What are you planning to do on your trip o Australia?

--There are so many things to see, I’m not sure where to start. We’re going to Sydney first.

--If you’re going to Sydney, the first thing you should do is to visit the Opera House. The architecture is out of this world!

--Tell me some more about the Opera House.I’m a bit of an Australian novice.

--Well, it’s situated in Sydney Harborat Bennelong Point. It was opened in 1973 but it wasn’t built by an Australian.

--Really? I’ve always thought it was builtby a local.

--John Utzon is the Danish architect whoentered and won the international competition and announced in Jan. 1956 todesign it.

--Oh, I see. I wonder why I have neverheard of him. So, was there a competition to select a designer? What did hewin?

--He’s only known for that building. Hisprize for the winning design was 5,000 Australian pounds.

And this was before they had Australiandollars.

--After winning the competition for theOpera House design, he must have spent a long time planning the Opera Housebefore he started building it.

--Actually, it took 15 years to build, andthe final cost was 14 times the original estimate.

--Wow! Why did it take so long to build?

--I think one of the reasons was becausethe roof was so top-heavy. And nothing so daringly inclined had ever been builtbefore.

--What happened to him later on?

--In 2003, at the age of 85, Joan Utzon wasrecognized by his peers, and awarded the prestigious Prizker Prize, regarded asthe Nobel Prize of architecture. But, perhaps the most unusual thing about himwas that he never actually saw the Opera House in person.

--What if I want to watch something there,a musical, or an opera or something? What would you recommend?

--Various theater performances and othercultural events are held at the Sydney Opera House, you should look at theSydney Opera House website and check out what’s on during your visit.

--That’s a great idea.