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The Opera House
On a sacred site on the land of the Gadigal people, Tubowgule, a place
of gathering and storytelling for over 60,000 years, now sits the Sydney
Opera House. It is a breathtaking building recognised around the world
as a symbol of modern Australia. Along with the Taj Mahal and other
World Heritage sites, it is celebrated for its architectural grandeur
and the daring and innovation of its design.
But this stunning house on what is now called Bennelong Point also holds
many sorrows, secrets and scandals. In this fascinating and impeccably
researched biography, Peter FitzSimons exposes these secrets, marvels at
how this magnificent building came to be, details its enthralling history and
reveals the dramatic stories about the people whose lives were affected, both
negatively and positively, by its presence. Ambition, dispossession, betrayal,
professional rivalry, sexual intrigue, murder, bullying and breakdowns are
woven into the creation of this masterpiece of human ingenuity.
The Opera House shares the extraordinary stories connected to this
building that are as mesmerising as the light catching on its white sails.
of gathering and storytelling for over 60,000 years, now sits the Sydney
Opera House. It is a breathtaking building recognised around the world
as a symbol of modern Australia. Along with the Taj Mahal and other
World Heritage sites, it is celebrated for its architectural grandeur
and the daring and innovation of its design.
But this stunning house on what is now called Bennelong Point also holds
many sorrows, secrets and scandals. In this fascinating and impeccably
researched biography, Peter FitzSimons exposes these secrets, marvels at
how this magnificent building came to be, details its enthralling history and
reveals the dramatic stories about the people whose lives were affected, both
negatively and positively, by its presence. Ambition, dispossession, betrayal,
professional rivalry, sexual intrigue, murder, bullying and breakdowns are
woven into the creation of this masterpiece of human ingenuity.
The Opera House shares the extraordinary stories connected to this
building that are as mesmerising as the light catching on its white sails.
560 pages, Paperback
Published December 13, 2022
37 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Peter FitzSimons
85 books487 followersPeter FitzSimons is one of Australia’s most prominent and successful media and publishing identities. His busy professional life involves co-hosting the breakfast program on Sydney's Radio 2UE, writing weekly columns for the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald newspapers, appearing on Foxtel's Back Page television show and, when time permits, authoring best-selling books. A correspondent for London's Daily Telegraph as well, he is also in high demand as a guest speaker and presenter
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 12, 2022
I wasn't sure how I would take this book having read an earlier book about the building of the Opera House. But the detail in this one seemed thorough. Mr FitzSimons came at in a different way, including interviews and news sources from all the various players, including the offspring of the politicians involved. Of course the political infighting and eventual committee put up by the new Coalition government gave Jorn Utson little choice but to resign, as he what they wanted and when they wanted would destroy his vision for the interior of the building. When Utzon's design won the competition to build a new opera house in Sydney, the design was going to be cutting edge and on the edge of possibility to be built. Of course Eugene Gossens gets a strong mention in the first part of the book, being the instigator of the idea of needing to build a suitable venue for symphonies, opera and ballet. He teamed with the head of the ABC, Charles Moses to build a consensus for such a building and built a coalition of powerful people to then go to the then Labor Premier Joe Cahill, who then threw his full support into the build and came up with the idea of a people's lottery to fund it. And indeed it did. Despite its length, the book never gets boring and reads almost like a novel. I was really impressed with Joe Cahill and would love to read more about him. They don't make politicians like Mr Cahill anymore. I also loved how the author tied in the history of Bennelong Point being the first place that white settlers observed a performance of music and dance by the local Gadigal people and that the white settles also performed some classical music for the locals. The Opera House sits on sacred land that has hosted music and dance performance for thousands of years. Overall this is a fabulous read.
December 31, 2022
Well I’ve done it again. Gone and read myself another Peter Fitzsimmons book. And he’s gone and done it again - managed to drag me through over 500 pages of history in a relatively effortless way.
The tale of the vision, design and construction of the Sydney Opera House is truly remarkable. As a resident of Sydney, I regularly get to see this magnificent building. It never fails to amaze me. It doesn’t feel overstated to say it has the quality of a sacred site - a presence that is so compelling and powerful.
I read and loved Helen Pitt’s “The House” - an earlier book on the iconic structure penned by Fitzsimmon’s Sydney Morning Herald colleague. I loved Pitt’s book and it’s hard not to compare the two.
Fitzsimmons - as I’ve said in my other PF book reviews - injects himself into the history. His voice becomes something of a character in the tale. This can be irritating to the reader at times (check out other reviews!) but I think it’s part of the formula that keeps the tone light and momentum humming. He acknowledges his team of researchers and there’s no question their efforts have been the Ovup to Fitzsimmons’ Utzen.
Fitzsimmons has given scale and momentum to the story by creating clear roles for the various players. Utzon is Jesus. Davis is Judas. Ovup is St Peter. Askin is probably Herod or Pilate. The Labor Party is the disciples, Liberal are the Jews. Peter Hall is…Stephen?
It does feel a bit bogged down in the details at times - again, all footnoted and capably researched. I don’t recall Pitt’s book having quite the same sense of martyrdom. Certainly Utzon’s departure was a tragedy. The completion was a scramble and the subsequent controversy over acoustics and finish was ultimately overshadowed by the sheer triumph of the building.
The recently completed $300 million upgrades to the internals is perhaps the final chapter in the story. Fitzsimmons makes no more than a passing mention of an earlier stage. Jan Utzon’s involvement - and his father’s thoughts and drawings - have given the Dane a say that he was otherwise denied.
Jorn Utzon never returned to see his vision realised. That is indeed a tragedy. He created one of the greatest works of architecture in human history. Remarkable.
So jump in line and climb aboard the Peter Fitzsimmons theme park ride - you could do a lot worse and you’ll appreciate a lot more about the wonder of this marvellous achievement. (Or read Helen Pitt’s “The House” for a more very readable, more concise and (un-Fitzy) account how this masterpiece came into being.
The tale of the vision, design and construction of the Sydney Opera House is truly remarkable. As a resident of Sydney, I regularly get to see this magnificent building. It never fails to amaze me. It doesn’t feel overstated to say it has the quality of a sacred site - a presence that is so compelling and powerful.
I read and loved Helen Pitt’s “The House” - an earlier book on the iconic structure penned by Fitzsimmon’s Sydney Morning Herald colleague. I loved Pitt’s book and it’s hard not to compare the two.
Fitzsimmons - as I’ve said in my other PF book reviews - injects himself into the history. His voice becomes something of a character in the tale. This can be irritating to the reader at times (check out other reviews!) but I think it’s part of the formula that keeps the tone light and momentum humming. He acknowledges his team of researchers and there’s no question their efforts have been the Ovup to Fitzsimmons’ Utzen.
Fitzsimmons has given scale and momentum to the story by creating clear roles for the various players. Utzon is Jesus. Davis is Judas. Ovup is St Peter. Askin is probably Herod or Pilate. The Labor Party is the disciples, Liberal are the Jews. Peter Hall is…Stephen?
It does feel a bit bogged down in the details at times - again, all footnoted and capably researched. I don’t recall Pitt’s book having quite the same sense of martyrdom. Certainly Utzon’s departure was a tragedy. The completion was a scramble and the subsequent controversy over acoustics and finish was ultimately overshadowed by the sheer triumph of the building.
The recently completed $300 million upgrades to the internals is perhaps the final chapter in the story. Fitzsimmons makes no more than a passing mention of an earlier stage. Jan Utzon’s involvement - and his father’s thoughts and drawings - have given the Dane a say that he was otherwise denied.
Jorn Utzon never returned to see his vision realised. That is indeed a tragedy. He created one of the greatest works of architecture in human history. Remarkable.
So jump in line and climb aboard the Peter Fitzsimmons theme park ride - you could do a lot worse and you’ll appreciate a lot more about the wonder of this marvellous achievement. (Or read Helen Pitt’s “The House” for a more very readable, more concise and (un-Fitzy) account how this masterpiece came into being.
June 11, 2022
An amazing read but I have never been so angry, so often. The treatment of Utzon by the NSW government (one person in particular) was appalling. OK, so Utzon wasn't easy to work with and pin down but at times it seemed like a personal vendetta against him. Kudos to Peter FitzSimons for tackling such a complex subject flawlessly.
June 14, 2023
Spoilers alert: Of all Peter FitzSimons books I have read, this would be my favourite, closely followed by Mutiny On The Bounty. It had scandal and high drama. Men of greatness and genius and vision, men to be despised and those same men of vision whose dark secrets of shame would be exposed for all to see. It covers their whole lives, how they were affected by the decisions they made. It sets out character beliefs that provide reasons why decisions were made. The beauty of the book is the conflict from the character who are thrown together to build the Sydney Opera House. I found myself wondering if I could ever be as gracious as Jørn Otzon was to his arch nemesis. Both men's worldviews the antithesis to each other. The NSW Minister of Works, a statue of mediocrity and abuse of power, whose influence on the Sydney Opera House was more destructive than positive. Hughes decisions being marred by deeply concealed resentment and jealousy of the man, described as the greatest architect at the time, whose hubris Hughes lead the charge to deflate.
The difficulty in Building the Opera House and the greatness in perseverance can not be over stated. All characters involved have their flaws, however, some have their redeeming qualities that outweigh the terrible where as others it is hard to find forgiveness. It is well researched as you would expect from Peter FitzSimons, it immerses the reader in the lives of all involved. After I finished reading the book I could not help but desire to know more and looked up certain people and information. The after taste; what a great story, narrated at the very highest standard. Provocatively, I was left with the thought; how could I do it better?
The difficulty in Building the Opera House and the greatness in perseverance can not be over stated. All characters involved have their flaws, however, some have their redeeming qualities that outweigh the terrible where as others it is hard to find forgiveness. It is well researched as you would expect from Peter FitzSimons, it immerses the reader in the lives of all involved. After I finished reading the book I could not help but desire to know more and looked up certain people and information. The after taste; what a great story, narrated at the very highest standard. Provocatively, I was left with the thought; how could I do it better?
March 28, 2024
A monster of a tome, The Opera House is a meticulously detailed account of all the craziness that surrounded the most iconic Australian destination. At times incredibly dry, the author Peter Fitzsimons manages to keep a fairly loose and well-broken-up story structure that doesn’t let some parts get too long or too politically snooze-inducing.
I can’t imagine there’s a better book out there detailing the history of the Sydney Opera House, and it’s for sure an intriguing deep dive into what remains a gorgeous building with a tragic background.
I can’t imagine there’s a better book out there detailing the history of the Sydney Opera House, and it’s for sure an intriguing deep dive into what remains a gorgeous building with a tragic background.
October 6, 2024
This was a brilliant book. I could not put it down and kept reading wanting to read one more page. I can remember all those things happening when I was young but being in Melbourne it was rather removed but now I know what really happened. I always knew there was a reason why I hate politicians but the fact that they did not complete the dream as intended is a real tragedy.
August 12, 2022
A terrific read. As always very well researched and engaging with so many anecdotes that were genuinely intriguing. I can't wait to get back to Sydney to see the Opera House with what will be a new perspective.
January 3, 2023
A bit dry at times though I did overall enjoy the author's prose/writing style. Interesting story at times which kept me engaged. Every Australian should know at least some of the history of this extraordinary building.
January 22, 2026
As an opera lover and a fan of Dame Joan Sutherland, I found this book about one of the most famous structures in the world to be fascinating. This building almost did not come into being, and the story of why that almost happened.
The story of the Sidney Opera House is almost an opera in itself!
The story of the Sidney Opera House is almost an opera in itself!
December 16, 2022
Very good read. So much I didn’t know. Took a few pages of reading to get into the story but once I knew who was who it was a great read.
January 1, 2023
Wonderful history of the Opera House, well worth a read for all Sydneysiders.
February 21, 2023
A great history of Australia's most iconic building. One of the best books by Peter that I have read.
July 9, 2023
More interesting than I expected. Not a book I'd read again though. I now wonder how much of a compromise the Opera House is though.
November 18, 2023
Enthralling story of the design and construction of the Sydney Opera House. Incredible.
November 1, 2024
Loved it!!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews