The Sydney Opera House was officially opened in 1973. Queen Elizabeth II formally opened the building on 20 October 1973, marking the completion of one of the 20th century’s most ambitious cultural projects.
Danish architect Jørn Utzon won the international design competition in 1957, and construction began in 1959 at Bennelong Point on Sydney Harbour. The expressive roof, made from interlocking shell-like forms, created major technical challenges and contributed to lengthy delays and sharply rising costs.
The official ceremony included fireworks and a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. The first public performance had taken place several weeks earlier, on 28 September, so the official opening and the building’s first performance are not the same event. Utzon also did not attend the ceremony after leaving the project amid disputes with the New South Wales government.