Sydney Opera House

TheSydneyOpera House is one of the most distinctive and famous 20th-century buildings, and one of the most famous performing arts venues in the world.

　　Formal construction of the Opera House began in March, 1959 and was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on October 20, 1973. The opening was televised and included fireworks and a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.

　　Situated on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour, the building and its surroundings form an iconic Australian image. The designer is Jorn Utzon, a Danish architect who was forced to resign before the completion of the Opera. Peter Hall was largely responsible for the interior design.

　　The Opera House covers 1.8 hectares of land, and offers 4.5 hectares of usable office space. It is 183 meters tall and about 120 meters wide at its widest point. It is supported on 580 concrete piers sunk up to 25 meters below sea level. It has about 1000 rooms, five theatres, five rehearsal studios, four restaurants, six bars and numerous souvenir shops.

　　Sydney Opera House is the busiest performing arts center in the world, averaging some 3000 events a year with audiences totaling some two million, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week closing only on Christmas and Good Friday.

　　Sydney Opera House:悉尼歌劇院,位於悉尼大橋附近的奔尼浪島上,是澳大利亞標志性的建築。

　　Queen Elizabeth II:伊麗莎白二世,全稱爲“大不列顛及北愛爾蘭聯郃王國與其他國土和領地之女王,聯邦的元首”。 1926年4月21日生於倫敦,1952年2月6日國王逝世,她繼承王位,1953年6月2日加冕,1986年10月訪問中國,是英國歷第一位來華訪問的國家元首。

　　Beethoven:路德維希。凡。貝多芬 （ 1770-1827）音樂家,被後人認爲是有史以來最偉大的交響曲作家。他的第九部交響曲已經成爲歐盟的盟歌。