Sydney Opera House conservation plan

–74–SPACES ABOVE PODIUM LEVELSConcert HallThe Concert Hall is a space of exceptional significanceand the levels of significance of its variouselements and qualities are set out on page 37. Whenthey came to design the intended space both Utzonand Hall were faced with two major problems:• the need to provide the required seatingcapacity in a reasonably comfortable configurationwithin the space under the existingshells; and• the difficulty of achieving an acceptableacoustic balance in what was to be a multipurposetheatre.Hall’s solution (effectively forced on him by theAustralian Broadcasting Commission’s requirements)was to abandon the proscenium archconfiguration and associated backstage space andequipment, and to transfer opera to the intendedDrama Theatre. Instead he proposed to design aconcert hall with relevant acoustic properties andto extend the seating round the orchestra. Hisrecommendation was accepted by cabinet in1967. It was the largest of the many upheavals inthe design history of the Sydney Opera House.55. Concert Hall. NSW Govt Printerphotograph 89716 supplied by NSWPublic Works.This paragraph is simplified from asubmission by the Director, TheatreServices, to the Sydney Opera HouseTrust in April 1997 and information fromJohn McWhinney in 2002.On completion the general consensus was that the acoustics of theConcert Hall for its intended purpose ranged from good to excellent.Minor adjustments have been made over subsequent years to reduceperceived shortcomings for both concert and other uses but (except forrecent speaker clusters) these have had little permanent visual impacton the space. Improvements to the orchestra platform have been similarlymodest in impact.Following comments on auditorium and on-stage acoustics made bythe conductor, Edo de Waart, and members of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra in 1996, three reports were prepared: Kirkegaard (March1996), Muller (May 1996) and Knowland (late 1996). A further reviewwas carried out by Arup Acoustics in 1998. Issues included the easewith which musicians could hear other sectors of the orchestra, andthe balance, intensity and quality of sound conveyed to the audience.The level of background noise was also questioned.While acoustic issues are outside the scope of this report they canaffect heritage value in two ways: first, the more excellent the acousticsthe more functionally and technically significant the space; second,attempts at improvement have a potential to cause needless damage tothe very real character of the space—particularly if there is uncertaintyon appropriate remedial action. The way it is done is therefore veryimportant.In accord therefore with policy 1.4 (Hall’s interiors) and 1.5 (majorinternal works) there are two policy options. The first relatively modestapproach covers adaptations and functional improvements that do notadversely affect the visual character of Hall’s interior and seek to bringthe Concert Hall to a level of excellence for a chosen priority use.