I don't know the credibility of this article (considering it's from news.com.au) but worthy of discussion.

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SYDNEY'S global icon the Opera House is in such severe financial straits it could face permanent closure, sources claimed last night.

The cash crisis is so desperate, performers' lives are at risk from ancient stage machinery because there is no money to update it, damning internal reports reveal.

Desperate government action was needed to keep the venue operating, a senior Opera House source said.

"The nation has used and abused the Opera House since day one but very few governments have put their hand up to to contribute to overall maintenance," the source said.

"The reports clearly indicate if something radical isn't done here, the Opera House will have to close."

Opera House chief executive Richard Evans has confirmed it may have to close permanently if the State and Federal Government do not give $800 million to replace stage machinery.


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A Boston Consulting Group report commissioned this year reported: "Sydney Opera House is under funding pressure if it continues with a status quo approach. Structural funding issues mean that by FY11 [financial year 2011 it] will not be able to maintain its current level of activity."

A leaked engineering report by Marshall Day Entertech and TheatrePlan LLP shows old stage machinery urgently needs replacing because of "significant problems in respect of its operations, its reliability and its control functions".

"There is a real risk to persons on stage or being carried on the flying system from a malfunction or fault with this installation and a similar, although lesser, potential risk when people are carried on the transport elevator," the report warned, adding there could be "multiple fatalities".

The theatre's "flying system" is said to be "non-compliant with current international codes and practice".

The fault log indicates far more incidents and disruption than one would expect ," it said.

The Boston report said the Opera House had to look at ways to save money and attempt to get more out of governments.

It said there was too much middle management and "public sector redundancies" should be examined and seat prices should be increased.

In April last year Prime Minister Kevin Rudd reportedly hit the roof after The Daily Telegraph revealed former premier Nathan Rees planned a $900 million rebuild.

http://www.news.com.au/business/how-sydneys-iconic-opera-house-is-at-risk-of-financial-tragedy/story-e6frfm1i-1225873234562

This is concerning given they need to spend at least $1 billion on renovations and that figure probably doesn't include all the stage machinery.

Disappointing that the faults within the building that affect performances have never been resolved since the 1970's when it opened.

SOH reps are talking out their ass IMO.

$800 million to replace stage machinery? That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

Etihad Stadium cost $460 million to build.

I don't know the credibility of this article (considering it's from news.com.au) but worthy of discussion.

Well-placed skepticism! What I think's dumb is the way people just go ahead and comment on the outrageous stuff they print as though it's fact, without double-checking.

Sydney Opera House management said the cost of repairs was overstated. The figure of $800m referred to a total refurbishment of the Opera Theatre: a grand scheme that would rebuild the theatre according to architect Joern Utzon's design.

However, the stage machinery upgrade could be done separately, at a cost of about $50m.

state gov have come up with $130mil to restore. then they will take care of it indefinatley.

Maybe if there were more mainstream commercial events held there the place could pay for itself. There's only a limited supply of people who wanna see the fat lady sing!

Opera House is a misnomer: it stages opera only in one theatre for a specific period of the year. It also holds concerts, (various classical, jazz, cabaret, popular), presents a ballet season, has a permanent theatre, plus a small theatre, it can show movies, has exhibitions,(eg. the original Barangaroo competition), holds special events of various types, etc. And it has a restaurant and cafés.

We seem to have an unending array of 'experts' predicting the end is nigh for just about everything ever ready to launch their claims and grab their moment of fame. Their score rate hasn't been spectacular overall.

Apparently Sydney Opera House is the world's busiest performing arts venue in the world. I think the biggest letdown is structural problems like mechanics, lack of backstage and acoustics.

I want to see a redevelopment of the SOH in my lifetime. The interior looks like it's being held up with blu-tack!

state gov have come up with $130mil to restore. then they will take care of it indefinatley.

Still nowhere near enough to rectify the financial problems. I'm happy that it is better than nothing.

in the response article which others have quoted from (sorry no link) the SOH authorities have said they are in NO financial ruin!

I agreed with PJK who said it would be good to gut the thing and put in one decent theatre for the complex, so that the grand productions people complain can't be run, are now able to be run.

Then put a second auditorium somewhere else, who knows, maybe Bang that Roo.

Of course, the $900m proposal was to do something like that - Utzon's original was for the now Concert Hall to be the Opera Theatre and the now opera theatre to be the drama theatre - ie. no Concert Hall in the building, so a decent one would be needed elsewhere.

I liked Keneally's comment on the Tele article that (paraphrasing) the only element of truth was that there is an Opera House in Sydney!

Of course, the $900m proposal was to do something like that - Utzon's original was for the now Concert Hall to be the Opera Theatre and the now opera theatre to be the drama theatre - ie. no Concert Hall in the building, so a decent one would be needed elsewhere.


Sounds good.

What do people think of the idea of a second waterfront building such as a concert hall, and say part of Bang the Roo. Would that generate some nocturnal crowds of the civilised sort, not feral?

I like the concept, but can't see it happening at all, especially if the money is spent reworking SOH. Opera and Classical music are elitist and always have been (or have at least had major support from elites), so justifying almost $1b on SOH then another several hundred million at Millers Point is next to impossible.

But a concert hall with modern acoustics would be great for the city.

The possibility of a significant cultural building, possibly on the northern most point, was discussed at length some time back on this thread.
There is a possibility, also mentioned recently, for the swooping roofed building at Barangaroo to be a concert hall or such.

Cultural building is in concept design at present. It's in the middle section of Barangaroo development.

Opera House gets $152 million upgrade
June 6, 2010 - 10:09AM


AAP

The NSW government has announced a $152 million upgrade of Sydney Opera House.

The spending will be included in this week's forthcoming budget.

It will be used to revamp the forecourt area and remove trucks from the front of the world famous landmark.

It would also improve safety, avoiding potential clashes between pedestrians and the large number of vehicles using the area.

Among the measures, a new tunnel will be built from Macquarie Street to a new underground loading dock.

A new scenery lifting platform will also be built.

Premier Kristina Keneally said it was the biggest single investment in the Opera House since it opened in 1973.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/opera-house-gets-152-million-upgrade-20100606-xmj4.html

^^ great news!!!!

Still nowhere near enough to rectify the financial problems. I'm happy that it is better than nothing.

Sadly I have been misled. The funding for this project is on top of existing costs of repairing the opera theatre where the $830 million is needed.

We should not be celebrating just yet.