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.