Author(s): Katarina Stuebe and Jan Utzon

History

Jorn Utzon's Sydney Opera House is a photographic essay of the Sydney Opera House. It is the only book about the Sydney Opera House to have the commendation of Jorn Utzon himself. His comments about the photographs and his appreciation of the photographer's interpretation of his edifice contribute in making this a very special edition. This book is a collaboration between the photographer, Katarina Stube and Jan Utzon, the son of Jorn Utzon. Jan reveals the influence of the Sydney Opera House on his family's life up until today and shares anecdotes of an era of Australian history. Many other interesting details are given about the Sydney Opera House including the selection criteria by which the opera house design won the competition. The book also includes sketches, drawings and formerly unpublished photographs from the Utzon archives. Katarina Stube has endeavoured to share with the reader the timeless beauty of the Sydney Opera House. Her sensitive approach captures the familiar structure we have come to love in a fresh way. Through her eyes we are able to envisage the poetic beauty of the soaring roof-shells, as she attempts to capture on film some of the spirit apparent in the architect's initial sketches of the sculptural roof structure and other details. Stube reveals new angles and challenges the viewer with her point of view of Utzon's masterpiece, at the same time allowing for the detailed beauty of the Opera House to be viewed. The book is also the story of a young photographer who pursued her dream about a fascinating building and its architect, how she met him and the influence of these meetings on her life and work. Illustrations: 80% Opera House photos and 20% Architectural Drawings