Your Say

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday February 28, 2008

The next step for the Opera House, volunteers in the line of fire - and a taste of the wild west.

Uphill battle

Perhaps we can't blame Joern Utzon for the problematic interiors (In the Spotlight, February) but those heartbreaking steps are all his. (They're what you get when your Opera House is designed by a vigorous Dane brought up on brisk walks and bracing saunas). I shall miss my music while the Opera Theatre is closed for its $700 million overhaul but I won't miss those bloody stairs. When opera does return, my arthritic knees will be three years older and, unless the improvements include the addition of an escalator, I may have heard my last fat lady sing at Bennelong Point.

Garth Clarke, North Sydney

House that Ove built

In the Spotlight states that Joern Utzon "was famously sacked before the building was completed." Utzon was not sacked, he resigned. As I recall, he realised that he could not complete the job for the fee agreed with the government and walked away. By the same token, the government were pleased to see him go. Whilst there is no doubt that we owe a great deal to Utzon for the original concept there was general agreement at the time that if he had stayed in charge the project might never have been completed. If there is a group of people who deserve the prize for enabling the Opera House to be finished it is the engineers Ove Arup & Partners who were responsible for designing and overseeing the building of the famous shells - a task that was beyond Utzon. Take a look at the original submissions prepared by Utzon. It was soon realised after work started that Utzon's shells were totally incapable of being built.

David Lasker, Middle Cove

Guardian angels

The roar of a racing fire, the smell of smoke and the scream of fire engines fill our hearts with fear and trepidation every summer. They're a fact of life. We are indeed fortunate to have resources such as the State Operations Centre of the RFS at Homebush (Access All Areas, February) to monitor and despatch the equipment and people to fight the fires and protect lives and property. Nowhere else on earth is there such a group of dedicated people (more than 70,000 men and women) who volunteer their services totally unselfishly, often putting their lives on the line.

Charmain Williams, Peakhurst

Food for thought

Out here in the wild, wild west, we often receive justifiable kudos for our fragrant Lebanese food and our nifty noodles, but it should be noted we also fancy the occasional serve of fish 'n' chips. Accompanied by mouth-watering photos, Joel Meares (High Five, February) describes the top f 'n' c hotspots in town - Manly, Coogee, Surry Hills and Glebe. When you did flit off to more distant pastures, it seems you beached yourself at Hornsby. Next time, get yourself somewhere west of Strathfield.

Rosemary O'Brien,

Georges Hall

Best letter

The writer of the letter judged to be the best in the April issue will win a night's accommodation for two at a Vibe Hotel of their choice, a copy of the Vibe CD Sounds to Relive & Renew and a copy of the new Curve Cookbook. The prize is worth $415. With locations in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, each Vibe hotel is designed with an individual personality, offering a fresh alternative to traditional hotels. Click on www.vibehotels.com.au to view the Vibe portfolio. Garth Clarke, the winner of this month's prize, wins a gift pack of Paxton wines from McLaren Vale in South Australia.

Write to the(sydney)magazine, 201 Sussex Street, Sydney, 2000, or email editorthesydneymagazine@smh.com.au. Letters may be edited for clarity or space.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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