Add Category
Posted
Which star demanded the changerooms be painted black? Who asked for the entire venue to go vegan while he toured there? And who was the avid knitter who won over the crews?
If you take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Sydney Opera House you might just find out.
For while the venue has been home to countless memorable performances, perhaps lesser known is the fact it throws open its doors daily for a series of backstage tours.
Bruce Barnett is one of the guides who takes performance lovers through the harbourside location and, if asked, he might share some gossip.
"I can't tell you! They're secrets, they're antics," he jokes at first, before confiding in a few.
For instance, in 2015 The Smiths singer Morrissey headlined at the Opera House.
"This is the man that requested that all of our food outlets at the Opera House go vegan while he was here," Mr Barnett said.
"He's an animal rights activist so it seemed appropriate for him and for us — many of us, anyway."
Mr Barnett said agents could at times make rogue requests just to ensure a promoter was well across their contractual obligations.
Or often entertainers required specific instruments or microphones that were necessary to their performance and when these are left off the wish list, anger ensued.
Mr Barnett recalled one artist, whom he remained tight-lipped on, was so unhappy with the room she requested the entire interior be painted black.
It was completed by tradesmen within days.
The Opera House has several dressing rooms on site, complete with television screens and intercoms.
There are also 29 pianos across several dressing rooms, including classic Steinway and Sons pieces. It was one of these that was set up for legendary performer, Prince.
And not all dressing rooms are created equally.
"Some of the dressing rooms have no views," Mr Barnett said.
"Some, if you're a star, it's the reaffirmation that you're a star because ta-da, [you have a ] view over Circular Quay and the Harbour."
Among the greatest performers to win over audiences and production staff alike was Dame Joan Sutherland.
Mr Barnett said in the hours before performing you could hear the clicking of needles as she sat pensively creating pieces of clothing.
"She used to knit backstage, behind the scenes, then come out and die on stage then come back and knit. That helped her to chill and calm her nerves," he said.
But to the disappointment of staff, Dame Joan never left anything behind. The singer would always collect all her leftover threads and pack them neatly into her satchel.
Her memory is often evoked in the costume room, where Mr Barnett said visitors could sometimes get emotional.
"They're thinking maybe that Joan Sutherland had worn one of these or Luciano Pavarotti wore them, some of great stars," he said.
"We have ballet costumes as well that go way back in history.
"Coming in here is very special I think because this is where the hard work really happens before going on the stage."
Topics: arts-and-entertainment, opera-and-musical-theatre, theatre, sydney-2000, australia