The building that nearly was.
An Omnibus documentary about the greatest architectural extravaganza of the century.

The first public performances take place at the Sydney Opera House next week and on 20 October the Queen will attend the official grand opening ceremony. It has taken 15 troubled years to build and has cost £57 million.
A competition for the design was announced as long ago as 1955. The winning architect, Jorn Utzon from Denmark, called for enormous shell-shaped roofs clad in a million glittering white tiles, soaring 221 feet above the spectacular Sydney Harbour and resting on a concrete podium mounted by a gigantic flight of steps.
This film traces the tempestuous history of the building, including Utzon's dramatic resignation in 1966 and the attempts to complete it without him. It looks also at how Australian artists and musicians are now preparing to perform there.
Those appearing include Jorn Utzon himself and Sir Ove Arup, structural engineer Edward Downes, Musical Director, the Australian Opera, Sir Robert Helpmann, co-director, the Australian Ballet, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conductor Willem van Otterloo

From Sydney next Saturday: Birgit Nilsson, 11 30 am R3 Stereo; 'War and Peace,' 7.15 pm BBC2 Colour