The Sydney Opera House is a famous performing arts centre in Australia, functioning since 1973. Designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, the building comprises multiple performance venues, and hosts more than 1500 performances annually. The Concert Hall, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Utzon Room, the Drama theatre and the Playhouse are a few of the venues.
However, in spite of its repute, the Opera House has been severely criticized for its bad sound system. One of the major complaints is that the acoustics absorb sound and drain performances of their energy. This is particularly true in the case of the Concert Hall which has a 25-metre ceiling that causes sound to get lost. At the same time, the proportion of a few other rooms and their ceilings are so problematic that they create unwanted reverberation.