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Three former leaders of the Sydney Opera House, who collectively led the organisation for over a decade, have united to issue a call for a moratorium on politically motivated projections on its landmark sails. Their appeal comes as the NSW government weighs a cap on illuminations from next year with a restricted number reserved for community groups.<\/p>\n
Former chief executives Michael Lynch, Norman Gillespie, and Richard Evans said the sails should only be lit for artistic and creative reasons, and then sparingly.<\/p>\n
All three support an immediate moratorium on political-style illuminations to \u201ccleanse the sails\u201d and protect its World Heritage status, with Evans suggesting the moratorium should last five years.<\/p>\n
The Sydney Opera House became the location of political protests last month when its sails were lit with the colours of the Israeli flag following Hamas\u2019 attack on October 7, sparking criticism from pro-Palestine supporters.<\/p>\n
The controversy followed the prime minister\u2019s request in May that the sails be lit for visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Former chief executives of the Sydney Opera House: Michael Lynch, Norman Gillespie and Richard Evans. <\/span>Credit: <\/span>James Brickwood; Fiona Morris; Sahlan Hayes.<\/cite><\/p>\n Lynch, who led the Opera House from 1998 to 2002, said the decision to illuminate the colours of the Israeli flag drew the Opera House unnecessarily into an international conflict.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was a bad call, whether it had been to Palestine or anyone else at such an early part of what looks to be part of a drawn-out war. It justifies that you need to control it rather than use it as some el cheapo billboard,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The sails had been first lit with patterns and a colour wash under Lynch\u2019s watch and then more distinctively during Evans\u2019 time, first for the music festival Luminous, curated by Brian Eno, as part of the inaugural Vivid. That image made it to the front page of The New York Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n An immediate moratorium would be a good idea, Lynch said. Even the lighting for Vivid had \u201cgot out of hand\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI did the first one, and in a way, the technology was different, and technology has partly created the problem, made it cheaper, and led to the abuse of the building.\u201d<\/p>\n Evans supported a five-year moratorium on the sails\u2019 lightings for all but artistic purposes. \u201cEven then, that needs to be limited,\u201d he said. \u201cLightings have traditionally happened during Vivid when the whole city is on display. Outside of that, I think it should only occur for a very good reason.\u201d<\/p>\n For the first time in a decade, the Opera House has revised its policy to limit the frequency and the days of lighting so as not to imperil the building\u2019s local, national, and World Heritage status.<\/p>\n The draft policy was adopted by the Heritage Council of NSW in July. It sets an annual cap on the number and days in which the Opera House sails can be lit, above which exceptions can be sought by specific applications. The criteria for projections is to be strengthened and a more transparent and equitable process created, including a community ballot for a restricted number of applications.<\/p>\n Current Opera House chief executive Louise Herron, said she expected the new policy would be released shortly.<\/p>\n \u201cThis has been a very consultative process with the Heritage Council, the Opera House, the Opera House Trust, and government. The strong benefit of the policy is to make clear and reset expectations as to how and when the Opera House sails can be lit.\u201d<\/p>\n A spokesperson for arts minister John Graham said the updated policy would guide consistent decision-making and prevent exploitation or overuse of the sails.<\/p>\n Evans said any new policy should set the Opera House above notions of commercial exploitation and nationalistic politics.<\/p>\n \u201cIt being lit up like a Christmas tree, here, there, and everywhere, for political reasons, for sporting reasons, I just don\u2019t think it\u2019s appropriate. It would be good to have a larger discussion about this, but my initial reaction is nothing political on the sails, other than the most exceptional sporting celebrations.\u201d<\/p>\n Norman Gillespie, Opera House CEO between 2002 and 2007, said NSW politicians had opened a Pandora\u2019s box. He supported the Opera House Trust administering a strict cap.<\/p>\n \u201cOn a practical level, once you give in to any one cause or promotion, you are lost – there is no end to the controversy created,\u201d he said. \u201cIt would actually make the politicians\u2019 life easier if there were an independent edict under the auspice of the Trust.\u201d<\/p>\n Gillespie said the Opera House was paid for and owned by the people of NSW.<\/p>\n \u201cMuch simpler to deny all requests for causes and messages than make decisions which undermine the integrity and beauty of Utzon\u2019s creation.\u201d<\/p>\n Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. <\/i><\/b>Get The Watchlist<\/i><\/b> delivered every Thursday.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\nMost Viewed in Culture<\/h2>\n
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