Hacker News Reader

Comment by defrost | Hacker News Reader

Do you have a good source for that?

Most biographies have Jørn Utzon declining invitations to attend the opening and to later design the interiors in Australia (he did so remotely) after some major fallings out over cost with a new government after those that intially commissioned the work left.

eg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B8rn_Utzon

https://www.abcalumni.au/utzon_finding_the_master_architect

It's difficult to imagine him turned away at the border if the record is accurate that he never attempted to return after leaving.

View on HN

The porn collector was indeed not Utzon, but conductor Eugene Goossens, who is credited with successfully lobbying the New South Wales government to build the Opera House.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Aynsley_Goossens

Assistant to Thomas "if the ladies will open their parts to where the gentleman come in" Beecham?

Seems hardly surprising, although "

  following a tip-off by informants in London; his bags were searched by Customs officials, who found a large amount of what was then considered pornographic material, which included photographs, prints, books, a spool of film, some rubber masks, and sticks of incense.

" sounds as if it'd all be rather tame by modern standards.

I must admit I did think you may have confused a musician with the designer, .. although I'd pegged someone more in the vein of Percy Grainger (who's a bit too early in history and an Australian citizen so .. not) than Eugene.

Who hasn't been tripped up by an ex partner with an interest in the occult?

Well, Bill Bryson wrote about it in his book down under. Also, when I was in Sydney last September, I asked the tour guide about it, and she confirmed that it was true. He never got to see his creation because he was turned away at the border.

Who was turned away at the border though?

The architect and designer Jørn Utzon apparently never attempted to return after a falling out over funding and refused two invitations (to the opening and to return and design interiors ).

Perhaps the tour guide and yourself are thinking about the conducter who lobbied for the Opera House and got the project started as a concept.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com