Google Exhibits a Classically Scored 360-Degree Tour of Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House has unveiled a vivid 360-degree video tour of its premises. Released in collaboration with Google Cultural Institute, the multimedia experience features musical accompaniment from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and singer Nicole Car.

Displaying interactive views of the historical Australian venue and surrounding seascape, the project is the latest virtual tour from Google. The company produces the bilateral displays using the same ubiquitous technology found in their Google Earth and Google Maps products.

As we previously reported, Google Cultural Institute was established in 2011 with the initial goal to digitally preserve the contents of important archives and art collections. Now with over 6 million items in its database, the Institute partners with various establishments to make informative, historical multimedia material available to the public.

The Sydney Opera House is often praised as one of the 20th century's most unique structural feats. Since its opening in October 1973, the building's famous concrete "shells" have served as an immediate identifier in the performing arts world. Contrary to its singular moniker, the marvel of architectural engineering actually houses multiple performance venues on its property.

Jørn Utzon, the Danish architect behind the landmark's expressionist design, was inspired by contemporaneous architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and Alvar Aalto. His artistic identity takes as much from geologic form as it does Mayan temples. Understandably, the Sydney Opera House is usually cited as the builder's masterpiece.

In a 1970 interview with The Guardian following his resignation from the project, Utzon paralleled his workmanship with the surrounding Australian landscape:

"Because the site is one you go around, and even sail around, the building needed to be a sculpture, so I spread the two theatres, instead of putting them in a box, and put sails over them to keep the feeling of being on the sea. Underneath I placed this big platform fitting beautifully on the peninsula, repeating the effect of walking on the heads of Sydney harbour."

View the "Sydney Opera House 360° Experience" directly below. Let us know what you think of the video in the comments section below -- we'd love to hear from you.