3 ms·

So I guess there is no way in hell Australia is going to allow a convicted felon to enter the country.

underseacables 2y ago
Fun fact: The designer of the Sydney Opera House was turned away at the border when he came to see it, because he had an inordinate amount of pornographic material with him. He never got to see his creation in person.
- defrost 2y ago
  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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B8rn_Utzon https://www.abcalumni.au/utzon_finding_the_master_architect 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.
  - decimalenough 2y ago
    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 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Aynsley_Goossens
    - defrost 2y ago
      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?
  - underseacables 2y ago
    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.
    - defrost 2y ago
      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.

Fun fact: The designer of the Sydney Opera House was turned away at the border when he came to see it, because he had an inordinate amount of pornographic material with him. He never got to see his creation in person.

defrost 2y ago
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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B8rn_Utzon https://www.abcalumni.au/utzon_finding_the_master_architect 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.
- decimalenough 2y ago
  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 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Aynsley_Goossens
  - defrost 2y ago
    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?
- underseacables 2y ago
  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.
  - defrost 2y ago
    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.