Fireworks won't take shine off Sydney Opera House

Over 1,000 fireworks will be launched from the sails of the Sydney Opera House this New Year's Eve, using specially designed pyrotechnics to protect the world-famous building as it celebrates its 40th anniversary.

The fireworks were developed specifically for the event by Foti Fireworks, so they will not damage the building's tiled exterior.

It is the first time in over a decade that fireworks will be launched from the tops of four sails of the Sydney Opera House and they will be installed by a specially-trained fireworks crew, working 67-metres above the ground.

This year, the top secret Sydney Harbour Bridge Effect will also be twice as big as in previous years and will use new LED technology to form the centrepiece of the 9PM Family Fireworks and Midnight Fireworks displays.

The effect, made up of 16-kilometres of rope light, will be as tall as a 12-storey building (36-metres) and 72-metres wide, with its lasting image remaining top secret until midnight on New Year's Eve.

Announcing the spectacle, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the event's creative style and Shine theme was led by artist and musician Reg Mombassa, who was working closely with the Foti team to develop the event.

Lord Mayor Moore stated "combining Reg's unique creativity with the Foti family's pyrotechnic skills will make this Sydney New Year's Eve inspiring, daring and colourful.

"We are marking the 40th anniversary of Sydney Opera House in the best way that Sydney NYE knows how brilliant, specially-designed fireworks, firing from the world-famous sails. I expect this year's event to have one of the most creative fireworks displays Sydney has seen."

Mombassa said the Sydney Opera House was an inspiring building for artists and pyrotechnicians, adding "apart from the fact that the Sydney Opera House is a distinctive and iconic structure, it's interesting from the view point of an artist in that it totally changes shape according to where you're observing it from.

"Also, the ever-changing weather patterns and the light from the sun and artificial sources in the city are constantly absorbed and echoed because of the reflective whiteness of the tiles. These are magical qualities not usually associated with rectangular coloured buildings."

Fortunato Foti, now in his 14th year as NYE Fireworks Director, said the pressure was always on make the world-renowned fireworks displays better than ever.

Foti added "for the first time in over a decade, the Sydney Opera House will be one of the main attractions of the fireworks display.

"The fireworks are specifically designed so that they protect the exterior of the Sydney Opera House.

"It's always a challenge to create a fireworks display that's bigger than the previous one, and this year is certainly no different.

"Inspiration for this year's fireworks display has been taken from Reg Mombassa's work which, as always, is very colourful and unique. It's been a challenge pulling it together, but I think the crowds will be impressed on the night."

Sydneysiders can also visit the Sydney Opera House forecourt to see a huge 60-metre by 6-metre mural that Mombassa created to disguise work sheds while the building undergoes a vehicle access and pedestrian safety improvement project. The work, Millennial Wallscape: The Triumph of the Gum, will remain at the forecourt until the end of February next year.

NYE13 banners across the city will also feature Mombassa's cheeky Hi-Rise Opera House artwork.

Mombassa concluded "this is what the Sydney Opera House would look like if it were to be jacked up and reclad with red bricks and rusty corrugated iron. This would give it a more typically Australian look."

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