Both of the main halls, the concert and opera, have proscenium curtains designed by John Coburn. In addition, two large murals were commissioned to enhance the aesthetic values of the interior – John Olsen's ‘Five Bells' (based on Kenneth Slessor's poem), and Michael Nelson Jagamara's ‘Possum Dreaming'.
The design of the tapestry curtains by John Coburn reflected the vision and ‘its vibrant energy – characterising Australia's natural and cultural life'. When Sydney Opera House opened in 1973, Coburn's Curtain of the Sun was hung in the proscenium of the Opera Theatre. ( The Curtain of the Moon hung similarly in the Drama Theatre.)
The curtains were commissioned in 1970 and woven in Aubusson, France. They were woven from Australian wool, and John Coburn spent three years there overseeing the project.