nˌɑːt wɪðˌaʊt kˈɑːntɹəvˌɜːsi, ðə fˈɛstɪvəl hɐz fˈeɪsd tʃˈælɪndʒᵻz wɪð pɹˌɑːfɪɾəbˈɪlᵻɾi ɪn ɪts ˈɜːli jˈɪɹz ænd wʌz sˈʌbdʒɛkt tʊ ɐ ɹˈaɪət æɾə nˈuː jˈɪɹz ˈiːv kˈɑːnsɚt æt sˈɪdni ˈɑːpɚɹə hˈaʊs ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi, wˌɛn sˈɪksti ˈeɪt pˈiːpəl wɜːɹ ɚɹˈɛstᵻd ænd wˈʌnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti wɜː tˈeɪkən tə hˈɑːspɪɾəl; ænd kɹˈɪɾɪsˌɪzəm ɐbˌaʊt ðə fˈɛstɪvəlz ɑːɹtˈɪstɪk kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlᵻɾi.
Not without controversy, the festival has faced challenges with profitability in its early years and was subject to a riot at a New Year's Eve concert at Sydney Opera House in 1980, when 68 people were arrested and 150 were taken to hospital; and criticism about the festival's artistic credibility.