The charm of opera was introduced to people back in 16th century in the city of Florence in Italy. Since then Opera has kept going on. People that have a taste in classical music, are the loyal patrons of Opera. The best thing about Opera is that it is a beautiful blend of vocal arts, theatre, dance and orchestra. It has the best of many worlds that can captivate the attention of any music lover. In true words, if someone was to describe opera then it would be elegance. The grandeur of this form of music is irreplaceable, and people willingly pay hundreds of dollars upwards for a single show.
In this blog we have listed some of the most beautiful opera houses around the world. These opera houses are known for their stunning architectural design, and the beauty of their interiors. If you love opera and have an interest in travelling, then these spots must be on your bucket list.
1 – La Scala, Milan, Italy
La Scala opera house of Milan is the most popular opera house of Europe and probably in the world. It was built in the year of 1778, on site where formerly stood the a gothic church which went by the name of Santa Maria alla Scala which was demolished for the construction of this opera house. The name of this opera house was derived from this church. Since ages this neo classical opera house has been a meeting place of all the elites of Milan, and has stood the test of time.
The opera house was designed by the architect named Giuseppe Piermarini. The first ever opera concert hosted here was the L’Europa riconosciuta by Antonio Salieri. Over the period of time La Scala has been a popular spot for hosting premiers of big names such as Rossini, Verdi and Puccini. It has also hosted the premiers of globally renowned artist, Karlheinz Stockhausen.
The red and gold interiors of the opera house can enchant the best of visitors. In present times the La Scala is also associated with a training school that prepares professional musicians. The seating capacity of this opera house is estimated to be over 2000. It is must visit if you are in Milan.
2 – Palais Garnier, Paris, France
Palais Garnier was opened in the year of 1875, and it was designed by a French architect named Charles Garnier. Interestingly Charles Garnier at that time was not a renowned architect but was still entrusted with the completion of an opera house which was going to become one of the most iconic buildings of Paris. The inspiration of design of this opera house was derived from Renaissance villas, Baroquev cathedrals, and Greek temples.
From outside it has Beaux-Arts style of design while the interiors have the Neo Baroque aesthetic. Its façade is adorned with busts of the all time greatest composers like Rossini, and Mozart. The opera house is known for being heavily decorated and has ceiling frescoes painted by Chagall. The seven ton chandelier hanging in the centre does the rest.
The Palais Garnier is also known for being the setting for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s mega successful ‘Phantom of the Opera’. In recent times, there has also been an opening of a restaurant in the complex which goes by the name of L’Opera and is popular for serving fine French cuisines.
3 – The Bolshoi Theater, Moscow, Russia
Bolshoi Theater is one of the most important places in Moscow. It is located at a walking distance both from Red Square and Kremlin. Bolshoi in Russian means Big or Grand. The importance of this cultural icon is so huge in Russia, that the façade of this theater is printed on 100 Ruble Bank Note. It has a Neo Classical façade with Apollo Riding his chariot sculpture. The interiors of the Opera House are adorned with red velvet, hues of gold, and chandeliers, which gives it a grand look.
Statistically, Bolshoi Theater is the world’s second biggest Opera House. This Opera House has survived a fire incident of 1805, the wrath of French Invasion in 1812, and Russian Revolution in 1917. During the initial tenure of this opera house, only Russians were allowed to perform here, but after 15 years, the opera house opened its doors to global artists.
The Bolshoi Theater was designed by the popular architect Joseph Bove. In present times it has its own group of over 200 dancers and dancing school for professionals. The theater is popularly known for hosting grand ballet performances.
4 – Estates Theater, Prague, Czech Republic
Estates Theater is one of the oldest, one of the finest, and one of the continuously operating opera house in Europe. In Prague it is considered as an important part of the heritage of the city. Estates Theater was built in the year of 1783, by a Prague born aristocrat, Count František Antonín Nostitz Rieneck. The interiors of the theater have hues of blue, white and gold, which give it a unique appeal amongst all the grandest opera houses of the world.
Historically this opera house has known to premier the Mozart’s much acclaimed Don Giovanni, and has also hosted the debut of his opera La clemenza di Tito. The theater has also been a major part of an Oscar winning film which went by the name of Amadeus, to make the movie look mo0re authentic. Some of the other renowned artists like Puccini and Verdi have also performed here.
The theater has also been the premier venue of the first modern Czech opera, Frantisek Skroup’s The Tinker. This later on went to become the national anthem of the country, ‘Kde domov muj?’, or to be translated in English as, ‘Where is my home?’.
5 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbor, Australia
Sydney Opera House is the most iconic landmark in the city of Sydney. Many associate this Opera House as the identity of the city. The Sydney Opera House opened its door to the public in 1973, and in present times it hosts more than 1500 shows and performances around the year, with a footfall and number of attendees amounting to more than 1 Million people. Since 2007, the Sydney Opera House has also got the status of being listed as the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Sydney Opera House is also home to the world’s biggest mechanical tracker action organ. For the purpose of clear acoustics different kind of woods have been used while the construction of Sydney Opera House. The first ever show hosted in the Opera House was the Prokofiev’s War and Peace. The entire complex of opera house has 5 theaters and a forecourt for outdoor concerts.
The Sydney Opera House was designed by renowned and award winning Danish architect, Jorn Utzon. The structure and the exterior design of the Sydney Opera House resembles snails, and sea shells, which symbolizes the snails that used to be found on this tidal island of Bennelong where it stands today.
6 – Hungarian State Opera, Budapest, Hungary
Hungarian State Opera is probably the stateliest Opera Houses on the planet. It is located in the heart of Budapest, and its strategic location gives it a unique place for being an iconic landmark in the city of Budapest. The construction of this opera house began in 1875 and was completed in the year of 1884. The Hungarian State Opera was designed by renowned architect Miklós Ybl and is built in the Neo Renaissance and Baroque style of architecture.
It is one of the longest running opera Houses that have remain unchanged for the longest period of time which is 130 years. At the entrance of this opera house you will find the statues of celebrated Hungarian composers, Ferenc Erkel and Franz Liszt. Over the period of time, many world renowned artists have performed here including Gustav Mahler.
The Opera House has a horse shoe shaped auditorium along with a three floors of seating spots. In the main hall you will also find sculptures that symbolize alto, tenor, soprano and bass. The main attraction of the opera house is the 3050 kg bronze chandelier in the centre.
7 – Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Teatro Colon is one of the most important opera houses in Latin America. It symbolizes the European presence in Argentina. The Teatro Colon Opera House was inaugurated in the year of 1908. The first ever show that was hosted here was a production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida. The Teatro Colon Opera House was designed by a group of three architects, named as Francesco Tamburini, Vittorio Meano and Julio Dormal who were European immigrants in Buenos Aires.
The Teatro Colon was designed in Baroque and Renaissance style of architecture, and has a mix of influences from French, Italian, and German design styles. The idea behi9nd the construction of this Opera House was to bring European cultural norms in the country. In present times this opera house is known to be one of the five best opera houses in the world.
When it comes to chamber music and symphony concerts this Teatro Colon beats some of the finest Opera Houses of the world. Teatro Colon is also known for its exceptional quality of acoustics, and has been stated as “The theatre has the greatest defect: its acoustics are perfect!”.
8 – Margravial Opera House, Bayreuth, Germany
Margravial Opera House is like revisiting the old world charm. This beautiful opera house was built between the 1745 and 1750, and it is the only opera house of that era that has survived the test of time and still stands today. This opera house was commissioned by Margravine Wilhelmine and was designed by renowned architect of those times Giuseppe Galli Bibiena. The Italian architect was called especially to execute the Baroque styled design of the Opera House.
The Margravial Opera House holds a significant importance in the heritage of Bayreuth, and also is listed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage site. The sandstone façade of the opera house is still able to stun the visitors with its beauty. The grandeur of this opera house is heightened even more with the collections of murals and paintings that adorn the interiors of the Opera House.
The interiors of this Opera House has hues of Gold, Blue, and red. The wood that was used originally to build the opera house have been restored for the acoustics experience of the spot. The painting on the ceiling that has Greek God Apollo on it, is also a sight to behold.
9 – Teatro La Fenice, Venice, Italy
Lav Fenice which also translates into The Phoenix, is located in the charming city of Venice. The opera House first opened its door to people in the year of 1792. It was a grain child of the popular architect of then times, Giannantonio Selva. The grit of this opera house can be felt by this interesting fact that this opera house was glazed down to ashes thrice in the years of 1774, 1836 and 1996. The fire outbreaks have been so devastating that in the latter two fires only the façade survived.
The neo classical beauty that stands today was built with hearty donations that amounted to 90 Million Euros. The site of opera house was also the backdrop of the shooting of few scenes of Luchino Visconti’s Senso. This Opera house has had the privilege of having hosted Opera worldwide premiers of Rossini, Verdi and Bellini, the fame that very few opera houses have.
The interiors of the opera house have hues of gold, and are adorned with red velvety curtains that add the charm to its beauty. Some of the other world renowned artists that have had their compositions performed here are Gaetano Donizetti, Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Prokofiev, and Igor Stravinsky.
10 – Vienna Staatsoper, Vienna, Austria
Vienna Staatsoper is deeply drenched in traditions, and is a cultural icon of the city of Vienna. During each season it hosts close to 350 performances from 60 different operas and ballets. The best thing about this Opera house is the orchestra which also makes up the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The exteriors of the opera house were designed by Austrian architect August Sicard von Sicardsburg and the richly ornate interiors by Eduard van der Nüll.
The Opera House is also adorned by many frescoes that adorn the interiors and were painted by Moritz von Schwind. The opera house opened its door in the year of 1869 with Mozart’s Don Giovanni. In 1945 the opera house was heavily bombed during the World War II, and was later reconstructed and opened for public in the year of 1955.
One of the major highlights of the opera house is the Tea Salon which was the emperor’s salon and also survived the bombings. The Opera house is also popular for being the host of much acclaimed Vienna Opera Ball which is one of the most prestigious events of Vienna’s elites.
11 – Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, Valencia, Spain
Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia is a cultural icon located in the city of Valencia. The construction of this opera house began in the year of 1995, and the opera house opened its door to public in the year of 2005. The first ever show that was hosted here was of Beethoven’s Fidelio. The structure of this opera house was built on the dry bed of Turia River, and sits with a height of 75 meters, which also makes it the tallest opera house in the world.
The exteriors of the opera house resemble a sail which stands out in the landscape of the city. Inside the complex of this opera house are four venues that host, opera, ballet, music, and theatre. They all are inter connected with walkways, centered around a Mediterranean garden. Most of the beautiful opera houses in our world boasts of their old world charm but this one embraces the future.
The Opera House was designed by the renowned architect Santiago Calatrava. The most striking thing about this opera house, is the exterior structure which stands as an icon. The opera house is also known to have a young singers training program.
Close your eyes, and let the music set you free!
