Opera houses are not just theaters but are performance venues acoustics designed for the voice. It is said that a play can be staged in an opera house but an opera cannot be staged in a theater. The classic design layout for an opera house is the horseshoe shape, which provides the audience with high quality sound and unimpaired sight lines from all areas of the theater.
Great Opera houses in the U.S.
American grand opera houses are considerably younger than their European cousins, but very few venues can compete with the Metropolitan Opera New York. San Francisco’s 3,100-seat War Memorial Opera House, built in 1932, is an elegant, old world style building complete with an opulent interior and superior acoustics.
Opera houses in Europe
The grand opera houses of Europe were most often commissioned by wealthy patrons who were interested in not just opera, but also in making a statement about their taste and refinement. The Opéra Garnier in Paris, Prague Estates Theatre, the National Opera House in Vienna, and London’s Royal Opera House at Covent Garden are excellent examples of the glorious richness of classic design. The prize for singers and composers as well, is to perform at the famous Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
Famous opera houses world wide
Modern opera houses of note include the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the new 2,500-seat Dubai Opera House, and Hong Kong’s Convention Center.
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