What makes an opera house famous? Is it architectural design, history, size, acoustics? Or does it have more to do with the people who perform there? With all these factors at play, narrowing down the world's opera houses to just a few standout examples is quite an ask. Still, what is life without a challenge or two? Here is the most famous opera houses in the world.
10 most famous opera houses in the world
1. La Scala, Milan
Inaugurated in 1778, La Scala is one of the world’s most prestigious opera houses, with a long and storied history: it was built after its predecessor - the Teatro Regio Ducale - was destroyed by fire in 1776, and was itself severely damaged by bombing during the Second World War in 1943.
Over the years, it has served as the venue for many notable operatic premieres, including Verdi’s Nabucco and Otello, as well as Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
2. Opéra Garnier (pictured top), Paris, France
Built between 1861 and 1875, the Opéra Garnier, otherwise known as the Palais Garnier, is considered a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts architecture, epitomising the opulence and glamour that we tend to associate with opera: it even provided the setting for Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera.
Not everyone was a fan: the 20th-century French architect Le Corbusier insisted that the ‘Garnier movement is a décor of the grave’. Still, this opera house is one of the most iconic buildings in France, and, like the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre, a symbol of Paris.
3. Royal Opera House, London, UK
The Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden was opened in 1858, but it is actually the third theatre to occupy the site. The original 1732 building, which served primarily as a playhouse, was destroyed by fire in 1808, and the second theatre, built in 1809, also burnt down (in 1856).
The third building, too, has had a bumpy history, having been repurposed as a furniture repository during the First World War, and then as a dance hall during the Second World War. But each time it quickly reclaimed its status as the British centre of opera and ballet. Over the years it has hosted hundreds of landmark performances, including the premieres of Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd and contemporary operas such as Thomas Adès’s The Tempest.
4. Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna, Austria
Inaugurated in 1869 as a court opera house (originally known the Wiener Hofoper), this building has long had an association with glitz and glamour, particularly under the direction of composer Gustav Mahler, who turned it into a world class institution.
The years 1938 to 1945 were a dark chapter in the opera house’s history, with many of its members persecuted and killed under the Nazis – a period that ended on March 12 1945, when the building was devastated during a bombing raid. But, following an expensive restoration, it reopened in 1955.
It now rolls out a vast repertoire, with almost 300 performances a year.
5. Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Russia
Known particularly for its ballet company, which has over 200 dancers, the Bolshoi Theatre was founded in March 1776, when Catherine II granted Prince Peter Urusov a licence to organise theatrical performances, balls and other forms of entertainment.
Urusov then set up the theatre in collaboration with English tightrope walker Michael Maddox. Although it initially produced only Russian works, foreign composers began to make inroads into the repertoire from about 1840.
The site of many iconic Russian premieres, not least Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, the Bolshoi continues to serve as a symbol of Russia.
6. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
Formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973 on the site of a former tram depot, the Sydney Opera House is one of the world’s most iconic buildings and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The brainchild of Danish architect Jørn Utzon, its Expressionist design consists of a series of large precast concrete ‘shells’, which is perhaps appropriate given that the building is cooled using seawater taken directly from the harbour. Although the building is home to Opera Australia and the Australian Ballet, it also hosts a number of concerts, plays, parties, corporate functions and community events.
7. Metropolitan Opera, New York City, USA
Back in the late 1800s, a focal point of social life for New Yorks’ oldest and most prominent families was the Academy of Music opera house. This was where anyone who knew anything about opera would want to be seen watching it.
But it was an exclusive club, whose members were reluctant to admit New York’s newly monied opera-loving industrialists into their fold. Which is why, on April 1880, a group of 22 men assembled at Delmonico's restaurant, to discuss the foundation of a new opera company, one that would outshine the Academy in every way, and that would allow powerful new industrial families to establish their social prominence.
The result was the Metropolitan Opera, or the Met, whose first subscribers included many of those ‘new money’ families excluded from the Academy, among them members of the Morgan, Roosevelt and Vanderbilt families. With a repertoire of over twenty operas a year, it is still one of the largest and most successful opera companies in the world.
8. Estates Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
Though smaller than some opera houses, the Estates Theatre in Prague has an illustrious history: not only is this where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart conducted the world premiere of Don Giovanni in October 1787, it is the only theatre still in existence where the composer actually performed.
Annexed to Prague’s National Theatre in 1948, it now deals primarily in revivals - not least of Don Giovanni - which it trots out to tourists during the summer months. But it’s well worth a visit for its beautiful, Neoclassical interiors, which have been preserved in almost their original state to the present day.
9. Bayreuth Festspielhaus, Bayreuth, Germany
The Bayreuth Festspielhaus was completed in 1876 by Richard Wagner specifically for the performance of his own operas. It is known for its unique design, which was create to ensure that the focus was on the stage and the performance rather than on the audience. Today, the Bayreuth Festspielhaus is still one of the most important venues for the performance of Wagner’s operas and is considered a pilgrimage site for Wagner enthusiasts.
10. Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Built in 1908, the Teatro Colón is primarily known for its crystal clear acoustics, which famously drew comment from the tenor Luciano Pavarotti: '[The] acoustics are perfect! Imagine what this signifies for the singer: if one sings something bad, one notices immediately.'
Luckily, there hasn't been too much in the way of bad singing at this theatre, which, in addition to Pavarotti, has showcased the likes of Enrico Caruso, Claudia Muzio, Maria Callas, Régine Crespin, Birgit Nilsson and Plácido Domingo.
