Information about the famous theater. Famous opera houses of the world
Daria Nessel| Oct 6, 2017
Opera is one of the most popular genres of musical and dramatic art. No matter how life and fashion change, interest in opera never fades. Dozens of operas are performed every day in the world, hundreds of thousands of people come to listen to them.
At the same time, the opera is not just a piece of music - it is a magical world consisting of bewitching music, an abundance of light and luxury.
The creation of the appropriate atmosphere is largely facilitated by opera houses, in the design of which architects and engineers invest all their skills and talents. Therefore, there are many amazingly beautiful and original opera theaters in the world, which many lovers of this art form dream of visiting. Among the latter are the theaters that will be discussed.
London Theater Royal
The original name is Royal Opera House, but the world is better known as the Covent Garden Theatre. Opera performances have been staged here since 1734. The first opera that Londoners heard from its stage was F. Handel's opera The Faithful Shepherd.
During this time, the theater was destroyed twice and reborn from the ashes three times, like a Phoenix bird.
The first building grew on the site of a park area in Covent Garden in the 1720s and 30s and opened its doors to listeners on December 7, 1732. But a fire that occurred 76 years later destroyed the theater almost to the ground.
The construction of the second building, which by that time had already become a very famous opera house, began almost immediately after the fire. Robert Smerk became the architect of the new project. It took only 9 months to build, and in September 1809 Verdi's opera "Macbeth" was performed on the new stage.
It is noteworthy that for many years not only opera and ballet performances, but also various clowning performances were shown here. This continued until the reconstruction of 1847, after which the theater became known as the Royal Italian Opera. And after 9 years there was a second fire.
The construction of the modern building began a few months after the fire. It was designed by the famous architect E. Barry.
The next opening of the opera house took place in the spring of 1858. The season was opened by "Huguenots" by D. Meyerbeer.
During the First World War, the theater was used as a warehouse, and during the Second World War, it served as a dance hall. And only in 1945 the theater began its next revival.
London Theater Royal.
Photographer Norio NAKAYAMA/Fkickr.com
The modern Royal Theatre, rebuilt and renovated at the end of the 20th century, can accommodate 2256 spectators. One of the visiting cards of the theater is a gallery of glass openwork arches, which is located on the site of the former flower market. Another local attraction is the ceiling, the pattern of which exactly repeats the design of previous buildings.
By the way, Covent Garden became the prototype of the galactic theater from the fantastic action movie The Fifth Element.
Currently, the theater is not only a place where you can listen to the opera, but also a real museum - visitors can look behind the scenes of the theater, inspect the royal lounge, intended for monarchs and other high-ranking persons, and see how the preparations for the performance are going.
Tickets for the opera at Covent Garden cost from 70 to 216 €. However, sometimes you can get them for a very small price, for example, during the auction, which is held every Friday.
Paris Opera (Palais Garnier)
In another way, the Grand Opera or the Palais Garnier. The construction of the theater was initiated by Napoleon III and designed by Charles Garnier. Construction work began in 1860, and was completed only in 1875 (due to the protracted war with Prussia and internal turmoil in France).
The new theater became the 13th in the country. And the most unusual - in the construction and design in the most extraordinary way, various styles and directions of architecture are combined and intertwined.
In addition to opera performances, the Grand Opera is widely known for its interior design. The main theatrical attractions are the foyer and the main staircase, lined with multi-colored marble, as well as the ceiling decoration with images of musical allegories.
The design of the auditorium is dominated by red and gold. It is made in the Italian style, and is made in the shape of a horseshoe. It is illuminated by a huge crystal chandelier, and the ceiling features scenes from operas and Parisian landmarks. The ceiling was painted in 1964 by M. Chagall.
Spectators are waiting for 1900 armchairs with red velvet trim, and the stage is decorated with a curtain, "under the drapery" with gold galloons and tassels.
The theater became famous for its legends. According to one of them, it was in its cellars that the famous Phantom of the Opera lived.
The cost of tickets to the most famous opera house in the world is from 30 to 250 €. In addition, those who wish can come here as a museum and visit the theater library-museum. The cost of a tour of the theatrical backstage is 13.5 € for adults and 9.5 € for children.
New York Opera (Metropolitan Opera)
Americans themselves most often call their opera theater - Met. It is the only one of those included in the list of "great" ones, built in the 20th century. True, even before the construction of the current building, the theater with the same name was located on Broadway.
For the first time, the new theater, built in the style of modernism according to the project of W. Harrison, met fans of the opera in 1966 in the style of modernism. The interior of the theater is decorated with frescoes by M. Chagall.
The main attraction of the Metropolitan is the hall, which from the very first days was dubbed the “diamond horseshoe”. It owes its name to an unusual shape and a large number of lamps. The five-arch hall can accommodate 3650 spectators.
It is noteworthy that many performances can be watched without entering the theater - they are broadcast on a plasma screen on the facade of the building. Mini-screens are also installed on the backs of the seats in each row. They broadcast simultaneous translation if the opera is in a foreign language.
Tickets for performances at the New York Opera can be purchased for $27-445.
Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth (Markgräfliches Opernhaus)
One of the main Bavarian attractions (Germany), one of the oldest European opera houses. Built in 1748, it is a striking example of baroque architecture. A few years ago it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
At the time of construction, the theater stage in Bayroth was the largest in Europe. And its interior design was done by Giuseppe Galli-Bibiena and his son, well-known at that time.
The main hall of the theater is surrounded by three rows of boxes and is completely made of wood. It can accommodate 500 people and makes a lasting impression - here every detail looks beautiful and luxurious. The interior contains paintings and carved elements.
The ceiling is decorated with a fresco by J. B. Müller, which depicts scenes from the Metamorphoses.
When decorating the ceiling, the craftsmen skillfully used the trampe technique, which helps to create the effect of three-dimensional space through the play of shadow and light.
Currently, the theater was under reconstruction, but its doors are wide open for tourists. The cost of a tour of the theater is 2.5 €.
In the design of the theater there are many decorative stucco elements with gilding. On the ceiling there are paintings by Lefler, based on Shakespeare's plays.
In the spring of 1925, a fire broke out again in the building - the stage was completely burned out, and the auditorium was badly damaged. But after only a year, the productions were resumed.
In 1965-67 and 1996-2007. restoration work was carried out here. The theater was equipped with the most modern equipment.
Today, the hall of the Odessa theater receives 1664 visitors. The cost of tickets for opera performances is from 20 to 150 hryvnia.
Among music lovers there are fans of an old, but very interesting manifestation of it - opera. But even if you are indifferent to opera music, you will most likely admire the beauty of its abode - the opera house. This top 10 most beautiful opera houses in the world will tell you about the amazing buildings and "take" you through the luxurious halls.
10 Theater Royal, Covent Garden
Theater Royal, Covent Garden located in London, UK. Opera and ballet performances take place in this theater. It is the home stage of the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet. The modern theater building is the third building that was built on that site. It was erected in 1858, after which it was reconstructed at the end of the 20th century. The hall can accommodate 2268 spectators.
9 Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House located in Sydney, Australia. This theater was built in the architectural style of expressionism. The roof of the building is made up of shells that look like sails. Thanks to them, this opera house looks special. It is one of the most famous attractions in Sydney, and indeed in Australia, perhaps. Construction of the Sydney Opera House began in 1959 and was completed in 1973.
8 Opera Royal de Versailles
Royal Opera of Versailles is an opera and drama theater located in the palace and park ensemble of the Palace of Versailles, in the city of Versailles, France. Of particular interest is the fact that the theater was built entirely of wood, and then covered with paintings resembling marble. Construction was completed in 1770. The hall can accommodate from 712 to 1200 spectators. This theater deserves admiration for its size: it is the largest palace theater in the world.
7 Gran Teatro del Liceo
Grand Opera House "Liceu" located in Barcelona, Spain. It was opened in 1847. The auditorium has an area of 360 square meters and is able to provide seats for 2292 spectators. Thanks to this, this theater is one of the largest opera houses in Europe.
6 Teatro di San Carlo
Opera House "San Carlo" located in Naples, Italy. This opera house is the oldest in Europe. Its opening took place on November 4, 1737. The theater can accommodate 3,300 people. The majestic interior of the theater, combined with acoustic perfection, allows the viewer to experience visual and auditory delight during the opera.
5 Estates Theater
This opera house is located in Prague, Czech Republic. It was built in the classical style in 1783. Count Franz Anton (Frantisek Antonin) Nostitz-Rinek ordered the construction of the theater. Now a characteristic part of the theater's repertoire is the works of Mozart.
4 Markgrafliches Opernhaus
Margravial theater located in Bayreuth, Germany. The theater was built in the middle of the 18th century as a court opera house. The building has a Baroque style and is considered an excellent representative of the style called Bayreuth Rococo.
3 Opera House in Harbin
This theater is located in Harbin, China. This building has a very unusual, even bizarre shape. Inside, an unusual interior is hidden, which gives the impression that this theater is from a dream or from a fantasy world. The large hall is designed for 1600 spectators, and the small one - for 400 spectators.
2 State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia
This opera and ballet theater is also called simply the Bolshoi Theatre. He is located in Moscow, Russia. The building of the Bolshoi Theater was opened for theater lovers in 1856. This theater has three auditoriums: the Main Stage (Historical Stage), the New Stage (Small Stage) and the Beethoven Hall. The auditorium of the Main Stage can accommodate 1740 people. The auditorium of the New Stage can accommodate 928 people. The Beethoven Hall is designed for 320 people.
1 Opera Garnier
This theater is also called: Grand Opera or Opera de Paris. Opera Garnier (Paris Opera, Grand Opera), as you might guess, is located in Paris, France. This is the thirteenth opera in Paris, which appeared after the official recognition of this type of musical and dramatic art by Louis XIV in 1669. From the outside, the building attracts the attention of passers-by with its rich beauty. In the huge auditorium, which combines red and gold colors, hangs a chandelier weighing 8 tons. This opera house is shrouded in an atmosphere of mystery, because the legend of the Phantom of the Opera "lives" in it (this theater inspired Gaston Leroux to create the famous novel).
If you visit any of these opera houses, these beautiful and majestic buildings, imbued with music, will leave a vivid impression in your memory for a long time.
Tickets for world-famous theater performances must be booked long in advance. Let's try to find out how these attractions attract theater-goers from all over the world and how much a ticket to the best theater in the world costs.
Of course, this list clearly lacks the Bolshoi or Mariinsky theaters, but we decided to devote a separate article to the most famous theaters in Russia.
The most famous theaters in the world
Life is in full swing in the capitals of Europe. Paris, London, Milan - not only fashionistas and tourists with cameras flock here. Intellectuals - connoisseurs of architecture, theater, opera, ballet and music will also be delighted.Covent Garden Theater
LondonThe capital of Great Britain is rich in theaters with history. It was on the stage of the London Globe that Shakespeare's plays were staged for the first time. But although the Globe, which survived two reconstructions, is still operating today, the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, the home stage of the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera, has the status of the most famous theater in London.
The modern building is already the third. In 1732, the theater opened its doors for the first time to spectators who came to see the production of "Secular Customs" based on the play by William Congreve. After 76 years, the Covent Garden building was destroyed by fire. It took 9 months to recover. The re-opened theater delighted the audience with Macbeth. In 1856, the theater burned down again, but two years later it was reborn from the ashes as we can see it now.
A large-scale reconstruction of the theater took place in 1990. Now its 4-tiered hall accommodates 2268 visitors. Ticket prices for the Covent Garden Theater range from £15 to £135.
grand opera
ParisThe most famous theater in Paris is the Grand Opera. In 1669, Louis XIV "gave the go-ahead" for the founding of an opera house to the poet Pierre Perrin and the composer Robert Kamber. Over the centuries, the theater changed its name and location several times, until in 1862 it ended up in the IX arrondissement of Paris, in a building designed by Charles Garnier, built in 1875 by the architect Charles Garnier.
The facade of the theater is luxurious - it is decorated with four sculptures (personifications of Drama, Music, Poetry and Dance), as well as seven arches. The building is crowned with a majestic shining dome.
The stage of the Grand Opera has seen German, Italian and French composers over the years of the opera. It was here that the premiere of Stravinsky's opera "Mavra" took place. Its current name is the Palais Garnier, and it is perhaps the most visited theater in the world.
VeinAustria is the birthplace of many classics: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, whose music formed the basis of the Vienna classical music school. Perhaps that is why the Vienna Opera can be confidently called the most famous opera house in the world.
The opera house was built in 1869. The opening was marked by Mozart's opera Don Giovanni.
Since the theater building was built in the style of an extremely common neo-Renaissance, it was repeatedly subjected to merciless criticism - the facade of the building seemed boring to the inhabitants of Vienna, unremarkable.
During World War II, the theater was partially destroyed, but in 1955 it was solemnly re-opened with the opera Fidelio by Beethoven. In terms of the number of performances, none of the other opera houses is able to compare with the Vienna Opera. For 285 days a year, about 60 operas are staged in this building on the Ringstrasse. Every year, a week before the first day of Lent, the Viennese Ball is held here - an event listed in the list of intangible cultural wealth protected by UNESCO.
La Scala
Milan>It was in Renaissance Italy that modern opera was born. In 1776, the Milanese architect Giuseppe Piermarini liked a piece of land on the site of the destroyed church of Santa Lucia della Scala. It was decided to build an opera house on it, which eventually received the name from its "ancestor".
During the construction of the foundation underground, they found a marble slab with the image of the ancient Roman actor Pylades, which the builders took as a sign from above.
La Scala's first opera was Recognized Europe by composer Antonio Salieri. It was in these walls that the orchestras of Gavazzeni Gianandrea, Arturo Toscanini and Riccardo Muti first sounded.
Today, La Scala is rightfully read by one of the most famous theaters in the world. This is the first after the Milan Cathedral that the tourists who arrived in Milan inspect.
The last time the theater was reconstructed was in the early 2000s. The opening took place in 2004, and Salieri's opera Renewed Europe was again shown on the renovated stage.
Palace of Catalan Music
BarcelonaA rather young (compared to previous) theater, the Palace of Catalan Music in Barcelona opened its doors to musical aesthetes in 1908. Barcelona loves Gaudi's Spanish Art Nouveau, and therefore it was decided to build the main concert hall of the country in the same style - waves and spirals prevail here over straight lines.
The facade of the Palace reminds us that in Spain European and Arab cultures are closely intertwined like nowhere else.
But the main feature of the concert hall is its lighting. The light is completely natural. The dome of the Palace of Catalan Music is made of colored glass mosaics. The rays of the sun, refracted, create an indescribable effect!
Sydney Opera House
SydneyThe Sydney Opera House may not be the most visited in the world, but it is definitely the most recognizable and unusual theater. Its white sail-like walls have become one of the modern wonders of the world.
The grand opening ceremony took place in October 1973 with the participation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Everyone knows what the Sydney Theater looks like from the outside, now check out what it looks like inside - what a delightful combination of futurism and gothic!
The total area of the building exceeds two hectares. Inside you will find almost a thousand rooms, because the building is the "headquarters" for the Australian Opera, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the National Ballet and the Sydney Theater Company.
The lighting of the theater consumes energy, quite comparable to the electricity consumption of a small Australian town.
Kabukiza
TokyoWe know a lot about European theaters, but what about the theater in the East? What are the features, in particular, of Japanese theatrical culture?
Classical Japanese theater combines drama, music, dance, and poetry on stage. The scenery at the performances is uncomplicated, which cannot be said about the masks and kimonos of the actors. The meaning of the performance is a tough nut to crack for an unprepared viewer who is unfamiliar with Japanese culture and unable to understand the many subtle references to mythology, literature and history.
Nevertheless, Tokyo Kabuki-za theater is adored not only by the Japanese, but also by tourists - none of the 1964 seats in the hall is usually empty. Ticket prices start at 15,000 yen (about 8,000 rubles), and for an additional fee, viewers can buy an audio guide that will explain all the details of what is happening.
Radio City Music Hall
NYBuilt in the heart of Manhattan in 1932, the Radio City Music Hall has become one of New Yorkers' favorite entertainment venues. Performances, musicals, performances of jazz bands, fresh film premieres - all this could be seen here. The era has changed, but the chic and brilliance of 20th-century Broadway musicals will still captivate Americans and tourists alike.
The traditional Christmas musical is especially popular.
Radio City can accommodate 6,000 people at once, which is why its stage often hosts national events like the Grammy music awards.
The pride of the Radio City hall is a huge 4410-pipe organ.
Semper Opera
DresdenShe is the Dresden National Opera or Semperoper in honor of the architect Gottfried Semper. The majestic neo-Renaissance building first received visitors on April 12, 1841. The first work that sounded from this stage was Goethe's play Iphigenia in Tauris. Subsequently, the premieres of many operas by Richard Wagner took place here.
Each opera house is a special, unique work of art. The list of the ten best opera houses in the world plunges you into an atmosphere of grandeur and sublimity.
Top 10 of the best, according to The National Geographic:
10. Lincoln Center, New York, USA
The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, which harmoniously combines everything: the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and the New York City Ballet, also has a library and two theaters. The center promotes not only classics, but also innovations, something completely new, not familiar to the viewer. Operas at the Met are regularly filmed and presented to the public in theaters around the world. The role of the Lincoln Center Arts Center is also significant in the field of education: a rich repertoire contributes to the inspiration and creativity of students and professionals.
9. Vienna State Opera (Staatsoper), Vienna, Austria
Built in 1869, the Staatsoper was opened with a performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Its reputation as the center of Venice's musical life has long been established, and the Staatsoper remains one of the finest opera houses in the world. Although most of it was destroyed on March 12, 1945, when the Allies bombed the city towards the end of World War II, the main staircase and some other public areas miraculously survived. To get an idea of how everything looked before the air raid, one has only to go through the main entrance to the foyer. The theater you see now was reopened at the end of the Russian occupation of Austria, and the first play staged after years of war was Ludwig van Beethoven's Fidelio, a hymn to freedom.
8. Royal Opera of Versailles, Versailles, France
The interior of the Royal Opera, located in the famous luxurious palace of Versailles, is distinguished by skillful work. The wooden walls were painted to look like marble (indeed, almost impossible to distinguish from the original). Gold is harmoniously combined with pink and green shades of marble, sky blue curtains and upholstery. Breaking with the traditional Italian style (to which most theaters correspond), the Royal Opera is ringed with two balconies and the building itself is crowned with an extensive colonnade, which, thanks to the play of mirrors, seems to stretch into infinity. Enge-Jacques Gabriel built the theater in 1769 in preparation for the marriage of the Dauphin, the future King Louis XVI, to Princess Marie Antoinette of Austria. After the French Revolution, the theater was used only occasionally for various events. Today, special gala performances are often held here.
7. Paris Opera, Paris, France
The main facade of the Opera makes a strong impression, although it would seem that in Paris, a city where wonderful architectural sculptures are literally on every corner, it is already impossible to surprise. The magnificently decorated building with its crowning dome was built in 1875. The Bolshoi Theater inside is suitable for both ballet and opera. Some of the largest ceremonial spaces in the world are found here at the Paris Opera, where their majesty lends importance to all sorts of events. Rich and bright interiors reflect the tastes and moods of the Second Empire of France. In 1962, Marc Chagall created new frescoes in the center of the ceiling of the Palais Garnier. The result, no less impressive, is all the more remarkable in that it does not contradict the formal nature of the interior decoration.
6. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
Perched on a patch of land jutting out into Sydney Harbor, the stunning modern Sydney Opera House has great views of the sailboat-strewn waters. Even if a performance is not on your agenda, you should visit the Sydney Opera House just to see the amazing building. The structure was designed by Jorn Utzon to offer a series of overlapping shells and sails. The grand opening took place in 1973. The first performance in the theater was Prokofiev's War and Peace. Inside, each theater is paneled with different types of wood to improve the acoustics of the room, as well as make it more aesthetic. All major performance areas have their own foyers.
5. Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Russia
One of Russia's premier theaters, renowned for having one of the finest symphony orchestras in the world, the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow has gone through "fire, water and copper pipes" or, to be more precise, fire, war and revolution. Its stunning neoclassical portico topped with statue of Apollo in his chariot, is a harbinger of the splendor that will appear before the eyes of visitors, one has only to enter inside. In 2005, the theater was closed for renovation and reopened only in the fall of 2011. Four balconies and a top gallery surround the orchestra, where in places are Chippendale chairs upholstered in red damask. The ballet troupe of the Moscow theater enjoys worldwide fame. Here, the famous choreographer Yuri Grigorovich staged memorable performances of "Swan Lake", "Golden Age" and "Romanda".
4. Royal Opera House, London, England
The Royal Opera House was erected in Covent Garden at the beginning of the 18th century, and has not changed its location, however, the modern building of the theater is already the third one located on this site. The first operas by Georg Friedrich Handel were performed within the walls of the Royal Theatre, and later many operas and oratorios were written by the German composer for this place in particular. He performed here regularly from 1735 until the very day of his death in 1759.
3. Colon Theatre, Buenos Aires, Argentina
In order to keep up with the wealthy industrialists of the United States, the Argentines, as passionate fans of the opera, completed the construction of the Teatro Colon in 1908. Determining the style of this theater is by no means easy: it has a bit of everything, it took the best from various European theaters. And this is not surprising, because so many architects were involved in the construction. This outstanding recording from a vast opera house containing great performances is matched only by the group of renowned artists who once graced its stage. The theater has its own exquisite costumes and picturesque building departments.
2. Teatro San Carlo, Naples, Italy
Built by King Charles of Bourbon in 1737, the magnificent red and gold theater of San Carlo is the oldest in the world, and before the construction of La Scala, it was also the most prestigious in Italy. Some of the most popular operas by Gioachino Rossini have premiered on the stage of San Carlo.
1. La Scala, Milan, Italy
Milan's La Scala is perhaps the most famous opera house in the world. It is he who is associated with classical opera. The theater, built in 1778, is associated with the names of such world-famous composers as Gioacchino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Giuseppe Verdi and Gaetano Donizetti. One of the highlights of La Scala is the concave channel under the wooden floor of the orchestra, which gives the hall such excellent acoustics.
The ancient Greeks, playing mysteries in honor of the god Dionysus, did not suspect that they were becoming the founders of a new art. The names of Euripides, Sophocles and Aristophanes - the fathers of the ancient Greek theater - are known to any educated person today, and some of their plays do not leave the stage even in the digital age. Speaking about theatrical stages, it should be noted that the amphitheaters that appeared in the era of antiquity were thoroughly “forgotten” in the Middle Ages, when theatrical performances were held in churches or right on the market squares.
By the 16th century, the situation in Europe was changing: the first theaters were being built to entertain the public. Today, there are "temples of Melpomene" in any country, and some of them have gained well-deserved world fame.
Covent Garden, London. Covent Garden is a district of the British capital, which gave its name to the theater built here. Its opening took place in December 1732, and almost immediately the theater became one of the best in London. Two years later, in addition to dramatic performances, Covent Garden staged a ballet and an opera by George Handel, who at that time held the position of musical director of the theater. Covent Garden burned twice, in 1808 and 1856, the current theater building, built in 1858, was completely renovated in the 1990s. Many famous opera singers have performed and perform on its stage, and Covent Garden itself is known for the fact that, unlike many other theaters, here you can listen to operas in the original language.
La Scala, Milan. The fact that the list of the most famous theaters in the world includes the Italian La Scala should not be surprising. Theaters on the Apennine Peninsula existed since the time of the Roman Empire, and modern opera art originates in Renaissance Italy. Theater La Scala opened in 1778 with a production of the opera Recognized Europe. Its author was Antonio Salieri - the famous hero of Pushkin's poem and at one time quite a popular composer. Since then, the Teatro alla Scala has hosted the premieres of operas by many world-famous Italian composers, such as Puccini, Bellini, Verdi and Rossini. In 2004, after a three-year reconstruction, the theatrical season on the renovated stage opened, as many years ago, with Salieri's opera Recognized Europe. By the way, it is the La Scala theater that bears the title of the most famous theater in the world according to the Samogo.Net portal.
Grand Opera, Paris. Without a doubt, this is the most famous theater in France, whose history begins in 1669, when the composer Camber and the poet Perrin, with the consent of King Louis XIV, founded an opera house in Paris. Over the centuries, the French Melpomene changed its name and location several times, until it finally “settled” in the IX district of the capital in a building designed by the architect Charles Garnier in 1875. On the stage of the Grand Opera at different times there were performances of operas by Italian, French and German composers, the premiere of the opera "Mavra" by the Russian composer I. Stravinsky took place here. Today, the Grand Opera House is called the Palais Garnier and remains one of the most visited theaters in the world.
Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow. On March 26, 1776, Catherine the Great granted Prince P. Urusov the privilege of maintaining performances and other entertainment for the next ten years. By tradition, this date is considered the "birthday" of the Bolshoi Theater. The composition of the first troupe was quite diverse - from serf actors to foreign celebrities. The building for the theater was built in 1780 on the banks of the Neglinka, its repertoire consisted mainly of ballets and comic operas by Italian and Russian authors. In 1825, the theater troupe moved into a new building, whose acoustic properties were considered among the best in the world at that time. Many premieres of famous operas took place on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, for example, Cherevichek and Mazepa by P. Tchaikovsky or Aleko and The Miserly Knight by S. Rachmaninov. The Bolshoi Theater has repeatedly hosted the troupes of its "colleagues" - Milan's La Scala Theater and the Vienna Opera.
Vienna Opera, Austria. The fact that the Vienna Opera House is one of the best in the world is quite logical, because Austria is the birthplace of many famous composers. The opening of the current theater building took place in May 1869 with Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. Although at first the neo-Renaissance theater was criticized ruthlessly, over time the architectural embodiment of the Vienna Opera gained recognition, and this theater is still considered one of the most beautiful in the world. The building, partially destroyed during the Second World War, was restored and inaugurated in 1955 with Beethoven's opera Fidelio. No theater in the world can compare with the Vienna Opera in terms of the number of performances: every year at least 60 operas are staged here, which theater lovers can enjoy 285 days a year. Another fact worth mentioning is the holding of the annual "Opera Ball", which attracts a huge number of both participants and spectators.
Metropolitan Opera, New York. The youngest of the luminaries of theatrical art. Its opening took place in 1883 with the opera "Faust" by C. Gounod. Surprisingly, from the day of its foundation and for more than a hundred years, the theater exists exclusively at the expense of private individuals and firms. The Metropolitan Opera moved to Lincoln Center in Manhattan in 1966. The theater building, of course, is inferior to its European counterparts in the luxury of interior decoration, but it is confidently leading in the use of modern technologies. Performances at the Metropolitan Opera are held daily for seven months, and in July the troupe gives free performances in city parks, where a huge number of spectators gather. Outstanding singers of their time sang on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera at different times: Fyodor Chaliapin, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Galina Vishnevskaya, Elena Obraztsova, Dmitry Hvorostovsky and many others.
How wrong were those who thought: with the advent of cinema, and later television, theater, as a separate art form, will go into oblivion. Time has refuted such forecasts - the meaning of the word "sold out" is well known to many theaters of the world even today.