A Mountain of Music – Oslo Opera House

Oslo Opera House

Visit Oslo Opera House once you are in Oslo

Oslo Opera House is one of the most attractive places to visit in Oslo. If you are wondering why should you visit Oslo Opera House once you are in Oslo, read this review! In this review, you would get to know the overview of Oslo Opera House, the history, architecture of Oslo Opera House and also some of the best recommendations.Visit Oslo Opera House

Overview of Oslo Opera House

In Norwegian Opera House is called Operahuset. Oslo Opera House is the place where The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, Norway’s largest music and performing arts institution performs. Oslo Opera House is also the national opera theatre in Norway. It is built in the neighborhood of Central Oslo, at the head of Oslofjord. The Opera House has spread across a total area of 414,000 square feet. If you know the numbers of rooms it contains you will be mesmerised! Oslo Opera House has more than 1,100 rooms.

There are total three auditoriums. The main auditorium is very prodigious and can avail 1,364 people. Other two are not exactly auditoriums. Rather they can be called performance spaces. Each has 200 and 400 seats respectively.

The stage which is usually used by the performers is 52 feet wide and whopping 132 feet deep. The exterior of the whole building is made of granite and white marbel and for such surface, when someone looks at the Opera House, it seems that it has appeared by rising above the water.

After Nidarosdomen, it is the largest cultural building ever built in Norway.it is the largest cultural building ever built in Norway.

History

The Oslo Opera House is built by the Norwegian firm Snøhetta. They embarked on 2003 and finished in 2007 which is within just 4 years ahead of their scheduled time. They also completed the Opera House US $708 Million which is also well under their set budget of US $760 Million.

It had a huge gala opening in April, 2008 where King Herald, his majesty, President of Finland and Queen of Denmark had offered their royal presence. It became so popular within the first year of its inception that more than 1.3 million people had already visited The Opera House.

Oslo Opera House won most reputed culture award at World Architecture Festival in Barcelona in 2008 and also received most famous European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture in 2009.award at World Architecture Festival in Barcelona

Architecture of Oslo Opera House

The architecture of the Opera House is one of the best architecture ever built. If you would like to go to the roof of the Opera House, there is a ground level plaza where you can walk up straight. It is not only best for pedestrians, this kind of arrangement had also been thought after for skateboarders as well. Skateboarders are allowed to skate on the plaza considering that they don’t do skateboard near the performance spaces. To discourage the skateboarders near the performance spaces, the steps are being used.

As already mentioned that exterior of Oslo Opera House is made of white granite and white Italian Marble, its stage tower is covered by white aluminium which will entice any visitor visiting the opera house.

The whole opera house is surrounded by water as if the opera house rose above the water to appear. To view the water closely from the opera house, the windows were made huge, almost 49 feet tall and almost no frame was used to magnify the view of gorgeous water outside.

The interiors were covered by the oak to give a rustic look to the overall places and to align with the white exterior. The main auditorium was made like a horseshoe and always illuminated. The secret behind this illumination was the usage of 5,800 crystals. The seats were given monitors to facilitate the audience to understand the opera in Norwegian, English and in original language.the opera in Norwegian

Recommendations

Oslo Opera House is one of the modern looking opera houses ever built. Even if you are not much into opera, the whole view would mesmerize you.

In winter the roof of the opera house is covered by the snow and people who love snowboarding cannot control themselves. Under the sun, people who are local, bare all and enjoy the sun on the marble slope.

It is so strongly built that it is assumed that it will last for another 300 years without having any issues whatsoever.

It is one of the places in the world, not only in Oslo to visit before you die. If you are fan of music or simply love relaxing and love to be amazed by architecture, Oslo Opera House will never stop to delight you as the only mountain of music in Norway.