The Most Famous Opera Houses

The opera house is a building in the form of a theater, i.e. a raised stage, seats and galleries, used for opera performances and more. An opera house often hosts ballet performances, concerts and theater performances.

The first public opera house to operate was the Teatro San Cassiano in Venice in 1637. It is no coincidence or very natural as Italy is a country where opera has been popular for centuries. Italy is home to many notable opera houses such as Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Teatro di San Carlo in Naples and the famous Teatro La Scala in Milan.

The operas in the previous centuries were operated by donations from nobles and rich people whose goal was to support their political ambitions and social status through art. Over the centuries funding passed to the state.

The list of the most famous and remarkable opera houses: 

1. Sydney Opera House, Sydney

2. Teatro alla Scala, Milan

3. Bolshoi Theater, Moscow

4. Vienna Operahouse, Vienna

5. Palais Garnier, Paris

6. Royal Opera House, London

7. Metropolitan Opera House, New York

8. Greek National Opera, Athens

9. Teatro La Fenice, Venice

10. Teatro Real, Madrid

For sure every European (mostly) country has its own unique and remarkable opera house, as the home of arts. It’s actually a great way and opportunity to learn more about a country’s civilization to visit an opera house and watch an opera performance. 

Opera And Greek Drama

During the 16th century, opera and classical music blossomed in Europe, particularly in Italy. Monody, which was the prevailing practice, was a critical component in the formation of this musical genre. Following the principles of ancient Greek theater, 16th century Italian musicians attempted to enhance discourse through music. It is no coincidence that many features of this ancient Greek art have been absorbed by musical genres such as opera and oratorio.

The term opera is derived from the Latin word "opus," which meaning "labor." It denotes the use of a wide range of artistic forms under its umbrella, including dance, theater, music, and scenography. It blends music & theater because the actors communicate through singing. Although the terminology melodrama is much broader in Greek, it is frequently used to describe it.

Opera is a major musical cultural output and one of the oldest musical genres. We frequently use the same name to refer to the theater where performances are held. It is characteristic that the opera resurrected the old Greek tragedy. Plenty of famous operas of the 16th and 17th centuries re-presented ancient Greek themes, with the tragic poets of the 5th century BC dominating. Many Italian composers interacted with ancient Greek works, reviving them via classic ballet, opera, and symphonic works.