After almost five years of renovation, the Opera House has finally opened its doors. The vintage charm of this Neo-Renaissance culture palace, designed by one of Hungary’s most famous architects, Miklós Ybl, is now complemented by most modern technology. During the reconstruction, designers concentrated on restoring the Opera House to its the original condition, the orchestra pit was connected to the auditorium, and smart 21st-century technology has been used in the boxes. The opening is being celebrated with a three-day series of events, with Plácido Domingo performing at a gala concert.
On 27 September 1884, one of the most beautiful buildings on Andrássy út was inaugurated before a huge crowd, in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph.
In the last 138 years, the Opera House has been rebuilt three times, first in 1912. During the current renovation, efforts were made to restore everything as planned by Miklós Ybl. The original colour of the walls and material was uncovered, the pipes used in the 1880s and the overall structure were all revamped over the course of two years. The design team followed afterwards.
Before the gala night, a press visit revealed the monumental ceiling fresco by Károly Lotz as viewed from the royal box, as well as the oak-laden reception room, the Red Salon, where a small exhibition related to Hungarian composer Ferenc Erkel will be on display. The press was also allowed to see backstage and the huge ballet studio on the fourth floor, which Ybl had originally planned as a rehearsal room, but had actually been used by painters until now.
See here for details of the current repertoire, while guided tours will soon be reintroduced.
