A night at the opera
Walking along the elegant Andrássy Avenue, you’ll see beautiful maple trees and elegant villas on both sides. This atmospheric street is also the setting of the Hungarian State Opera. This stunning opera house was built in the late 19th century as an architectural and acoustic tour de force. Many Hungarians still love spending an afternoon or evening in style, enjoying a classical music concert or a ballet performance.
The opera house was built between 1875 and 1884 at a time when the country was going through some major changes. Buda and Pest had just merged into a single city and Hungary was becoming increasingly independent from Austria. Built to measure up to the opera houses in Vienna, Dresden and Paris, the Royal Opera of Hungary, as it was originally called, soon developed into one of Europe’s leading cultural platforms.
A majestic opera house
Like it or not, this is clearly a majestic building. And a visit to the opera brings you in good company: the façade features statues of the world’s greatest composers such as Liszt, Mozart, Beethoven and Verdi. 2 imposing Sphinxes guard the main entrance to the spacious foyer, and famous Hungarian painters have decorated the interior with stunning frescos and mosaics. The auditorium has a classic appearance, with red being the primary hue in the fabrics used for the seats and heavy curtains.
“Story has it that Emperor Franz Josef didn’t much appreciate the opera house he financed.”