The Most Beautiful Opera Houses in the World

by Antoine Pecqueur, Guillaume de Laubier (Photographer)

Opera houses―temples to the art of Mozart, Verdi, Tchaikovsky, and more―have been created by some of the most talented architects and designers of their generations, inspiring centuries of veneration from audiences, filled with royalty and commoners alike. In this sumptuous book, photographer Guillaume de Laubier and journalist Antoine Pecqueur explore more than 25 of the world’s most beautiful opera houses, from Tokyo to Covent Garden, from Oslo to Chicago, from Milan to New York. The buildings are described in their historical contexts, while stunning photography reveals the theaters’ most captivating spaces. In addition to offering sweeping views of ornate auditoriums and facades, the book opens doors normally closed to the public, entering the artists’ dressing rooms, rehearsal halls, scenery workshops, and more, presenting a wide-ranging and compelling look into a spectacular world.<!--? prefix = o ns = "" /-->

Praise for The Most Beautiful Opera Houses in the

“Performance spaces take the spotlight in The Most Beautiful Opera Houses in the World and you don’t need to be a music buff to appreciate their range. The photographs by Guillaume de Laubier capture 32 theaters across the globe in rich detail . . . Who knew empty stages made for such good theater?” ― Wall Street Journal

 “With the growing popularity of massive arenas, it is often difficult to think back to a time when going out for a night of music was synonymous with elegance. But a new book has rediscovered the high art of these exquisite theater spaces . The Most Beautiful Opera Houses in the World contains hundreds of photographs showing the exteriors and auditoriums of these cultural treasures―and is a reminder why these architectural wonders are worth a visit.” ―FOXNews.com

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Photography, Music

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2013

Reviews

[Rose]

The photos, of course, are the point, and they are simply stunning, albeit somewhat over sharpened. I appreciated seeing opera houses in so many countries. There's such variety. It makes me want to travel!

I would have liked a bit of a behind the scenes of the photography process - why is there only one photo of some of the theatres, for instance, and ample photos of others? I'm sure it's much more of a process than we might think!

The mini descriptions and history of the theatres are succinct, but I would easily have read five times the amount of info about each theatre. I guess I'll need to find a different book for that.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became interested in beautiful theaters after seeing a performance at La Scala in Milan, which was a great life experience. Actually, I became obsessed by them after watching Herzog's Fitzcarraldo. So, I was disappointed that Amazonas in Manaus was not included in this book-- not to mention, as a reviewer said below, the Colon in Buenos Aires (I have another book of opera houses that does thankfully included the Amazonas.). It is a dream of mine to visit both opera houses in South America--and while I cannot say I have any desire to see Bayreuth (sorry everyone), I am hoping very much to visit Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Lisbon and Teatro La Fenice. All this said, the book is a quirky and fun take on the top pick with gorgeous photographs.

So far, my own top theater is Palais Garnier. It remains my favorite in the world.

Very happy Parma's opera house was included. More here: http://www.borges-library.com/2018/01...