Hoping to transform the city into a world-class cultural centre, the city fathers have embarked on a massive waterfront redevelopment project (which is scheduled to last until 2020), the centrepiece of which is the magnificent Opera House, a creation which is fast becoming one of the iconic modern buildings of Scandinavia.
The Design
Designed by Oslo-based architectural firm Snøhetta and costing around €500 million to build, the Opera House, which opened in 2008, has been designed to resemble a glacier floating in the waters off Oslo. It's a subtle building that at first doesn't look all that impressive, but give it time and it will leave you spellbound. Impressive at any time, it's probably at its most magical in winter when snow provides it with a gleaming coat and the surrounding harbour fills with sparkling sheets of ice.
The Exterior
Before venturing inside be sure to walk up onto the roof, which was designed to act as a 'carpet' of sloping angles and flat surfaces. It's a symbolism that obviously works because Norwegians love to sprawl out across it on sunny days and sunbathe. Also, don't miss 'playing' the musical rods that sit both up on the roof and near the entrance. Floating just offshore of the Opera House is Monica Bonvicini's She Lies, a 3D interpretation of Caspar David Friedrich's 1823–24 painting Das Eismeer (The Sea of Ice). As the tides rush in and out of the harbour, the steel and glass sculpture spins and twists, creating a constantly changing perspective for the viewer.
The Interior
The main entrance to the Opera House is purposely small and unimpressive, which serves only to add to the sense of vastness that greets you on entering the main foyer (the windows alone are 15m high and flood the foyer with light). Aside from the windows, the other dominating feature of the foyer is the Wave Wall. Made of strips of golden oak, the wall curves up through the centre of the foyer and provides access to the upper levels of the building. Opposite the wave wall, green lights create playful patterns on the wall (and make the toilets and coat room they hide the most artistic you will ever visit!).
Also in the foyer is a restaurant , serving suitably modern and arty takes on old Norwegian classics.
Guided Tours & Performances
To see more of the building's interior, you will have to join one of the guided tours . These run in English and Norwegian and take you into some of the building's 1100 rooms. The guide will explain much of the artistic symbolism of the building, and reveal something of life behind the scenes at the Opera House. In high season it's a good idea to book a space on a tour in advance.
While wandering around the building, it can be easy to forget that it's not just there to serve as eye candy for tourists, and that its prime role is to act as a showcase for top-notch opera and ballet performances. Upcoming performances are listed on the website and ticket prices vary from Nkr100 to Nkr745.
