The Hungarian State Opera House, known locally as Magyar Állami Operaház. It is simply beautiful.
The Hungarian State Opera House first opened to the public in 1884 during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was not allowed to be larger than the Opera house in Vienna, but there were not any rules about it being more beautiful. It was designed by architect Miklós Ybl. He wanted to make it a symbol of Hungary’s cultural sophistication in Budapest.
Before stepping inside, take a look at the building’s exterior. The façade is decorated with statues of Hungary’s greatest composers, such as Franz Liszt and Ferenc Erkel.
Stepping into the auditorium is nothing short of breathtaking. If you do not have tickets to a performance, you can visit here on one of the formal tours. The auditorium is shaped like a horseshoe. It rivals the grandeur of Europe’s most famous opera houses, including La Scala in Milan and the Palais Garnier in Paris. 15 pounds of gold can be fond in the auditorium. For acoustics, it is considered one of the best in the world. Make sure to look up. The ceiling was painted by Károly Lotz. It is titled The Apotheosis of Music. As you look up you will see figures from Greek mythology. This includes Apollo who is the god of musicals well as other characters that symbolize various musical disciplines. The huge chandelier is lowered twice a year manually for cleaning. It can take 20 minutes to have it lowered and 40 minutes to bring it back up. While it originally used gas, it is now electric.
During the Hungarian State Opera 5-year refurbishment. One of the additions at the Hungarian State Opera House was screens added to the back of the chair (or pulling out from the side in the front row) for translations. I love this as it makes it more accessible for international travelers.
At the end of the guided tour, we were treated to a small sample of the Opera which made a great conclusion. It was simply wonderful. It was just enough of a taste that I wanted to come back and watch a performance. FYI: I highly recommend getting tickets in advance as they can sell out in the busy months for the tour.
As part of a broader Budapest itinerary, the Opera House fits seamlessly alongside other cultural landmarks, such as the Franz Liszt Academy of Music and the Museum of Fine Arts. For art and music-loving travelers, I can create themed itineraries that weave these sites together, providing a comprehensive look at the city’s artistic soul.
The Hungarian State Opera is located on Andrássy Avenue, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This iconic boulevard is also home to many luxury boutiques which are great for window shopping or to bring home a gift for yourself as well as embassies, and other architectural gems.
So how do you get here? For clients staying in central Budapest, the Opera House is easily accessible by foot or public transportation. The nearby M1 metro line (the oldest in continental Europe) has a stop literally steps from the entrance.
Getting tickets to an opera performance in advance are highly recommended. There are also limited day of tickets that can be purchased in person. Those tickets are for standing room only. If you book far enough out, you can also rent out an entire Royal Box for your traveling party. If you are unable to attend a performance, take a tour. Tours are offered in multiple languages including English.
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