ROYAL OPERA HOUSE

A majestic testament to the late Sultan Qaboos' unconditional love of great music, the Royal Opera House, some 142 years after the opening of the Cairo Opera House, had its Arab premiere in late 2011, with Franco Zeffirelli's Veronese Turandot conducted by Placido Domingo. With a capacity of about 1,100 people, the main auditorium is equipped with beautiful red seats. The spectators can follow the filmed version of the performance on the screen inserted in the backrest in front of them, but also the text of the libretto translated into the language of their choice. At the interval, in the foyer, one discovers a collection of rare antiques among which earthenware of Quimper Porquier-Beau, a lyre of the luthier of Mirecourt Jean-Baptiste Thouvenel or a bicentennial zither of Jean Hénocq. As music is a link between generations, the Omanis have chosen to equip the main hall with a polytimbral organ of 4,542 pipes by Klais, the historical organ builder based in Bonn. Tickets can be purchased at the reception desk or on the website. There is a possibility to attend a catch-up session from Saturday to Thursday from 8:20 am to 5:30 pm with a small guided tour of the opera house which unfortunately does not include the backstage area, but offers a nice overview of the auditorium.

Since 2020, this tour can be combined with the tour of The House of Musical Arts next door. Small extra charge.

To prolong the experience, you can stroll through the corridors of theOpera Galleria, a shopping mall of rare luxury and elegance.