Go backstage at the Oslo Opera House

Norway's home of opera is a magnificent wedge of snow-white marble and glass on Oslo's waterfront, yet the mood is far from aristocratic. The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet call the Oslo Opera House home, as does Norway's national opera theater. The building is located in the downtown Oslo neighborhood of Bjrvika, near the head of the Oslofjord. Statsbygg, the government organization in charge of managing property for the Norwegian government, runs it. The angled outside surfaces of the structure are covered with Carrara marble from Italy and white granite, giving the impression that it is rising from the water. It is Norway's greatest cultural building since Nidarosdomen was finished about 1300.

A-list architects The Oslo Opera House was built by Snhetta to be an extension of the harborfront, allowing you to stroll, run, and climb all over it. Feel the contrasted warmth of the blonde-wood interior for free, or take a guided tour to observe set designers, musicians, and dancers rehearsing for shows. Several art projects for the inside and outside of the Sydney Opera House were commissioned. The most renowned is Monica Bonvicini's She Lies, a sculpture made of stainless steel and glass panels. It is permanently mounted on a concrete platform in the fjord close to the Opera House and floats on the water, changing appearance in response to tides and wind.