the room
The auditorium: horseshoe, fresco and chandelier
The numbers and the details of the room where the hour reaches its high point.
Reserve the Opera House tour ↗The auditorium by the numbers
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Seats | 1,261 |
| Shape | Horseshoe |
| Chandelier | Bronze, 3,050 kg |
| Fresco | The Greek gods on Olympus, by Károly Lotz |
| Royal box | Centre of the three-storey circle |
A horseshoe for 1,261
The auditorium is shaped like a horseshoe and holds 1,261 people. It is not among the largest opera houses, but it is considered among the finest for beauty and sound.
The fresco overhead
Károly Lotz painted the ceiling fresco, which shows the Greek gods on Olympus. The chandelier hangs in front of it and lights it.
The bronze chandelier
The chandelier that lights the fresco is bronze and weighs 3,050 kg.
The royal box
The royal box is placed centrally in the three-storey circle. Its sculptures symbolise the four operatic voices: soprano, alto, tenor and bass.
Machinery behind the arch
The proscenium arch used the most modern technology of the 1880s, including a revolving stage and metal hydraulic machinery.
Why it sounds so good
Engineers who measured the room in the 1970s ranked its acoustics third in Europe, after La Scala and the Palais Garnier.