National Opera House Museum, Bucharest

National Opera House Museum, Bucharest

The Romanian National Opera (Opera Naţională București) is one of the 4 national opera and ballet companies of Romania, and the largest opera theatre in the country.

The Romanian National Opera (Opera Naţională București) is one of the 4 national opera and ballet companies of Romania, and the largest opera theatre in the country. Designed by architects Octav Doicescu and Paraschiva Iubu, the Opera House was built in 1953 and inaugurated with a performance of Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades. The façade has a monumental portico with three arches flanked by pilasters statues of four Muses. The façade also features 2 reliefs - one depicting a scene from opera by sculptors Zoe Băicoianu and Boris Caragea, and the other depicting the flight of dancers by sculptor Ion Vlad. The horse-shoe shaped main auditorium can seat an audience of 952 people, while the Yellow Foyer also hosts events for an audience of upto 200 people. In front of the building is a park with a bronze statue of George Enescu by Ion Jalea.

Housed in the National Opera building, the National Opera Museum displays photographs, programs, posters, stage costumes, busts of great musicians, and opera-related documents.