Looking to history for a modern paradigm in opera house design

Abstract

The design of a 600-seat opera house is a rare opportunity. The cost of modern opera production leads to much larger facilities and small venues are more frequently multi-purpose venues by nature, leading to the use of concert hall or lyric theatre forms that can be pressed into service for opera. The United States has many small theatres, mostly on college campuses, but few see frequent use for Opera and as a result design choices tilt away from optimal for Opera performance. Historic opera houses of Europe present more opportunities for exploration. Many follow the Italianate form which is intimate and evokes our sense of what an opera house “should” be, though closer investigation exposes the weakness in these designs both theatrically and acoustically. The experience for many patrons is removed and lonely with severely challenged sightlines and an acoustic experience that is frontal, dry, and unengaging. Our exploration took us to the Royal Opera in the Palace of Versailles whose form varies in key ways from the typical. While the construction techniques of Versailles hinder its acoustic response, as inspiration, a new form for intimate opera is created.