Den Norske Opera & Ballett, opened in 2008 in Oslo on the edge of the Bjørvika harbour, is one of the most spectacular modern opera houses in the world and Norway's national stage for opera and ballet. Designed by Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta, the building rises out of the Oslofjord like an iceberg — the white marble incline on the roof is publicly accessible and became a city icon. The house with around 1,370 seats in the main hall is home to the Norwegian Opera and the Norwegian National Ballet. It is the only opera house in the world whose roof can be walked on around the clock. The building won the Mies van der Rohe Award in 2009 as the best European building.
The roof serves a double purpose: in winter the walkable marble slope becomes a popular sledding run for Oslo residents down toward the fjord.
At a glance
- Type
- Opera house
- Location
- Oslo, Norway
More venues in Oslo
- Det Norske Teatret · Theatre, Oslo
- Nationaltheatret Oslo · Theatre, Oslo