Royal Opera House Muscat

Muscat, Oman

Courtesy of Royal Estates Affairs and Royal Opera House Muscat

One of the most beautiful and technically advanced opera houses in the world, this multiform theatre can transform from an intimate 1,100 seat opera house into an 850-seat shoebox-style concert hall with the push of a button. It was the first opera house on the Arab peninsula.

500 tons

weight of orchestra shell

20 meters

travelling distance of orchestra shell

200,000

square-foot building footprint

An orchestra shell tracks downstage from the back of the house, guided on railway tracks, and fits seamlessly with the auditorium walls. The proscenium arch lifts away, the orchestra pit rises, and the front two rows of seats lower into the floor—all guided by automated systems. With the 200,000 square foot facility’s performance flexibility, it has opened the region to a new and enriching world of the performing arts.

Courtesy of Royal Estates Affairs and Royal Opera House Muscat

owner:

Diwan of Royal Court

architect:

Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo

acoustician:

Acoustic Dimensions

users:

Touring performances

spaces: