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. A 500-ton 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. The stunning venue is an elegant mix of traditional Arabic and contemporary design and was the first opera house on the Arab peninsula. 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.