The Norwegian king officially inaugurated the new opera in Oslo

Oslo - Norwegian King Harald V. tonight opened a new opera house in Oslo, which aims to rank among the most famous opera houses in the world. With his opening speech, he also commenced the celebrations attended by 1,350 guests, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Danish Queen Margrethe II.
    This remarkable architectural work is located on the shore of the Oslo fjord near the city center and in close proximity to the main train station. The low building made of white marble features three opera halls, the largest of which accommodates 1,356 seated spectators. The project, costing 3.3 billion Norwegian kroner, was designed by the architectural studio Snøhetta.
    "The opera house has risen on the Oslo fjord as a new and magnificent landmark," said Harald in his opening speech. According to the opera's director Bjoern Simonsen, the opera will change "the way the world perceives us and how we perceive ourselves."
    During the grand opening, among others, Ukrainian soprano Maria Guleghina, German soprano Anja Harteros, and German singer René Pape performed.
    The Norwegian Opera and Ballet, which previously did not have its own venue and had been temporarily operating in the People's Theater for nearly half a century, will present, among other works, the Norwegian premiere of George Gershwin's musical Porgy and Bess, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera Titus, and Johann Strauss's operetta Die Fledermaus during the year. The first opera performance in the new building will be the September presentation of Giuseppe Verdi's opera Don Carlos.