Oman’s Royal Opera House to Open in 2011

13 December 2010 (Last Updated December 13th, 2010 18:30)

The Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman will be completed in October 2011, developers have announced. The 80,000m² complex, designed by WATG Architects, will feature a 32m tower and a 1,950-seat modular auditorium a mini-theatre, restaurants and retail spaces including landscaped

The Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman will be completed in October 2011, developers have announced.

The 80,000m² complex, designed by WATG Architects, will feature a 32m tower and a 1,950-seat modular auditorium a mini-theatre, restaurants and retail spaces including landscaped gardens, Muscat Royal Opera House general director Iman Hindawi told AFP.

The limestone-stucco building will be influenced by modern Omani palaces, and reflect the outward design features and circulation patterns.

The opera house will also feature a movable acoustic shell within the stage area and adjustable proscenium elements to create alternative acoustic configurations.

The initial concept for the Italian-style opera house was drawn by UK-based Theatre Projects Consultants.