Better still - "You've got to walk on the roof of the Opera House."
That may sound a little odd, but it's certainly true. Walking on the roof of Oslo's top tourist attraction has to be done. During our visit, we were thrilled to discover that our hotel was about two short blocks away - so we could do that first thing.
The city fathers decided in 1999 that a new Opera House was needed, and hoped it could be the centerpiece of urban development. It took four years to come up with a design for it, and they didn't even gulp at a budget above $700 million. (Happily, it was $52 million under budget when it was done.) The facility opened in 2008, and more than one million people visited in that first year. Who says opera is highbrow?
Actually, anyone would enjoy a visit. From the water, the structure is designed to look like a glacier, and the white Italian marble helps serve that purpose nicely. The genius of the design is that it just invites people to walk up the roof and get a better view of the surrounding area. It can be a place for people to watch events. I'd have to guess that it's a great place to watch a fireworks show.
The main auditorium seats 1,364, and there are other rooms for performances. Plus, others work there full time. I'm told the doors to the ladies' room are spectacular. It's all part of an urban development project. In the area are other public buildings, hotels, apartments, and offices - all near the central train station, a place of vitality. You'd have to say it has worked as planned.
We couldn't get into the actual performance area. No videos show it either. But we can at least get a better look around here.
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