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Backstage Tours of Opera Houses & Theaters in Europe

20 Dec 2009

For some of us, the excitement of seeing a performance at a European opera house is just not enough. Fortunately, theaters throughout Europe open their backstage doors to the public. Take advantage of these unique opportunities to look behind the scenes of some of the world's grandest theaters and witness, first hand, some of the work that goes into a production.

A backstage tour may include a discussion of the theater's history, a rare glimpse of a ballet company in class or designers creating sets. Keep in mind that tours may change if there's a performance on that day. And because they are working theaters, a visit into the main auditorium is not always guaranteed.

Palais Garnier (Paris Opera House Tours) - Paris

It is possible to walk around the public areas of the opera house on your own. However, guided tours of the stunning and opulent Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier) are also offered and are led by an English-speaking guide. During the 90-minute tour, you'll learn about the theater's history, its architecture and the daily activities of the artists. On the tour, you will also have the opportunity to see the grand staircase of the Paris Opera House, the foyers, the balcony box seats of the auditorium. Reservations are required for the tours.
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Royal Opera House Tours - London

One of the most comprehensive of the opera house tours in Europe, the guide at the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in London takes you through sections of the auditorium, backstage to the prop room where workers build the sets, the costume shop and the ballet studios. There's a chance you will even catch the ballet dancers in rehearsal. Tours of the Royal Opera House last approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. Advance reservations are highly recommended as the tour is quite popular.
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Globe Theatre Tours - London

The Globe Theatre offers daily tours before 12:30 pm during its performance season. The tour guide recounts the story of the playhouse's reconstruction and gives interesting facts about the playhouse's history. The tour includes entrance to the museum exhibition displaying costumes, prop weapons and other artifacts from Shakespeare's day.When performances are going on, tours of the archeological site of the Rose Theatre are offered. The Rose predates the Globe, but its remnants guided the Globe's reconstruction.
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Teatro alla Scala Tours - Milan

A couple of options are available for tours of La Scala. Visit the opera house itself along with tours of the Duomo and the Last Supper. Or, take a guided backstage tour. Guided tours of the famed La Scala in Milan take visitors backstage to discover the activities that occur within the opera house. The tour also includes an overview of the history of the theater. Advanced reservations are required.
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La Fenice Tours - Venice

Teatro la Fenice in Venice offers a couple of options for visitors. A self-guided tour of the beautiful halls and grounds with audioguide is available at the box office. Contact us for a schedule of opening times. Guided tours of Teatro La Fenice are also available with an expert that will explain the architecture and history of the opera house from its origins through its rebuilding.
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Staatsoper Tours - Vienna

The Vienna State Opera house (Wiener Staatsoper) offers international audiences opera, ballet and concerts throughout the year. It opened in 1869 and later reopened in 1955 after the Second World War. Notable greats such as Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, Clemens Krauss, Karl Böhm, and Lorin Maazel have all made their mark on this legendary opera house. The guided tours, which last 40 minutes, may be combined with admission to the Vienna State Opera museum and the Austrian Theater museum.
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