Top theaters and performing arts destinations
Top theaters and performing arts destinations
Historic stages and iconic performing arts venues
The world's great theatres are as much architectural and cultural landmarks as performance spaces: buildings with acoustics, history and a resident company or programme that justifies attending a show in its own right, not just visiting the building. Some have been in continuous use for centuries.
The venues on this list range from opera houses built during the golden age of grand civic architecture to modern performing arts centres designed within the last few decades. Some are tied to a single famous company. Others host a rotating programme across genres.
Booking well ahead is standard for the venues that matter most and seeing a performance, not just touring the building, is usually what makes the visit worthwhile. Matinee performances also tend to offer a noticeably more affordable way to experience the same production.
Lists by region
City in Germany
Berlin
Wall history, Museum Island and all-night clubs
Berlin's Philharmonie concert hall was designed with the orchestra seated at its center rather than the front. Herbert von Karajan led the Berlin Philharmonic here for decades after the hall opened in 1963. Visitors can also catch opera at the Deutsche Oper across the city. Golden panels cover the hall's tent shaped exterior.
City in Japan
Tokyo
Japan's capital of temples, towers and food
Tokyo's Kabuki za theater has staged Kabuki performances in the Ginza district since 1889. Actors here train for years to master the art form's stylized movements and vocal style. Visitors can rent an earphone guide explaining the plot in English during performances. The current building dates to a 2013 reconstruction of the historic theater.
Town in Germany
Bayreuth
Wagner, baroque theaters and Franconian beer
Composer Richard Wagner designed Bayreuth's festival theater specifically for his own operas in 1876. The orchestra pit sits hidden beneath the stage to blend sound into the hall. Visitors can attend the annual Bayreuth Festival, though tickets often require years on a waiting list. Wagner's descendants have run the festival for generations since his death.
City
New York City
Five boroughs of skyline, food and museums
Broadway's theater district packs dozens of stages into a few blocks near Times Square. Some of these theaters have run the same musical continuously for decades. Visitors can catch a matinee or evening show most days of the week. Discount ticket booths in Times Square offer same day seats at reduced prices.
City in Japan
Kyoto
Temples, geisha districts and kaiseki dining
Kyoto's Minamiza theater has staged Kabuki performances since the early 1600s. Actors here wear elaborate makeup and costumes passed down through specific acting families. Visitors can rent an audio guide translating the stylized dialogue into English. The current building dates to a 1929 reconstruction after fire damaged an earlier version.
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