The Royal Opera House Muscat
Royal Opera House Muscat is the leading arts and culture destination in the Sultanate of Oman. Since opening the doors of its iconic building in 2011, Royal Opera House Muscat has showcased rich and diverse performances of opera, ballet, Arabic music, family shows, and more from Oman, the wider region, and the world. It also stages original productions, in partnership with leading international talent. Some of the world's most distinguished performers have graced its stage, including Plácido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli, Renée Fleming, the Marinsky Ballet, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Situated in the heart of the capital city of Muscat, the Royal Opera House fosters regional and international cultural vitality, through its rich programme of multi-disciplinary collaboration and exchange.
Facts and figures
The Royal Opera House Muscat occupies an extensive site of almost eighty thousand square meters in Muscat, the capital of Oman, close to the Qurm shoreline area. The built area comprises over twenty-five thousand square meters. The site extends from west to east, with AlKharijyah Street to the north and Al Sultan Qaboos Street to the south. To the far west, a car park provides ample space for visitors, and is connected by a raised walkway to the mall building or “souk”, containing shops, restaurants, and exhibition area. Immediately in front of car park, the great Maidan, a large open square lies adjacent to the Opera House, provides a commanding outdoor performance space. The Maidan offers built-in provision for sound and light support, making it suitable for a wide range of events, from drama to musical bands, overlooked by terrace areas of restaurants in the mall.
The Opera House itself is built over eight floors, three below and five above ground, and extends north to south across the site, with colonnades running along the west and east sides of the building. At the north end of the West Colonnade, a small “black box” studio theater can host events for an audience of around 80. Further along the colonnade, access to the main building is achieved through a porch into the Maidan Lobby which contains ticket office. The front of the building is located on the south side, where the enclosed South Hall allows vehicular access from which guests can step into the Main Foyer of the Opera House. Inside the Opera House, the Main Auditorium, with capacity of up to 1,100, lies along the north- south line of the building. Further access into the main building is also possible via East Colonnade, through the East Hall and thence via lift or the grand staircase to the first and subsequent floors. On the first floor are the East and West Mallis and the VVIP Suite. Also on the first floor, on the East side of the building, a sweeping, elegantly designed royal approach road provides access to the Royal Reception Area. The road overlooks the gardens and the Great Lawn, an additional performance space.
The north end of the building contains the stage, moveable concert shell, and a Porte cohere, the get in, which gives access straight on to the stage for the unloading of scenery and equipment. The far end of the building contains administration areas and dressing rooms. The roof areas, levels 7 and 8 of the building, provide yet more facilities for outdoor events, the latter with breathtaking views over the sea to the north and mountains to the south.
Timeline
Date of initial concept : 2002
Date of architectural competition: 2004
Dates of construction: 2007 – 2011
Official opening: 12th October 2011
Site
Total area: 78548 sq. m
Built area: 25346 sq. m
Gardens and other open area : 61,500 sq. m
Performance / exhibition venues
9 supported area, including:
Main Auditorium
Maidan
Studio theatre
The south Hall
Main Foyer
2 roof tops
Great Lawn
Multi-purpose room
Auditorium
Maximum capacity: 1091
Concert mode: 1055
Theatre mode: 976
Opera mode, full orchestra: 839
Key features: seatback electronic librettos, moveable theatre boxes, reverberation chamber control, in- auditorium control position, retractable acoustic reflectors, 3 basement stowed seat wagons to adjust the seating capacity according to the event.
Stage
Main stage area : 460 sq. m
Total area including stage, wings and rear stage : 1480 sq. m
Maximum width of architectural proscenium 22.7m in concert mode, reducing to 14m in theatre mode
Maximum height of architectural proscenium : 14.44m in concert mode, reducing to10m in theatre mode
Stage mechanics
Trap room : 57 sq. m
Number of traps : 15
Fly tower height : 32 m
Number of fly bars : 58
Number of movable point hoists : 6
Key features : 3 stage sections mounted on lifts, customizable for seating , performance space, orchestral pit uses
Concert shell
Key features : moveable on 20 m tracks; reverberation chamber control through adjustment of louvers and absorption within the chamber
Organ
Marker : Klais, Bonn, Germany
Manuals : 4
Stops : 70
Pipes : 4,542
Weight : 50 tonnes
Key feature: half a division has pipes facing into the reverberation chamber ; “Solo Royal” contains 3 Royal stops : stop 68 with 37 tubular bells; stop 69, with a bright, crisp sound and stop 70, one of the finest flutes ever made
Design Client : The Royal Estates, Royal Court Affairs
Architect of Record : Wimberley Allison Tong and Goo (WATG) UK
Theatre Consultants
Stage engineering : Theatre Projects Consultants UK
Production lighting
Sound and broadcast
Drapes and masking: “ & The Royal Estates
Acoustics Consultant : Acoustic Dimensions UK
Master Planning : WATG and The Royal Estates
Architecture : WATG and The Royal Estates
Structural Engineering : Cowi & Partners LLC
Environmental Engineering : Majan Engineering Consultants
Interior Design
Public and Royal areas
(Front of House)
Concept: The Royal Estates
Design Development : The Royal Estates, Jall Interiors
WATG, Carillion Alawi
Administration, production and performer’s areas (Back of House)
Concept: WATG
Design Development : WATG , The Royal Estates
Landscape Design: Verdaus, The Royal Estates
Quantity Surveyors : Majan Engineering (QS) and The Royal Estates
Road Work Design : Renardet
Construction
Enabling works : OSCO
Piling Foundation : Swiss Boring
Road Works : CCC
Main Contractor : Carillion Alawi LLC
MEP Subcontractor : Bahwan Engineering Company
Exteriors
Stone : Natural Stone
Aluminum windows : Oralco
Timber joinery : Carillion Alawi Joinery
Cast metalwork : Metal Engineering
Cast metalwork : Ceross
Soft landscaping: General Development Services
Interiors
Timber joinery, furniture: Shanfari
Timber joinery, decoration, Gypsum, furniture: Shamel
Furniture: Yahya Construction
Gypsum: Creation
Marble: OMIC
MARBLE, gypsum, grc: Al Turki
Marble: Natural Stone
Timber joinery: Carillion Alawi Joinery
Decoration: Muscat Ornamental
Decorative glass: Al Khalul
Decoration, furniture: Services and Trade
Stage engineering: SBS
Production lighting: Al Moayed/ LSI (UK)
Sound and broadcast: Mustafa Sultan & COMS (UK)
Drapes and masking: Mustafa Sultan & JC Joel (UK)
Libretto: Advanced Resources (Oman) & Marconi (IT)