Beauty and Grandeur of Opera Houses (12 total)

La Scala, Milan, Italy

As a symbol of a nation's wealth and power, opera houses are an amazing way to experience a country's rich culture. Photographer David Leventi takes us inside some of the most ornate ones and even asks us to stand center stage. Taking some photos from the vantage point of the performer, we get to experience an incredible view and one that we'd probably never experience otherwise.

"The photograph freeze for eternity the instant before a performance takes place. Viewers are invited to pour over details, to feel the potential energy in a space where it is all just about to happen. The actual performance is just a part of the overall awe-inspiring experience of going to the theater – I believe that the space itself can be the event."

Photographed with a large-format view camera, we get an architecturally meticulous view of these opera houses. You can see the incredible detail in everything from the rows of velvet seats to the chandeliers and gilt decorations.

Opra de Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco

Teatro di San Carlo, Naples, Italy

Marlinksy Theatre, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Palais Garnier, Paris, France

Bavarian State Opera, Munich, Germany

Mikhailovsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Teatro Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil

Romanian Athenaeum, Bucharest, Romania

Metropolitan Opera House, New York, New York

Oslo Opera House, Oslo, Norway

Drottningholm Palace Theatre, Stockholm, Sweden

See the series at the Arthur Roger Gallery from August 7 through September 11th, 2010.

David Leventi

via PDN