Operaen, the Copenhagen Opera House, is Denmark's national opera house and the home of the Royal Danish Opera. It stands on the island of Holmen in Copenhagen harbour, at Ekvipagemestervej 10, a short walk from the city's waterfront and old naval quarter.
The building
Designed by the architect Henning Larsen and opened in 2005, the house is a modern piece of architecture set against the water. Its clean lines and open approach to the harbour make it a striking sight whether you arrive on foot, by bicycle or from the sea, and it is widely regarded as one of the most modern opera houses in the world.
What a visit offers
- Performances by the Royal Danish Opera, which make the building's main purpose easy to enjoy in person.
- Architecture worth seeing even outside a performance, particularly the relationship between the building and the harbour.
- A setting on Holmen, an area of old naval buildings and open waterside space that gives the visit a calm, distinctive character.
Planning your trip
Holmen sits close to the centre of Copenhagen, so the opera house fits easily into a day of walking along the harbour or exploring the city's older districts nearby. If you are coming for a performance, it is worth allowing time to arrive comfortably and to look around the building before the curtain goes up.