Experiencing the Sublime

Opera Houses and Concert Halls of Europe

Michael Webb, Thomas Aujero Small

$130.95 $111

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Oro Editions
11 May 2026

Concert halls, arenas, stadia; Opera; Museum, historic sites, gallery & art guides

This generously illustrated survey of 80 halls from the past three centuries is a personal selection by the authors, enriched by recommendations from leading musical authorities. These auditoria combine consistently high standards of performance with architectural and acoustical excellence.

The survey focuses on three periods. Earliest, the court theatres that served rulers and the aristocracy in the 18th century, jewel boxes that now draw music lovers to summer festivals. Secondly, the explosive growth in size of theatres, orchestras, and audiences in the 19th century. Finally, the dramatic advances in design and technology over the past 30 years, as leading architects have worked with musicians and expert acousticians to create versatile and innovative auditoria that address civic and economic demands, while attracting new audiences.

The goal is to create a readable, visually alluring compendium that will appeal to lovers of music and architecture as well as cultural tourists in search of new experiences. It will satisfy a broad range of tastes, from the intimacy of chamber music and baroque opera in period settings, to the grandeur of Verdi in La Scala and Wagner in Bayreuth, and the latest advances in composition and presentation.

By: Michael Webb, Thomas Aujero Small
Imprint: Oro Editions
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 254mm, Width: 254mm,
ISBN: 9781966515371
ISBN 10: 1966515375
Pages: 260
Publication Date: 11 May 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Michael Webb is the author of 30 books on architecture and design and contributes to leading journals in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Thomas Aujero Small has written extensively for the French journal Concertonet and other musical publications and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Music and Opera at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and a French National Fellowship at the Sorbonne Nouvelle.