Shown: Teatro alla Scala, MilanIn 1776 the Milanese were saddened to see their beloved opera house destroyed by fire. From a stately French grande dame built to commemorate a soon-to-be king’s wedding to a dramatic creation perched on a Scandinavian fjord, here are 14 of the most eye-popping. Newer ones, while embracing a sleeker, more forward-thinking aesthetic, still turn to the balustrades and statuary of yore for inspiration.

Many of these halls, thankfully spared from neglect, continue to educate today. Classical music’s rich past is perhaps best exemplified by the extravagant opera house, an architectural manifestation of art, culture, and enlightenment, particularly in Europe.

It appeals to a wide, curious clan of music lovers weaving Bach and Tchaikovsky into their Mos Def– and Sia-fueled playlists.

Between innovative concerts held in unlikely venues (warehouses! breweries!), dynamic crossover collaborations, and even hit shows like Mozart in the Jungle, classical music is thriving.

The royal opera house versailles