Lviv theatre of opera and ballet blog

Lviv National Opera invites you to spend unforgettable day in Lviv in an elegant theater atmosphere, enjoying the beauty of Lviv Opera, a unique pearl on the world’s artistic map.

– We invite your children or grandchildren under 12 to discover our theatre on a theatrical excursion “Steps to Parnassus”.

– Our wonderful mirror hall is at your disposal for professional celebrations, award ceremonies, chamber concerts or conferences.

– We offer your personal tours to get to know our theatre and its history better.

– Finally, to feel harmony with art, we invite you to attend the performance, before which you will have an opportunity to see the unique Curtain “Parnassus” by H. Siemiradzki (every Sunday on display).

Feel the symphony of life in Lviv National Opera!

Lviv National Opera access rules during the quarantine

These Rules are established to carry out the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (July 22, 2020, № 641) “On the introduction of quarantine and the stepping up anti-epidemic measures in the area with a significant spread of acute respiratory disease COVID-19 caused by coronavirus SARS -CoV-2” and Provisional Recommendations on the organization of anti-epidemic measures during cultural and artistic activities for the period of quarantine to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), approved by the resolution of Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine (06.06.2020 № 35), amended by the resolution of Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine (01.07.2020 № 38).

During your visit to the theatre (attending performances, concerts, guided tours, or any events taking place in Lviv National Opera), please observe the following rules:

cashless transactions are recommended when buying tickets at the theatre box office; you can also buy tickets online on our official website https://opera.lviv.ua;
spectators who attend theatre alone should buy a ticket for a separate seat (with adjacent seats empty);
during your entire visit, the use of a facemask is mandatory;
body temperature measurement will be required. If it is above 37.2°, entry will not be allowed. In this case, we strongly recommend you to visit your family doctor. If a visitor refuses to leave the theatre, the administration should inform the police;
hand sanitizers are provided near the box office, at the entrance, in the cloakrooms and restrooms;
to ensure the safety of visitors in the auditorium, seating arrangements are spaced to ensure appropriate social distancing of 1.5 m. It is prohibited to sit next to other visitors or to take other seat then indicated in your ticket. Seats that should not be occupied are indicated by restrictive tapes;
relatives or family members can stay in a box while purchasing three or more tickets. Besides relatives or family members (maximum 4) can sit together within a defined area (stalls, row 2-5);
keeping interpersonal distance according to the floor markings in the theatre foyer, restrooms and cloakrooms is advisable to discourage congregating in the theatre;
adhere to the developed schemes of entrance and exit to the theatre and auditorium to discourage congregating in the theatre;
refrain from presenting flowers to actors. Your ovation is the most valuable gift.
From October 18 2021, according to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine № 1236 and the decision of the State Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergencies (protocol № 39), to visit Lviv Opera, all audience members are required to:

– provide your proof of vaccination against Covid-19;
– OR provide COVID-19 PCR test or Antigen rapid test made within 72 hours before your visit;
– OR provide an appropriate document on recovery from COVID-19; the document should be verified through the Unified state web portal of electronic services, in particular by Diia app.
Children and teenagers under 18 do not currently need to provide proof of vaccination to visit us.
We wish you a pleasant and safe visit to Lviv National Opera!



Rules of Attendance of the Lviv National Opera

Upon purchasing tickets for the events taking place in the Theatre, visitors agree to the following Rules of Attendance and are obliged to comply with them.

Visitors shall behave in accordance with the rules of public order, theatre etiquette and fire safety.

While in the Theatre, visitors shall use its property with care. Any material losses incurred by the Theatre are subject to reimbursement according to rules set by the current legislation of Ukraine.

Our administrators greet you in the foyer and guide you to the magnificent building of the theatre: If you have the right side seats, the theatre staff guides you to the cloak room on the right side of the theatre, acording to your seating zone (parterre, balcony, box) that is printed on your ticket, where you can leave the outer garment, hat, umbrella or backpack. If you have the left side seats, you are welcomed to the left side.

Should a visitor lose a cloakroom badge, he/she shall reimburse its cost.

Should a visitor lose any of his/her personal belongings, he/she shall contact the cloakroom attendant or the administrator on duty.

According to the Law of Ukraine on Theatres and theatre craft (Article 12 of Section II), it is allowed to return a pre-purchased ticket with subsequent refund no later than an hour before the performance commencement.

The Theatre administration reserves its right to change the artist line-up without prior notice. Line-up changes are not considered a valid reason for returning tickets, unless a solo concert or a recital is the case.

In case of a performance cancellation, the Theatre provides a full refund for the purchased tickets.

The visitors shall keep their tickets until the end of a performance.

Should a visitor damage his/her ticket badly or lose it, he/she is not allowed to the performance. Obtaining a ticket copy or getting a refund is not envisaged. The Theatre administration does not bear responsibility for forged tickets and does not consider any complaints concerning the latter.

It is possible for the children aged 6 or more to visit evening performances, provided that they are escorted by adults and have their own tickets. Children under the age of 4, escorted by adults, are allowed to the morning performances for free – however, they are not provided with a separate seat.

People with limited physical abilities are strongly advised to contact the Theatre administration while planning their visit by the following number: (032) 255-49-60.

The visitors are allowed to the Theatre no earlier than 45 minutes prior to the performance commencement. Entering the auditorium is permitted after the first bell and is prohibited after the performance commencement. Should a visitor be late, he/she shall take a seat, proposed by the administrator. It is possible to move to the seat specified in the ticket later during the intermission.

During a performance, all the communication devices must be turned off or switched to silence/vibration mode.

In order to preserve copyrights and allied rights, taking photos or recording video/audio of the performance or its parts without a special permit of the Theatre administration is prohibited.

The visitors who want to present flowers to the artists shall give the bouquets with written notes specifying the receiver to the administrators who shall present them after the performance.

The visitors are allowed to stay in the Theatre no longer than 20 minutes after the end of a performance.

Entering the Theatre being dressed inappropriately is prohibited.

Львівський Національний Академічний театр опери та балету 23 серпня о 20:30 Львівська національна опера представляє дійство «Народження Незалежності», яке пропонує глядачам унікальний формат поєднання класичної музики, сві...

The Lviv House of Opera and Ballet Seats Over 1,000 People
The Lviv House of Opera and Ballet is considered a small opera house. It has:

403 parterre seats
66 parterre box seats
58 balcony I seats
90 balcony I box seats
84 balcony II seats
66 balcony II box seats
235 balcony III seats
which is 222 box seats and 780 regular seats, for a total of 1,002 seats.

Around the world, Houses of Opera range from small ones seating around 800 – 900 people (Prague Opera House seats 812 people) to large facilities intended for an audience of 3,500 to 4,000 opera lovers (Metropolitan Opera House seats 3,800 people).


What is a parterre seat? What is the difference between a box seat and a regular seat? Where is the best seat in the house to enjoy an opera performance?

Read about choosing the best seat in a house of opera.
See images of a variety of house of opera seating plans and seating charts.
Listen to opera music online – the Entr’acte (Introduction) to Act 4, from Carmen by Georges Bizet.
Lviv Opera House Seating
Lviv Opera House Seating

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12 Different Artists Created the Lviv House of Opera Auditorium Ceiling
The Lviv House of Opera auditorium ceiling is the combined work of the following artists:

Aleksander Augustynowicz (1865 – 1944)
Zygmunt Gorgolewski (1845 – 1903)
Piotr Witalis Harasimowicz (1857 – 1914)
Stanisław Kaczor-Batowski (1866 – 1946)
Ludomir Köhler (1859 – 1915?)
Edward Miron Pietsch
Tadeusz Popiel (1863 – 1913)
Stanisław Reichan (1858 – 1919)
Zygmunt Rozwadowski (1870 – 1950)
Tadeusz Rybkowski (1848 – 1926)
Antoni Stefanowicz (1858 – 1929)
Piotr Basyli Woytowycz (1862 – 1936/38)
In the past, many European theatres and churches were designed by one master artist. The master artist would engage and supervise his students as they realized his creation.

In Lviv, the tradition of one artist being credited with adorning the walls and ceiling of the Opera House was not upheld. Instead, the Opera House Theater is a showcase for many artists, all of whom lived and created in the city of Lviv at the beginning of the 20th century. For art history enthusiasts, a closer examination of the art works in the Lviv Opera House is an opportunity to discover a vibrant art culture that flourished in the City of Lviv at the end of the 19th century.

Read about the artists and art that make-up the ceiling of the Lviv Opera House.
See images of the Lviv House of Opera ceiling.
Listen to opera music online – the Introduction and Chorus from the Ukrainian opera The Stolen Happiness by Julij Mejtus (1903 – 1997).
Lviv House of Opera Ceiling
Lviv House of Opera Ceiling

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The Lviv House of Opera Has Been Resident in 8 Countries
The Lviv House of Opera and Ballet building has been part of:

Hapsburg Empire (to 1914 and again 1915 – 1918)
Romanov Empire (September, 1914 – June, 1915)
West Ukrainian People’s Republic (1918 – 1919)
Ukrainian National Republic (1919 – 1920)
Commonwealth of Poland (1920 – 1939)
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (1939 –1941 and again 1944 – 1991)
Germany Reich (1941 –1944)
Ukraine (1991 – present).
The Lviv Opera House reflects the history of the Eastern European region and its people, who during the 19th century lived under various regimes and foreign governments in the struggle to finally achieve independence and self-rule.

The house of opera and ballet in Lviv Ukraine is certainly a grand opera house. An opera house tour will provide you a view of the seats, stage, foyer and hall of mirrors and art. The House of Opera in Lviv is not a royal opera house. Ukraine does not have a royal family. But, the opera house does have the title of “National Opera House”.

Opera house tickets for the many opera house shows and opera house events can be purchased at the opera house box office just inside the main entrance where a seating plan and a seating chart are available for you to examine. An opera house performance at the Lviv Opera House Theatre is time well spent.

Read to Discover: Interesting Fun Facts About the Lviv Opera House
The Lviv Opera House Seating Plan Seats 1,002 Persons.
The Lviv Opera Theatre is a Showcase for 12 Different Artists.
The House of Opera Building Sits on a River.
The Opera House has been Resident in 8 Countries.
A Unique Proscenium Curtain was Specially Created by Henryk Siemiradzki.
The Opera House Features a Full Scale Ballet Company.
The Opera House Theatre was Designed by a Resident Lviv Architect.
Cheap Opera Tickets are Readily Available for All Performances.
Over 700 people are Employed at the House of Opera and Ballet in Lviv.
The House of Opera Building is Frequently Used for Wedding Photo Shoots.
Famous Opera Singers Have Performed on the Lviv Opera House Stage.
The Lviv Opera and Ballet Theatre Celebrated its 115th Anniversary in 2015.
Over 200 Performances are Given Annually at the Lviv House of Opera and Ballet.

At the end of the 19th century, local leaders felt the need for a large city theatre to be situated in the capital of Galicia (Ukrainian: Галичина, Polish: Galicja). In 1895, the city announced an architectural design competition, which attracted a large number of submissions.[1] Among the participants were the renowned Viennese architects Fellner & Helmer, whose entry was rejected as too international and eclectic.[2][3][a]

An independent jury chose the design by Zygmunt Gorgolewski,[2][3][4][5] a graduate of the Berlin Building Academy and the director of city's Engineering Academy. Gorgolewski pleasantly surprised the jury by planning to locate the building in the center of the city, despite the area having been already densely built-up. In order to solve the space problem, he boldly proposed to enclose the Poltva River underground, and instead of using a traditional foundation, utilized a reinforced concrete base for the first time in Europe.[1]

In June 1897, the cornerstone was placed. Gorgolewski oversaw construction, earthwork and design, employing the leading stonemasons from the city and beyond. Local materials were used wherever possible, however marble elements were manufactured in Vienna, special linen for painting in the foyer was imported from Belgium. The Austrian company Siemens was ran the electrical wiring and lights, while the hydraulic mechanization of the stage was built by the Polish railway workshop company in Sanok.[1]

Construction continued for three years. Funding came from the city, the surrounding communities, and from voluntary donations. The cost of the works totaled 2.4 million Austrian crowns.[6]

Stories remain that despite the engineering innovations used by Gorgolewski to construct the foundation of the building, it began to slowly sink because of the Poltva river running underneath it in a tunnel. In July 1903 he died suddenly of paralysis of the aorta of the heart.[7] After some initial settling, the building ceased 'sinking' and remains stable to this day, owing to the innovative design of Gorgolewski.

The Solomiya Krushelnytska Lviv State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (Ukrainian: Львівський Національний академічний театр опери та балету імені Соломії Крушельницької) or Lviv Opera (Ukrainian: Львівська оперa, Polish: Opera Lwowska) is an opera house located in Lviv, Ukraine's largest western city and one of its historic cultural centers. Originally built on former marshland of the submerged Poltva River, the Lviv Opera now located on Freedom Avenue (Ukrainian: Проспект Свободи), the tree-lined centerpiece of Lviv's historic Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the city's Halych district.

According to the inscription in the theater lobby, the building was constructed between 1897 and 1900, and has remained standing throughout several changes in history. Originally built when Lviv was the capital of the autonomous province of Galicia in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Lviv Opera (German: Lemberger Oper) first stood at the end of Archduke Karl Ludwig Avenue, was later known as the Grand Theatre (Polish: Teatr Wielki) of the Second Polish Republic, and during the time of Soviet rule, entering patrons would pass by a towering statue of Vladimir Lenin. For four decades, the theater was known as the Ivan Franko Lviv State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, having been renamed in 1956 after the city's famous poet and political activist on the centenary of his birth. In 2000, the Lviv Opera celebrated its own centennial with another renaming, this time after one of the city's native daughters, Solomiya Krushelnytska, a renowned soprano of the early 20th century.

The Solomiya Krushelnytska Lviv State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (Ukrainian: Львівський Національний академічний театр опери та балету імені Соломії Крушельницької)