12 of the world's most remote and far-flung music venues
From the Colorado desert to an abandoned quarry, from a 900-year-old church to the International Space Station, these are the must-visit places to hear live music around the world.
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1. Dalhalla, Rättvik, Sweden
Located seven kilometres north of Lake Siljan in central Sweden, this former limestone quarry is 60 metres deep, 400 metres long and 175 metres wide, and can accommodate 4,000 people. Every summer, it presents opera, choral works, jazz and rock concerts. Opera fans won't want to miss the Jussi Björling Museum located nearby. Picture: Calle Eklund/V-wolf
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2. Red Rocks, Colorado, U.S.A.
Legendary opera singer Mary Garden put Red Rocks on the world musical map with a performance on 10 May 1911. Having performed at the world's greatest opera houses, she said Red Rocks was the finest venue she'd ever sung in. The open-air amphitheatre is framed by a large rocks on all sides, and seats up to 9,450 people. Picture: Thinkstock
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3. Villa La Foce, Tuscany, Italy
The stunning Villa La Foce, located on the hills overlooking the Val d'Orcia - a beautiful and miraculously intact valley in Southern Tuscany - is one of the venues for Incontri in Terra di Siena. The organisation's aim is to spread appreciation for music and art through concerts, meetings, and artistic events.
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4. Iona Abbey, Scotland
Off the west coast of Scotland, the tiny island of Iona has been a centre of Christian worship since AD 563. The Abbey – founded around 1200 – is a concert venue in the annual Mendelssohn on Mull Festival, which puts on chamber music in stunningly beautiful surroundings. Picture: Getty
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5. Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavík, Iceland
Since 2011, the first ever purpose-built concert hall in Reykjavík has housed the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the offices of The Icelandic Opera. The construction was partially abandoned when the financial crisis took hold, before the Icelandic government agreed to bail out the half-built concert hall. For many years it was Iceland's only construction project. Picture: Thinkstock
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6. Traena, Norway
Every year a music festival is held on the industrial fishing islands of Husøya and Sanna, home to just 400 people and accessible only by ferry boat from the Norwegian mainland. Venues on the islands have included an ancient cave, a church with blacked-out windows - to block out the Midnight sun which shines for 23 hours a day - and tents. Picture: Shutterstock
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7. Amazonas Theatre, Manaus, Brazil
Located in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, this famous Renaissance-style theatre was built during the height of Brazil's rubber boom. The first performance was 'La Gioconda' by Ponchielli in January 1897. The Theatre has a dome covered with 36,000 tiles painted in the colours of the Brazilian flag. The interior contains 198 chandeliers, imported from Italy. Picture: Pontanegra
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8. Gorge Amphitheatre, Quincy, U.S.A.
Located in a remote part of Washington State, this stunning location has been named ‘Best Outdoor Music Venue’ many times. The views over the Columbia River and surrounding mountains are spectacular. You can get an overnight camping permit too. Picture: Daniel
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9. Slane Castle, Co. Meath, Ireland
Since 1981, the natural amphitheatre in the grounds of Slane Concert has seen up to 80,000 concertgoers attending spectacular concerts. Rock legends have been somewhat more prevalent than classical, but here's hoping. Picture: Jonnny7
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10. Baku Crystal Hall, Azerbaijan
Located in the Azerbaijani capital, on the Caspian Sea, the Crystal Hall was completed in April 2012 — just in time for it to host its first major event, the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. The venue holds a mere 25,000 spectators. Picture: Interfase
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11. Royal Opera House, Muscat, Oman
Oman's classical music loving Sultan Qaboos ordered the construction of this 1,100 capacity venue in Muscat, lying on the Arabian sea. It opened in 2011 with a production of Puccini's Turandot, conducted by Placido Domingo. Picture: Pravinpisolkar
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12. International Space Station
In as remote a venue as you could imagine, the inhabitants of the ISS - 260 miles above earth – are hoping to have the pleasure of a performance by Sarah Brightman, who has been working with her ex-husband Andrew Lloyd-Webber on a song that 'suits the idea of space'. Picture: NASA
