16 gorgeous original drawings of opera houses

These intricate drawings show how the world's greatest opera houses would have looked well before photography came along.

1. 

   1. La Scala, Milan

   This picture of a world-famous opera house in Milan dates from the late 19th century. Original Artwork: Engraving by A H Payne. Picture: Getty

2. 

   2. The Imperial Opera House, Vienna

   This picture, showing Vienna's stunning Imperial Opera House, dates from around 1850. Picture: Getty

3. 

   3. Inside the Royal Opera House

   The auditorium and stage of the New Covent Garden Theatre in London, better known as the Royal Opera House or Covent Garden Opera House. Picture: Getty

4. 

   4. Festspielhaus, Bayreuth

   From circa 1876: The Festival House in Bayreuth, Bavaria, founded in 1876 and dedicated to the performance of Richard Wagner's operas. Picture: Getty

5. 

   5. Paris' Royal Academy of Music

   A performance at the Academie Royale de Musique (Royal Academy of Music) in Paris, now the Paris Opera. Original Artwork: Engraving by Fenner Sears after J Nash. Picture: Getty

7. 

   6. Covent Garden Opera House

   An exterior drawing of the Royal Opera House. Picture: Getty

8. 

   7. The Italian Opera house, Paris

   Confusingly, this Italian opera house is actually in Paris. The picture dates from the mid 19th century. Picture: Getty

9. 

   8. Stockholm Opera House

   This picture from 1845 shows Norr-Malm Square in Stockholm with the Royal Palace in the centre and the opera house to the left. Picture: Getty

10. 

    9. The Berlin State Opera

    Berlin's opera house on Unter Den Linden, circa 1850. An engraving by A. H. Payne after A. Carse. Picture: Getty

11. 

    10. Inside the London Opera House

    An inside view of the opera house in London, circa 1792. Engraved by Page, after Arnold, for the Carlton-House Magazine. (Photo by Rischgitz/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Picture: Getty

13. 

    11. The Italian Opera House, Haymarket

    Otherwise known as the King's Theatre in London's Haymarket, the Italian Opera House was built by Sir John Vanbrugh in 1728. This is how it looked before the fire of June 1789. Picture: Getty

14. 

    12. The State Opera House in Berlin

    Built around 1750, this Berlin opera house ended up being destroyed by a fire in 1843. Picture: Getty

15. 

    13. Inside the Lyceum Theatre

    The interior of the English Opera House, otherwise known as the Lyceum Theatre, London. More recently, the Lyceum has been home to blockbuster musicals rather than opera. Picture: Getty

16. 

    14. The Paris Opera

    The Royal Academy of Music in Paris, later the Paris Opera. Picture: Getty

17. 

    15. Covent Garden Opera House, London

    This shows the Royal Opera House in 1810, seen from Bow St. Engraving by F Hay from a drawing by R B Schnebbelie in Dr Hughson's 'Description of London'. Picture: Getty

19. 

    16. The Opernplatz, Berlin

    Later named the Bebelplatz, at the end of Unter den Linden in Berlin, Germany, this picture shows the Berlin Opernplatz around 1800. From left to right you can see the Berlin State Opera, St Hedwig's Cathedral and the library of the Humboldt University law faculty. Picture: Getty

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