A striking modern building in the Ouled Fayet district, opened in 2016 as a gift from the Chinese government. The design is unmistakably Chinese — sweeping curved rooflines and a massive scale — which makes it one of the more unexpected landmarks in a city otherwise dominated by Ottoman and French colonial architecture.
The opera house seats 1,400 and hosts performances ranging from traditional Algerian music to Western classical concerts and Chinese cultural programmes. The building also contains exhibition spaces, rehearsal halls, and a smaller 300-seat auditorium. It sits in a landscaped park on the western outskirts of the city, away from the historic centre.
Opinions in Algiers are divided — some see it as a welcome addition to the city's cultural infrastructure, others as an oddly placed vanity project. Either way, the building is architecturally impressive and the performance programme is varied. Check the schedule locally, as programming information is not always available online.