The Oslo Opera House is the defining building of modern Oslo — a white marble structure rising from the Bjørvika waterfront, designed so that visitors can walk across the sloping roof to the ridgeline and look out over the fjord and the city. It houses the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet and is, by any measure, one of the most successful public buildings built in Europe in the 21st century.
The roof walk is free and genuinely pleasurable. The interior is worth seeing even without a performance — the lobby is architecturally remarkable, the wood panelling and the light manage the difficult trick of being both dramatic and warm. Performances range from opera and ballet classics to contemporary productions; the acoustics are excellent throughout. The surrounding Bjørvika district, with the Munch Museum, the new Deichman Library, and the Akerselva riverfront, is Oslo's most interesting piece of contemporary urban design.