Slovak National Theatre

The Slovak National Theatre (Slovenské národné divadlo, SND) operates out of two buildings. The Historic Building on Hviezdoslav Square is the more beautiful — a neo-Baroque opera house from 1886, with a gilded interior, box seating, and an atmosphere that rewards a night of opera or ballet. The programme is varied and tickets are reasonably priced by Western European standards.

The New Building, a few blocks east on the Danube embankment, opened in 2007 after one of Slovakia's most protracted construction sagas. The glass-and-steel structure has its defenders and its detractors, but the acoustics inside are good and it handles the large-scale productions that the historic stage cannot fit.

Both venues run opera, ballet, and drama performances. The theatre season runs September through June. Tickets can be booked online; for popular productions, book in advance. Standing room tickets are often available on the day.

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A story
The original Slovak National Theatre building (now called the Historic Building) was completed in 1886 and served as the main stage for the Hungarian-speaking bourgeoisie of Pozsony. The new building opened in 2007 after decades of construction delays and cost overruns so notorious that "SND" became Slovak shorthand for government waste.