Latvian National Opera
Latvijas Nacionālā opera
A white neoclassical theater on the Town Canal, offering high-quality opera and ballet at affordable prices.
The Latvian National Opera was built in 1863 as the German City Theatre of Riga. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1882, and its white neoclassical façade is adorned with statues of Apollo and the Muses, with the canal and gardens in front. Richard Wagner served as music director here from 1837 to 1839. The theater is home to the Latvian National Opera and Ballet, and during the performance season (roughly September to June) there is an opera or ballet almost every evening. Tickets cost roughly €10–80, far cheaper than at major Western European opera houses, and can be bought on the official website. Outside performance hours you can photograph the exterior, and the surrounding canal park is beautiful in every season.
Opening hours
Ticket office about 10:00–19:00; performances mostly in the evening
Nearby sights
- Three Brothers & Swedish Gate
- Powder Tower & Latvian War Museum
- Art Museum Riga Bourse
- Riga Castle
- Riga Cathedral
- Art Nouveau District (Alberta iela)
- Cat House & Līvu Square
- Bastejkalns Park & City Canal