Overview

If "theatre is the greatest of all art forms", as Oscar Wilde declared, surely it should be housed in the greatest of buildings. This majestically illustrated book will prove this to be the case. From the construction of the first Greek theatres, to the most modern theatrical edifices, there has always been a desire to echo the drama and creative energy on stage in the architecture of the performance arenas. Theatres brings together these spaces, from every era and from all over the world, to present an eclectic and dynamic selection of what the world has to offer its performers and it audiences. From the simple elegance of the early outdoor theatres, the opulence of the grand European opera Houses, to the futuristic innovation of the twenty-first century structures, the world's theatres provide a sweeping overview of the historic trends in architecture.