A New Opera House for Perm

In the Russian city of Perm, near the Ural Mountains, a new venue is being built for the Tchaikovsky Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, one of the country’s oldest and most important cultural institutions. Its ballet company is one of Russia’s most popular, and the orchestra was led until 2019 by none other than contemporary conductor Teodor Currentzis.

The design concept for the new venue is by New York-based architectural firm wHY. It includes wraparound glazing, an undulating roof and a curved glass façade, which is meant to evoke the flowing movements of the dancers. Copper-coloured elements refer to the long tradition of copper mining in the region. Werner Sobek is responsible for the planning of the supporting structure, façade, TGA planning and also taking over the general planning.