Copenhagen Opera House Guided Tour with Backstage Visit

The Copenhagen Opera House on Holmen

Opened in 2005, the Copenhagen Opera House stands on the island of Holmen, part of the former naval base on the harbour. It was a gift to the Danish nation and was placed precisely on the axis of Amalienborg Palace and the Marble Church on the opposite bank, so the royal palace and the opera house face each other across the water. Its enormous flat roof overhangs the harbour front and is one of the most recognisable shapes on the Copenhagen skyline.

From outside you see glass, steel and limestone; inside, the building is a world of warm wood and light. The Royal Danish Opera performs here, along with ballet and concerts, and the house is known as one of the most technically advanced stages in the world. This Copenhagen Opera House guided tour is the way to see it properly without buying a performance ticket.

The foyer, the light sculptures and the maple shell

Your tour begins in the great foyer behind the glass front facing the harbour. On a bright day light pours in from the water, and above you hang large spherical light sculptures that change mood with the time of day. In the middle of the space rises the curved shell of the main auditorium, clad in glossy maple wood and shaped like the body of a musical instrument.

Your guide explains the ideas behind the design: how the building opens to the harbour, why the materials were chosen, and how the foyer works on a performance evening when it fills with audiences. Balconies and bridges overlook the space on several levels, and the views out over the water towards Amalienborg are among the best in the city. Bring your camera; this is one of the most photographed interiors in Copenhagen.

The main auditorium and backstage

Inside the main auditorium, the gilded ceiling glows above rows of seats and curved balconies lined with dark, warm woodwork, designed for excellent acoustics. Seeing the hall quietly, without an audience, lets you take in the scale of the stage and the detail of the finishes, and your guide tells you how a performance is prepared behind the curtain.

Then you go behind the scenes. Movable stage platforms make it possible to shift gigantic and complex sets quickly, and together with high-tech machinery they create theatrical effects that cannot be achieved anywhere else in Denmark. You learn how productions are staged, how costumes are made and how scenography transforms an empty stage. For many visitors this backstage visit is the part of the tour they talk about most.

Practical visit and how to get to the Opera House

The tour lasts about 75 minutes and starts at 16:00, so it fits easily into an afternoon after a morning of sightseeing. Meet in the lobby at the main entrance facing the harbour, just around the corner from the official address, and arrive 15 minutes early. The route is wheelchair accessible; baby strollers, food and drinks, large bags and pets are not allowed inside, with assistance dogs welcome.

If you are wondering how to get to the Copenhagen Opera House, the easiest way is the harbour bus, which stops right in front of the building, or a walk across the harbour bridges from Nyhavn. After the tour, stay to enjoy the view across the water to Amalienborg and the Marble Church, or stroll along the Holmen waterfront, a peaceful area with historic naval buildings and new apartments along the canals.