I'm preaching to the choir, apparently...but here goes. "A" number 1. Top shelf. 10 out of 10. Gold medal. Blue ribbon. First class.
I regularly go to operas here and have never had a bad seat. The acoustics are amazing. It's a huge place, yet intimate. The box seats are my favourite, if only because they're roomier than sitting in orchestra. Plus some have a cloak room of their own.
Poor Richard Bradshaw. He worked his ass off to get this place built, only to die after its first season. But at least he got to see and hear his masterpiece in action. The theatre's community efforts are to be applauded. Free concerts are a wonderful grass-roots connection. The pre-performance lectures are great, and with the audience sitting on the stairs a la coliseum, everyone is put on the same social stratum, regardless of age/income/experience.
I am proud to live in a city with such a first-rate venue.