State Theatre (Sydney)

Sydney's State Theatre opened in 1928.

It was designed by Aussie architect Eli White, but his decision to base his masterpiece on the work of American John Eberson resulted in a mishmash of Gothic, Italian and art deco styles.

The theater contains the second largest chandelier in the world and a priceless Wurlitzer organ, and is recognized by The National Trust of Australia, which has classified it as "a building of great historical significance and high architectural quality, the preservation of which is regarded as essential to our heritage."

State Theatre, 49 Market St., Sydney, Australia; +61 2 9373 6655

Margravial Opera House (Bayreuth, Germany)

Built in 1745, the UNESCO-listed Margravial Opera House is regarded as the finest baroque theater in Europe.

The stage has a depth of 27 meters and was the largest in Europe until 1871.

Much of the original materials remain (including vast expanses of painted canvas and wood), along with original structures, such as the twin staircases that led up to the private box belonging to Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreut and his wife, who commissioned the theater.

These staircases were designed so the audience below could observe the couple's ascension to their seats.

Margravial Opera House, Opernstrasse 14, Bayreuth, Germany; +49 9 21 7 59 69 22

Teatro Amazonas (Manaus, Brazil)

There can't be many theaters located in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, and the Teatro Amazonas is certainly the most spectacular.

The theater was built in the late 19th century during a rubber boom and was designed by Italian architect Celestial Sacardim.

Work took 15 years, largely thanks to the decision to source supplies from all over the world: the roof tiles came from Alsace in France, stairs and columns were made of Italian marble and the steel walls came from Glasgow.

Beautiful features include 198 chandeliers, which also came from Italy, and the central dome, covered in 36,000 ceramic tiles painted in the colors of Brazil's national flag.

Amazon Theater, Centro, Manaus, Brazil; +55 92 3622 1880

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Palais Garnier (Paris)

The Palais Garnier was the most expensive building built in Paris during the second French empire (1852-1870) and was the setting for Gaston Leroux's novel "The Phantom of the Opera."

The interior is filled with marble friezes, bronze busts and ornate light fittings -- the most famous of which is a six-ton chandelier.

In 1896, one of the chandelier's counterweights crashed through the ceiling, killing an audience member -- an incident that inspired a scene in Leroux's famous play.

The Palais Garnier, Paris, France, 8 Rue Scribe, Paris; +33 1 71 25 24 23

Tampa Theatre (Florida)

Tampa Theatre is the work of architect John Eberson, who also designed the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas.

Highlights include a 900-pipe Wurlitzer organ and 99 bulbs embedded in the ceiling to resemble twinkling stars.

It was regarded as one of the world's most elaborate theaters when it was built in 1926 and the interior -- a somewhat garish explosion of flowers and angry gargoyles -- resembles a Mediterranean courtyard.

"The simplistic beauty of the Paramount Theatre confirms that Eberson was a genius at designing vaudeville houses," remarks Ken Stein at the League of Historic American Theaters.

"But when you see the Tampa with its complexity and elaborate atmospheric design, you realize Eberson was also a mad genius."

Tampa Theatre, 711 N Franklin St., Tampa, Florida; +1 813 274 8981

Teatru Manoel (Valetta, Malta)

Teatru Manoel is one of Europe's oldest working theaters -- it was built in 1731 with funds from The Knights of Malta, a Western Christian military order.

It remained unscathed during both World Wars, despite serving as a bomb shelter during the second, and many original features remain, including beautiful painted wooden panels and the silver leaf-adorned ceiling.

Teatru Manoel, Valletta, Malta; +356 2124 6389

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Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts (Wisconsin)

If this tiny theater is anything to go by, bigger certainly doesn't mean better.

Within this building visitors find stained glass windows, fireplaces, lots of brass, walnut and oak and a water-powered pipe organ.

"It was built in 1889 by Harvey Ellis as a memorial to the daughter of Captain and Mrs. Andrew Tainter," says Ken Stein at the League of Historic American Theaters.

"This jewel box-like theater feels like it could have been inspired by a child's doll house."

Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, 205 Main St. E., Menomonie, Wisconsin; +1 715 235 9726

The Elgin and Winter Garden Theater Center (Toronto)

This is actually two theaters, stacked on top of each other, to create the world's only operating double-decker theater.

The Winter Gardens Theater is seven stories above the Elgin Theater in downtown Toronto.

The Elgin has dancing cherubs, elaborately decorated boxes, vast expanses of gold leaf and plaster sculpting covered in wafer-thin sheets of aluminum, while the Winter Gardens has hand-painted walls and a ceiling decorated with dried beech leaves.

Elgin and Winter Garden Theater Center, 189 Yonge St., Toronto; +1 416 314 2901

內容來源:

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/22/travel/spectacular-theaters/index.html?hpt=hp_c5