The Gilded Stage: David Leventi’s photos of the world’s most opulent opera houses
By Emily Landau
(Images: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
When David Leventi was a kid, his grandfather, a Romanian cantor named Anton Gutman, would sing arias in the family’s Westchester house, swanning around the living room like it was the stage at La Scala. Gutman’s aspirations for operatic glory had been stymied in World War II, when he landed in a Russian POW camp, forced to perform for Red Army officers.
Leventi, a New York photographer, started snapping opera houses in 2007 as a tribute to his grandfather. Fittingly, he began with the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, a baroque fantasia dripping with more gold than Gringotts. Over the years, he’s noticed the dazzling intricacies that distinguish each space, like Marc Chagall’s sloping signature on his ceiling at the Paris Opera House or the 23-karat gold leaf flaking off the ceiling of the Met. He usually stands dead centre on the stage, assuming the place of the singer, and shoots with a wide-angle lens to capture a panoramic view. His huge images take on the perspective of a funhouse mirror, as if the space is surrounding the viewer—they’re as vast and majestic as the music that fills them.
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318316 The Paris Opera House, with a ceiling hand-painted by Marc Chagall (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Paris Opera House https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-01-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-01.jpg 1014 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-01/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-01 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318317 The Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-02-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-02.jpg 1014 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-02/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-02 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318318 The Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-03-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-03.jpg 800 1014 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-03/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-03 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318319 The Estates Theatre in Prague (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Estates Theatre in Prague https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-04-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-04.jpg 800 1015 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-04/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-04 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318320 The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-05-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-05.jpg 1004 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-05/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-05 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318321 La Fenice in Venice, Italy (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) La Fenice in Venice, Italy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-06-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-06.jpg 1014 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-06/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-06 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318322 La Scala in Milan, Italy (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) La Scala in Milan, Italy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-07-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-07.jpg 1014 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-07/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-07 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318323 The Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-08-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-08.jpg 700 552 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-08/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-08 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318324 The Metropolitan Opera House in New York (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Metropolitan Opera House in New York https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-09-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-09.jpg 1014 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-09/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-09 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318325 The Opera National de Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Opera National de Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-10-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-10.jpg 1009 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-10/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-10 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318326 The Oslo Opera House in Norway (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Oslo Opera House in Norway https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-11-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-11.jpg 1014 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-11/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-11 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318327 The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, Spain (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, Spain https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-12-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-12.jpg 1009 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-12/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-12 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318328 The Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-13-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-13.jpg 1014 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-13/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-13 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318329 The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, UK (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, UK https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-14-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-14.jpg 1014 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-14/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-14 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
318330 The Teatro Municipale in Piacenza, Italy (Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery) The Teatro Municipale in Piacenza, Italy https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-15-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-15.jpg 1014 800 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/david-leventi-opera-houses/slide/the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-15/ the-gilded-stage-david-leventi-opera-houses-photography-15 0 0
(Image: courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery)
Need to see the names and locations of all these buildings. Thanks.