New opera house

One of the few buildings that didn't shoot up in a hurry in Astana, the new opera house, recently opened its doors. It's a stunning piece of work, even seen from a little Nokia's point of view. It's set with a generous 'green belt' around it, all the more remarkable given its central location, and it sits on slightly higher ground giving a certain air of superiority (like it or not) and elegance.

The entrance originally sat on a busy road, so to remedy this ghastly juxtaposition, they closed the road, made it 30 feet deeper, and put a cap on it, so that the now the array of neoclassical pillars that constitute the main entrance stand over a large, open raised square.

The square is immaculate and I love the open space and the vistas. To the right is Khan Shatyr, straight ahead is a public park, sculptures and all, and to the left is the city's budding Skyline. Walking around Astana in the Autumn can be a real pleasure.