The beginnings of theater in Ancient Greece were dominated by performances of ritual songs, dances and sacrifices in honor of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and ecstasy. Greek tragedy then evolved out of these. According to Aristotle's (384-322 B.C.) theories of drama, the art form should cause the viewers to shudder and feel compassion, resulting in a cleansing effect.

17th-century French Classicism, defined by order, clarity and restraint, included authors like Pierre Corneille, Voltaire and Jean Racine. Racine's tragedy "Phedre" opened the Comedie-Francaise theater in 1680. The Parisian theater remains renowned today, especially for its performances of plays by Moliere (above), hence its nickname, "The Home of Moliere" ("La Maison de Moliere").

Empress Maria Theresa (1717-1780) initiated the theater's creation in 1741, and the famous Burgtheater, or Austrian National Theater, opened its doors to the public in 1888. Today, the Neo-Baroque building located opposite Vienna's city hall houses one of the German-speaking world's most important theaters. The Viennese refer to their theater as "The Burg" and its ensemble as "Burg actors."

Dresden's Semperoper was named after Gottfried Semper, who also designed Vienna's Burgtheater. The Semperoper opened in 1878 with Carl Maria von Weber's orchestral "Jubel Overture" and Goethe's tragedy "Iphigenia in Tauris." Later on, comspoer Richard Wagner premiered many of his operas in the magnificent building. The building is home to the Saxon State Orchestra and Opera.

When today's visitors enter the Royal Opera House in the London neighborhood of Covent Garden, they are stepping into the third building built to house the royal company. Fires devastated the two previous structures. German composer Georg Friedrich Handel was very active here, both as a composer and as an organist. He wrote some of his operas and oratorios especially for the Royal Opera.

Assassination attempts, legends and fame have marked the history of Russia's most significant theater for opera and ballet, the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. Its huge ensemble, consisting of more than 200 female dancers, is seen as one of the world's best. Performances of Tchaikovsky's ballet "Swan Lake" are particularly popular with viewers. Following restoration works, the theater reopened in 2011.

The reference to "fenice" (Italian for "phoenix") is anything but a coincidence. The name was chosen because the Venetian opera house had to be reconstructed after burning to the ground. The fiery bird, a symbol of the Enlightenment, also alludes to the Freemasons, who participated in the reconstruction. Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi premiered several of his works in the opera house.

From 1880 through 1966, the Metropolitan Opera was located on Broadway. It then moved to New York City's Lincoln Square, where it remains today. The "Met," one of the world's most renowned opera houses, owes much of its fame to the numerous outstanding singers and conductors that have graced its hall, such as Austrian composer Gustav Mahler. The Met gave the first opera radio broadcast in 1910.

One can hardly imagine Sydney without its visually striking opera house. The unusual building was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Danish architect Jorn Utzon and finished in 1973. While the unconventional design initially triggered a lot of controversy, the building become one of Australia's most important tourist attractions.