Hungarian State Opera House is considered to be amongst the finest opera houses in the world. The auditorium holds 1,261 people. It is horseshoe-shaped and – according to measurements done in the 1970s by a group of international engineers – has the third best acoustics in Europe after La Scala in Milan and the Palais Garnier in Paris. Although many opera houses have been built since, the Budapest Opera House is still among the best in terms of the acoustics. In front of the building are statues of Ferenc Erkel and Franz Liszt. Liszt is the best known Hungarian composer. Erkel composed the Hungarian
Loreley (opera) House on 12 July 1907. The first American performance was presented by the Chicago Opera Association at the Auditorium Building in Chicago on 17 January 1919 with Anna Fitziu in the title role. Performances both in Italy and internationally continued well into the 20th century but became increasingly sporadic. It was revived in 1955 for performances at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, the Teatro Comunale in Reggio Emilia, and the Teatro Grande in Brescia; in 1968 at La Scala; and in 1983 at the Teatro del Giglio in Lucca, Catalani's native city. By the 21st century, "Loreley" had been