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
Rochester Opera House donated money and goods (above what the city had already agreed to pay), and ten thousand hours of volunteer labor, the Rochester Opera House restoration was completed. Following nearly a quarter century of dormancy, the opera house reopened its doors to the public in 1997. The Rochester Opera House has had times of financial difficulties. As the centerpiece of the city hall, the City of Rochester is involved with the Opera House, both physically and financially. Local political elections frequently have a component of discussion about funding for the Opera House, settling into two sides: those supporting the Opera House