Cardiff Bay Opera House

One aim of the scheme was to create a new home for the Welsh National Opera company, which was then based in the New Theatre in Cardiff.

[2][3] However, the project failed to win financial support from the Millennium Commission, the body which distributed funds from the UK National Lottery.

An international design competition was established by the Cardiff Bay Opera House Trust to decide on the architect for the project.

The list of architectural practices that took part in the competition included Itsuko Hasegawa, Mario Botta, Rem Koolhaas, Rafael Moneo, Manfredi Nicoletti, Pietro Marcozzi Architect, Rusli Associates, Werner Seligmann & Associates, Percy Thomas Partnership and Greg Lynn FORM.

[11] Many claim that the bid failed because of the widespread unpopularity of the Millennium Commission support for the Royal Opera House in London, which was seen as elitist.

"[11] The project was succeeded by the Wales Millennium Centre, which included a broader range of artistic offerings and was said to be more in keeping with Welsh culture, whilst retaining the opera element.