Built 1933-1944 by architect Sigurd Lewerentz and, until 1992, known as the Malmö City Theatre accommodating several different organizations, the Opera House is one of the largest auditoriums in Scandinavia with 1,511 seats, created in the form of an enclosed amphitheatre in order to allow for the greatest viewing possibility.

A powerful chairman and dominant municipal politician named Emil Olsson carried out the theater construction during World War II.

Sigurd Lewerentz was commissioned in the 1920s to design a new theater in Malmö and proposed a building in a distinctly classical style.

[2] However, Lewerentz's original proposal had to give way to new architectural trends in Sweden and the building was designed in the spirit of functionalism.

From 1944 to the early 1990s, extensive and varied theatrical activities took place there (and on other detached stages, such as Nya Teatern; now the private theater Nöjesteatern) within the framework of the then Malmö City Theatre.

The proscenium can be raised and lowered and can be used either as an orchestra pit - capable of accommodating around 60 musicians - as part of the auditorium or as a direct continuation of the main stage.

[7] Many well-known performing artists and directors have worked there over the years, such as Ingmar Bergman and his famous actors (Max von Sydow, Bibi Andersson, Harriet Andersson, Gunnel Lindblom, Ingrid Thulin, Jarl Kulle, Jan Malmsjö, Lars Passgård and others), Birgit Nilsson, Sixten Ehrling, Bo Widerberg, Ernst-Hugo Järegård, Nils Poppe, Tommy Körberg, Bengt Krantz, Rickard Söderberg, Marianne Mörck, Lars Humble, Göran Stangertz, Nina Gunke, Birgitta Smiding, Karin Mang-Habashi, Philip Zandén, Lars Rudolfsson, Staffan Valdemar Holm, Peter Oskarson, Peter Stein, a host of operetta and musical artists such as Ing-Britt Stiber, Lars Ekman, Maj Lindström, Tommy Juth, Nina Pressing (including guests such as Charlotte Perelli, Sanna Nielsen, Peter Jöback, Sven-Bertil Taube, Nanne Grönvall, Petra Nielsen, Linda Olsson, Andreas Weise), dancers and opera singers from all over the world.

[8] Gradually, the ballet took its place as a quality ballet ensemble, performing annually well-known classical ballets as well as original works (including Skymningslekar, 1954, created by Kruuse and Ingmar Bergman, with music by Ingvar Wieslander; Simson och Delila, 1964, by Rune Lindström and Erland von Koch; Elvira Madigan, 1977, by Conny Borg and Michael Smith; and Johannesnatten, 1981, by Gunnar de Frumerie, with new choreography by Elsa-Marianne von Rosen) and works in the direction of modern dance.

Directors (and often choreographers and dancers) of the Malmö Ballet were Carl-Gustaf Kruuse af Verchou (1944-1962), Holger Reenberg (1962-1967), Teddy Rhodin (1967-1970), Stella Claire (acting 1970-1971), Conny Borg (1971-1980), Elsa-Marianne von Rosen (1980-1987) and Jonas Kåge (1987-1995).

The goals of Malmö Opera are professional directors, set designers, singers, librettists and conductors in teamwork, which gives the musical drama of our time the opportunity to grow.

The first director was Lars Rudolfsson, who started the activities with a production of Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

[10][11][12] The Opera has also distinguished itself with a number of new Swedish or foreign operas and modernized interpretations of older or lesser-known works, (for example, Peter Oskarson's production of Verdi's Rigoletto (1994) with Loa Falkman and Dilber Yunus received great attention) in addition to some crowd-pleasing musicals such as m Dåliga Mänskor ("Bad People"), Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Misérables, Singin' in the Rain, in addition to earlier successes such as Ingmar Bergman's The Merry Widow (1954), The Long Ships (1978), La Cage aux Folles (1985) and a large number of operettas (several with Nils Poppe), as Malmö was long known as the "city of operettas".

[13] In addition to the 2010s, the family opera The Snow Queen after Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale was also commissioned.

Andersen's fairy tale by composer Benjamin Staern and librettist Anelia Kadieva Jonsson, which was a great success with audiences in 2016 and 2018.

Together, they have created an artistic workshop with words, sounds, images, song and rhythm, where children and young people, their teachers and other adults discover together all the possibilities of music.

Interactivity plays a central role, and many of its productions feature children and young people alongside professional artists.

[18] Artistic directors of Malmö Opera in the early years included Philip Zandén and Lars Rudolfsson.

In the summer of 2017, Danish composer, music educator and conductor Michael Bojesen took over the directorship, later stepping down on 19 April 2022.

When the theatre reopened in February 1987, the chairman of the board, Curt Åke Olsson, was able to note that both Storan and Intiman had received new armchairs, that the revolving stage had been modernized, new ventilation had been installed and the orchestra pit had been expanded.

Malmö Opera was renovated again in 2004, when the performances were moved to Båghallarna in Västra hamnen (now the home stage of Skånes Dansteater).