Diriyah awards $1.4bn deal for Opera House construction
Diriyah Company, the developer of Saudi Arabia's premier historical, cultural, and lifestyle destination, has awarded a $1.4 billion (SAR5.1 billion) construction contract to build the iconic Royal Diriyah Opera House and a number of surrounding assets.
The contract was awarded to a joint venture comprising El Seif Engineering Contracting Company (ESEC), China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and Midmac Construction Company.
Diriyah Company's Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo signed the agreement with the three joint venture companies during a ceremony held recently to mark this latest milestone on Diriyah's development journey, including a series of other major project announcements made during the first quarter of 2025.
The Royal Diriyah Opera House will become Diriyah's flagship performing arts venue and a major architectural landmark, setting new benchmarks for cultural performances in Saudi Arabia. With a capacity of 2,000 people, the main opera auditorium will become the focal point of the venue that will be managed by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.
The venue is capable of accommodating and staging the largest international touring opera, theatrical and musical performances in a unique, intimate and engaging space bringing artists and the audience together.
The Royal Diriyah Opera House will also include a 450-seat studio theatre, a shaded rooftop amphitheatre with 450 seats and multipurpose halls taking the total seating capacity to 3,100 seats.
The contract also covers the construction of additional assets in the opera house district, including one of Diriyah's five star hospitality assets and a mixed-use residential complex.
This contract is the latest in a series of major announcements signed in 2025, including:
• The launch of the high-profile Media and Innovation District;
• Awarding a $113.6 million architecture and design contract to Omrania, the Kingdom Tower architects, for buildings around Diriyah's main iconic avenue;
• Opening of two major electricity substations, the 1707 MVA-capacity Bulk Substation and 200 MVA-capacity Primary Substation, operated by the Saudi Electricity Company;
• The appointment of Giza Systems as the delivery partner for Diriyah's Smart City initiative;
• The selection of IBM Maximo Application Suite to monitor and manage assets across Diriyah to enhance its Smart City capabilities;
• The launch of Saudi Arabia's first Armani branded residences;
• The opening of Taleed – globally renowned chef Michael Mina's first Michelin-starred restaurant in Saudi Arabia at the 134-room Luxury Collection hotel, Bab Samhan.
The Royal Diriyah Opera House was designed by renowned Norwegian architects Snøhetta and will feature a contemporary Najdi aesthetic, using materials such as palm, stone, and earth. The design will prioritize sustainability, incorporating water conservation, natural lighting, strategic building orientation, and thermal comfort measures.
Set to become an international theatrical powerhouse, the Royal Diriyah Opera House will help anchor Diriyah's place as the kingdom's cultural epicenter and a global destination for the arts, positioning Diriyah as a key player in shaping the future of performance and cultural infrastructure.
Inzerillo said: 'The Royal Diriyah Opera House will be a landmark asset in Diriyah reinforcing Diriyah's growing global role in shaping Saudi Arabia's artistic and cultural future, aligned with Vision 2030. This contract demonstrates our progress, building a diverse range of assets across the Diriyah development area. This beautiful, iconic asset will play a vital role in bringing people together in of the world's greatest gathering places to experience unforgettable performances.'
Khalid Alhazani, Executive Vice President of Riyadh Life Sector, Royal Commission for Riyadh City, added: 'This agreement marks a major milestone in building this world-class operatic venue. We are excited to have the opportunity to welcome the world's leading operatic and artistic talent in the future and ensure that the Royal Diriyah Opera House can incubate and empower the wonderful range of homegrown talent we have in the Kingdom.'
Backed by the Public Investment Fund, Diriyah is an integrated urban development project that will, once completed, provide homes for almost 100,000 residents, office space for tens of thousands of professionals in the technology, media, arts and education sectors, create an estimated 178,000 jobs, attract almost 50 million annual visits, and contribute approximately $18.6 billion (SAR70 billion) directly to Saudi Arabia's GDP. -
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