While this is not puppetry it is pretty amazing. I'm not a big fan of opera but they are normally pretty impressive when it comes to staging and costumes.  This company takes things way over the top. http://www.bregenzerfestspiele.com/en/node/2550  Actually not so sure this is an opera company but a festival held each year.

The stage is built on the water and the scale is simply over the top and they haven't just done it once.  The best way to see what I am talking about is to Google Search: "opera on the lake austria" and then click on the images option. You can also see pictures of some of the past stages here.  The one that actually caught my eye first was the skeleton holding the open book. Some one had posted a picture on FB. 

Maybe I should travel to Austria again some time?

Amazing!

I like the big eyeball that acts like a big screen for close ups. Much better than a big rectangle. Cool.

Maybe I should travel to Austria again some time?

I thought you might have even heard of this already since it is in your neck of the woods. Hey if you do go check it out you should take pictures!

Well, it would be next time since I am pretty much wrapped up in work this year. Also: Denmark (2 hrs drive, Austria would be around a day) would be much closer to me. Even though Autria has the added bonus of me being ALMOST able to comprehend what they are talking about...

That is absolutely incredible!  I used to think my outdoor sets at 40 feet tall were large.  Boy, was I wrong!  Opera design, by nature, is larger than life.  They sure do take it to a whole new level.  This company makes even the Met seem tiny!

Thanks for posting this, Shawn!  I love a little inspiration first thing in the morning!

I thought you might like that Kyle.   Can you imagine the budget they have?!

That's the first thing that came to mind!  Sadly, here in NYC, I have a feeling whatever incredible amount of money they spent probably wouldn't go half as far.  Besides, when we have huge, unlimited budgets, we don't spend it on cool art or opera.  We create stupid things...like Spiderman:  Turn Off the Dark

Spiderman kind of went all wrong didn't it?  It is a shame because normally Julie Taymor does really cool works.  I just realized that direction was turned over to Phillip William McKinley. I worked with him twice on productions here in Kansas City.