Drottningholm. Swedish opera house on Lake Mälaren in royal palace. First th. built there 1754. Burnt down 1762 and replaced in 1766 (with additions 1791). Commissioned by Gustavus III and not used after his assassination in 1792. In 1920 orig. wooden machinery, controlled by wheel system, was found to be still working. Th. reopened 1922 for occasional perfs. Annual fest. begun 1953, based mainly on 18th-cent. repertory. Orch. wears period costume and plays period instrs. Mus. dirs. have included Charles Farncombe 1970–9, Arnold Östman 1980–91, Elisabeth Söderström 1992–5.

Drottningholm the winter palace of the Swedish royal family, on an island to the west of Stockholm. It was built in 1662 for Queen Eleonora of Sweden.