Things to Do in National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet

Evening performance of 'Giselle' or 'Swan Lake'

The pit orchestra tunes to the earthy throb of a morin khuur before plung-iron stands, then launches into Tchaikovsky with surprising silkiness. From the stalls you can catch the faint scent of rosin as violin bows rise. Dancers' satin shoes whisper across the stage boards, and when the corps lands in perfect unison the floor gives off a soft, satisfying thud you feel in your ribcage.

Backstage tour with retired soloist

You'll thread through narrow brick corridors chilled by October air, fingertips brushing racks of feathered headdresses that smell faintly of mothballs. In the wig room a 70-year-old former prima demonstrates how yak hair is braided into 19th-century 'Giselle' buns while the echo of that afternoon's rehearsal drifts through the rafters.

Summer-night open-air screenings start 30 minutes' walk north-east from the theatre; Chinggis Khan Square hosts open-air opera projected on a pop-up screen. Locals sprout picnics of airag and khuushuur while the score drifts through cool pine air.

Bring a blanket and a thermos of milky tea. The square's granite tiles hold the day's heat until midnight, so you'll feel warmth seeping through your jeans while sopranos hit high C under the stars.

Morning ballet class observation

From the mezzanine you can peer into Studio 2 where 40 pre-teens in frayed leg warmers stomp through pliés. Piano chords bounce off mirror-lined walls while the radiator clanks like a snare drum. The room smells of tiger balm and cheap rosin, and when the teacher claps once the entire line snaps into fifth position with audible precision.

Post-show vodka tasting at nearby 'Kino' bar

Five minutes' walk south on Peace Avenue, the wood-paneled Kino bar pours chilled Chinggis vodka in cut-crystal thimbles while retired orchestra violinists debate tempo changes. You might catch the faint echo of the theatre's closing chords drifting in through cracked sash windows as cigarette smoke curls under amber lamps.

Theatre-side hostels on Seoul Street - creaky Soviet flats with balcony views of the ballet's back exit where dancers emerge for smoke breaks

Mid-range business hotels lining Seoul Street south; 10-minute downhill stroll in patent-leather heels without slipping

Budget guesthouses in the 13th micro-district - cheap, but you'll share a bathroom with Mongolian wrestling students who wake at 5 a.m. to jog

Heritage hotel inside a 1950s ministry building on Sukhbaatar Square - thick walls muffle the 10 p.m. national anthem recording that drifts from the theatre

Yurt-style eco-camp out in Zaisan Valley - star-lit ride back after evening shows. But you pay splurge prices for the novelty

Backpacker digs behind the Central Post Office - thin walls mean you can hum along with rehearsal pianos next door for free