Samuel Insull built this palace of a building in 1929 as a throne to himself. When the design began for this building that would contain both an opera house and dozens of offices, Insull allegedly asked the architect to make the building in the shape of a throne that faced west. According to local legend, Insull claimed that upon his death his spirit would sit in his "throne" where he could watch out over the growth of the city, much of which he spawned before dying virtually penniless and forgotten years later. Inside, the theater is a traditional European-style opera house, filled with stacked balcony and side boxes. The Lyric Opera of Chicago has gained an international reputation over the past 20 years as one of the world's finest companies. Its opulently staged productions range from the classics to new shows, such as "An American Tragedy."