Architecture Goes to the Opera

The Swiss architects bring their rough-edged, aggressive style to the Met as set designers for Attila.

Herzog and de Meuron might be rock stars abroad--their just-opened VitraHaus museum for the furniture company's Weil am Rhein, Germany campus is astonishing (thanks, in part, to Iwan Baan's insanely good photographs). But here in the States, they've had a rough few years. After their success with 40 Bond, their follow-up, 56 Leonard, stalled and their plan for the Parrish Art Museum had to...