The acoustics are so illuminating that many of the operas are performed without microphones. Audiences must remain absolutely quiet—unwanted noise is magnified several times over and will interfere with the performance.
"We call it green acoustics," said Ivarsson. "Silence is a part of the experience."
Struck By a Meteor
Dalhalla also serves as a history and geology lesson.
The limestone in the quarry was formed from mud and dead animals in a tropical sea during the Ordovician period (505 to 440 million years ago) when Sweden was situated in the southern hemisphere.
Among the fossils that can be found in the walls of the quarry are sea lilies, headless mollusks, and a three-lobed animal that is a relative of wood lice and existed as far back as 600 million years ago.
The nearby Siljan, one of Sweden's largest lakes, was created when a four-kilometer-wide meteor hit the area some 360 million years ago, shattering the limestone formations on the surface and pushing the underlying bedrock deep into the crust of the Earth.
The impact crater was enormous and can still be seen today in a circular chain of hills around the lake that ranges more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) across.
Jazz and Rock-n-Roll
Dalhalla has revitalized the tourism industry of Dalarna, a historic region of Sweden that is famous for its traditional midsummer's eve celebration. Dalhalla attracts more than 100,000 visitors per year, and Ivarsson estimates it generates U.S. $13 million annually in additional tourism revenue.
"Dalhalla has become a brand," he said. "A lot of people may know of it, but they're impressed when they visit because it's bigger, better and more powerful than they thought it would be."
While it was built as an opera stage, Dalhalla now puts on a range of shows, from jazz to rock concerts. Critics complain that some musicians are abusing the natural acoustics of the venue.
"Some artists don't trust the natural sound and use a lot of electronic amplification," said Ivarsson. "We want the listening experience to be as natural as possible, but it's not always the case."
Over the years, the crowds have learned how to deal with Sweden's unpredictable weather. At one show this past summer, a concert tribute to Ray Charles, the skies opened up just as the show was about to begin.
As if on cue, the 3,000 people in the audience whipped out their rain gear and settled in for the show.
Virtually no one left.
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