Composers who make works that bring people to tears live and die dreaming of a performance at Samayus.
—Moira Nascall on Samayus's reputation
The Samayus Palace of Opera (often shortened simply to Samayus) was the most distinguished theater for the performance of the fine arts on Tyras, a world already known for the high quality of its artistry. Successfully performing in Samayus was considered the crowning achievement of a Ky`Knomi's artistic career. Though best-known for its opera, Samayus also hosted plays, musicals, and concerts.
A long-standing tradition at Samayus was the short run times of performances; none in recorded history lasted more than a week, and most were only for a single-night, adding to the pressure of performance. Additionally, no performance at Samayus before 153 ABY was ever recorded in any way; only those with tickets for a given event could see it, which added to the opera house's mystique and elite reputation, although detractors considered it snobbery.
After Tyras joined the Golden Empire in 114 ABY, its reputation spread and performing at the Samayus Palace of Opera became the goal of an entire Empire's worth of singers, musicians, composers, and conductors. Samayus's director installed a royal box, its use restricted only to the Royal Family. Princess Andromeda Keane became the first member to actually use the privilege in 140 ABY, along with her two Royal Guards, Kelto Nembask and Moira Nascall. The composer whose masterpiece was featured stated publicly later that performing for a member of the Royal Family was the distinguishing triumph of his career.
Queen Rin Sakaros herself finally attended a performance, along with most of the rest of the Royal Family, in 153 ABY, when Kasci Centurion and virtuosa Jira Zaffrod performed a concert.