Cerrito 618 (between Tucuman and Toscanini), City Center [Tel: (54-11) 4378-7344]

Earlier this week I finally took the opportunity to take in a performance at the Teatro Colon (Colon Theater) which many say is the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Buenos Aires, as one of the most famous opera houses in the world.

I was prompted to get along to the Colon by the fact that it is closing for reconstruction work at the end of October 2006, with plans to reopen on May 25, 2008, when the theatre will celebrate it’s 100th anniverary. A long wait, and that’s IF the works are actually completed in time. Knowing Argentina, I would be extremely suprised if things go according to plan (for example, the supposed 90 day renovation of the “Monumento a los dos Congresos” in Plaza Congreso is STILL going on some 10 months or so later!).

The Concert

We saw a concert from the ‘Camerata Bariloche’ orchestra, playing pieces from Strauss and Beethoven, which was all very pleasing to the ears (I have to admit i’m far from being classical music fan), but the star of the show was of course the venue itself, which is resplendent in its rich scarlet and gold decoration, along with several forests worth of beautiful wooden construction that make up the auditorium, with hints of Italian, Greek, German and French Renaissance design. It’s all very impressive when you are looking down, way, way down, from above, in the ‘Paradise’ (’Paraiso’ - the 7th and final seating level) area, which cost but a mere 10 pesos a seat or 5 pesos to stand (yes, I bought the cheapest tickets in the house - just don’t let my girlfriend find out).

For the record, I turned up in smart shoes, trousers, a shirt and tie, taking note of the dress code I saw in the ticket office earlier that day. I was easily the most over dressed person in the ‘Paraiso’ area - but in the more expensive areas I did see some well dressed ladies and gentleman. I think in reality you could go along dressed as you please - I saw quite a few people in jeans and t shirts.

Some Teatro Colon History

The famous venue is not without some interesting history. It opened in 1908, almost 20 years after the first cornerstone was laid in 1889, under the direction of architect Francesco Tamburini. You might understand why I suggested the current restorations may not be completed on time when I tell you that the theatre was originally due to be opened in 1892! But to be fair, a series of tragedies did complicate the process. Tamburini died soon after construction started, and his friend Vittorio Meano took over the project. Who also promptly died (murdered in a love triangle ‘gone wrong’ - though actually I’m not sure if there are many love triangles that ‘go right’). The architects were followed to the grave by another Italian guy, Angelo Ferrari (assassinated), that had been partly funding the building works. Italians dropping like flies…

Fortunately, a Belgian, Julio Dormal, came in and finished the job, breathing a sigh of relief as the finishing touches were made without event. This further confirmed my feeling that Belgians are in fact some of the greatest people on this planet, not only producing the best beer in the world and some of the finest chocolate, but also bucking architectural death trends without batting an eyelid. And that’s not to mention the waffles! I drink to Dormal and his kind whenever I can (sadly no Belgian beer) inside another of his many BA constructions, the Confiteria Richmond cafe, on pedestrian Florida Street (near Lavalle).

The Colon Finally Opens…

But back to the theatre. It finally opened on 25 May 1908 with a performance of Verdi’s Aida, and never looked back, as it became one of the world’s premiere centers of opera. Over the years the Teatro Colon has hosted such musical greats as Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini, French opera singer Jane Bathori, Italian tenor Enrico Caruso, Greek soprano Maria Callas, fatty Luciano Pavarotti, Argentine Tango bandoneon maestro Astor Piazzolla and even Weird Al Yankovic. OK, I made that last one up, but it would have been interesting.

Previous Colon Theater

There was actually a Colon theatre before the current one, as noted recently by Jeff Barry in his blog (he will soon be posting more on the Colon, probably far more coherently than I am doing right now). It had opened in 1857 on the edge of Plaza de Mayo, and served the porteno aristocracy well for a good many years until the current Colon was opened. These days the old building houses the Banco de la Nacion - the national bank of Argentina, an imposing structure that looks down upon the tourists that buzz round the Pink House.

Perfect Acoustics

The current theatre, located in Buenos Aires City Center (more or less in Tribunales) and visible from Avenue 9 de Julio, has virtually perfect acoustics. This is one of its main attractions, the sound reaching each and every audience member perfectly - so you can be a cheapskate like me and still enjoy the concert, even if the orchestra do look like musical ants from the loftier vantage points. If that doesn’t sound like a nice visual experience, you can always take in the music while staring at the beautiful surroundings, such as the decoration around the top of the stage, the huge, dazzling chandelier, or the ceiling frescoes that surround it. Though sadly the latter are not original, due to damage caused by damp in the 1930s. Instead they were painted in 1966 by famous Argentine muralist Raul Soldi, whose work can also be found on the ceiling of the wonderful Galerias Pacifico shopping center, again on Florida street (corner of Cordoba).

Teatro Colon Verdict

All in all, I very much recommend that any visitor to Buenos Aires pays a visit to the Teatro Colon - but unfortunately you will have to wait until May 25, 2008, or perhaps even longer, to see this attraction. However, it is probably worth the wait. In the meantime, if it is the classical music you are after, the Colon is continuing to put shows on in other venues across Buenos Aires during the closure. These mainly seem like they will be held in the Luna Park sports/concert venue, which though not without an interesting history of its own (the place where Peron and Evita 1st met, the funeral of Carlos Gardel and, err…, a Liza Minelli concert), is really not much more than a glorified warehouse.

Anyway, the Teatro Colon is still there to look at from the outside, and that’s not such a bad view in itelf…

For more detailed information on the Teatro Colon, and pictures that are far better and more varied than mine, check out the history section of the official Colon website. And of course, Wikipedia is always good.