Teatro Colón

High on the list of "must do" things in Buenos Aires is a visit to El Teatro Colón. Brenda and I don't normally go in for the big tourist attractions, but when we saw this spectacular building from the outside, we knew a visit was required. Initially, we were reluctant to part with the $7600 ARS admission fee, which is very high by Argentine standards, but in the end we coughed up the roughly $32.00 CDN to do the hour long guided tour. It was money well spent.

Our guide, Juan, spoke perfect English and provided us with interesting and informative commentary throughout the visit. Construction on the project began in 1890 and opened with Verdi's Aida in 1908. During the course of construction, the original architect and his replacement died and a third architect had to be hired to complete the job. Materials for the structure were mostly imported from Europe (Italian and Portuguese marble) although a small portion was sourced in Argentina.

The acoustics in the hall have been surveyed by experts and pronounced to be the best in the world for opera and second best for theater. The room seats just under 2500 with a possibility of 1000 standing room spots. We attempted to buy tickets to see The Nutcracker, but they sold out months ago. Unfortunately, there will be no more shows until the next season starts in March. Juan told us that the best seats in the house to see an opera cost only about $100 USD, a fraction of what it would cost in North America.

The theater has six floors above ground and three below. All materials, props, costumes, including wigs, are fabricated on premises. When in full operation, more than 1500 people work there each day!

On the second floor there is a large reception area known as La Sala Dorada (The Gold Hall) that was originally used exclusively by visiting dignitaries. It is now open to the general public during intermissions and can be rented out for private events.

The horseshoe shaped auditorium is magnificent to see. The interior design features a rich scarlet and gold decor. and the cupola contains canvas painted in 1966 by the 20th-century artist Raúl Soldi during renovation work. The curtain over the stage is painted to resemble the decor in the boxes around the theater. Interestingly, when one looks at the boxes from the rear of the room, their decor appears almost flat, exactly like on the stage's curtain.

Decades of constant use and neglected maintenance took a huge toll on the building and, in 2006, a full refurbishment was organized. In the end, what had been planned as an 18-month, $25-million renovation with 500 workers, scheduled for a May 2008 reopening, became a three-year $100-million extravaganza with 1,500 workers including 130 professional architects and engineers. The end result was clearly worth the expense and effort.

You can be sure that on our next trip to Buenos Aires we'll have reserved our tickets for The Nutcracker well in advance.Lue lisää