The 1,140-seat National Theatre of Costa Rica ( es, Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica) is Costa Rica's national theatre, located in the central section of San José. Construction began in 1891, and it opened to the public on 21 October 1897 with a performance of

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as t ...

's ''

Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroa ...

''. The National Theatre stood as a cultural asset of the country during a time when coffee exports were a source of its success. It presents high quality performances, with artistic criteria being very high. The building is considered the finest historic building in the capital, and it is known for its exquisite interior which includes its lavish furnishings.

Construction history

Constructed in the late 19th century, when San Jose's population was only around 19,000 people, the theatre presented many private performances. Its only real competition was the ''Teatro Mora'' (also called the Municipal Theatre, or ''Teatro Municipal''), that existed for many years before the National Theatre, until it was destroyed and deemed unsafe by an earthquake. To finance the construction of a theatre suitable for name "National Theatre", the

President of Costa Rica The president of the Republic of Costa Rica is the head of state and head of government of Costa Rica. The president is currently elected in direct elections for a period of four years, which is not immediately renewable. Two vice presidents are ...

José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón (6 January 1837 – 30 November 1917) was President of Costa Rica from 1890 to 1894. Rodríguez was born on 6 January 1837. He studied law at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala The Universidad de San ...

decided to place a tax on coffee, then the principal export product. Later, one

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of ...

planter begged the government to remove the export tax on his product and put it on

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

and

beans A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes thr ...

(also principal export products of the time). There were many problems during the early period of construction. However, the construction errors were corrected by an Italian engineer who was brought in to direct the process. It took seven years to finish the theatre, and the inauguration took place on 21 October 1897. The front of the theatre features statues of Calderón de la Barca and

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...

. There are several monuments by the entry walkway including Frédéric Chopin. The inside features the

mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...

''Allegory of Coffee and Bananas'' by Milanese artist Aleardo Villa, which is featured on the five colón bill.

The theatre today

As well as having performances several times a week, the theatre is a

tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural ...

. Performances by the National Symphonic Orchestra (NSO) take place as part of orchestra's regular season, and include both Costa Rican and foreign composers.

References

;Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:National Theatre Of Costa Rica 1897 establishments in Costa Rica Costa Rica, National Theatre of Costa Rica Opera houses in Costa Rica Theatres in Costa Rica Tourist attractions in San José, Costa Rica Buildings and structures in San José, Costa Rica Theatres completed in 1897 Music venues completed in 1897