The Teatro Colón (

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: ''Columbus Theatre'') is the main

opera house An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets. While some venues are constructed specifically for o ...

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Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

. It is considered one of the ten best opera houses in the world by National Geographic. According to a survey carried out by the acoustics expert Leo Beranek among leading international opera and orchestra directors, the Teatro Colón has the room with the best acoustics for opera and the second best for concerts in the world. The present Colón replaced an original theatre which opened in 1857. Towards the end of the century it became clear that a new theatre was needed and, after a 20-year process, the present theatre opened on 25 May 1908, with

Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

's ''

Aïda ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 Decembe ...

''. The Teatro Colón was visited by the foremost singers and opera companies of the time, who would sometimes go on to other cities including

Montevideo Montevideo () is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 1,319,108 (about one-third of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...

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and

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. After this period of huge international success, the theatre's decline became clear and plans were made for massive renovations. After an initial start of works to restore the landmark in 2005, the theatre was closed for refurbishment from October 2006 to May 2010. It re-opened on 24 May 2010, with a programme for the 2010 season.

History

The Colón theater operated in two buildings, the first located in the Plaza de Mayo until 1888 and the second located in front of the Plaza Lavalle, which took 20 years to be built until its inauguration in 1908. This land formerly housed the Park Station, the first railway station of the Argentine Republic as head of the Western Railway of Buenos Aires. Throughout its history the main figures of opera, classical music and world ballet have performed in the Colón theater, such as

Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini (; ; March 25, 1867January 16, 1957) was an Italian conductor. He was one of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century, renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orch ...

, Nijinski,

Luisa Tetrazzini Luisa Tetrazzini (June 29, 1871 in Florence – April 28, 1940 in Milan) was an Italian dramatic coloratura soprano of great international fame. Tetrazzini "had a scintillating voice with a brilliant timbre and a range and agility well b ...

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Conchita Supervia Conchita is originally a diminutive for the Spanish feminine given name Concepción. Conxita is the Catalan equivalent. ''Conchita'' is also the diminutive of ''concha'' ( seashell). Conchita may refer to: People * Conchita Cabrera de Armida (1 ...

Regina Pacini Regina Isabel Luisa Pacini Quintero (January 6, 1871, Lisbon, Portugal – September 18, 1965, Buenos Aires, Argentina) was a lyric soprano who married the Argentine politician Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear and became First Lady of Argentina.''La ...

Anna Pavlova Anna Pavlovna Pavlova ( , rus, Анна Павловна Павлова ), born Anna Matveyevna Pavlova ( rus, Анна Матвеевна Павлова; – 23 January 1931), was a Russian prima ballerina of the late 19th and the early 20th ...

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Maria Callas Maria Callas . (born Sophie Cecilia Kalos; December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek soprano who was one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century. Many critics praised her ''bel cant ...

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Leontyne Price Mary Violet Leontyne Price (born February 10, 1927) is an American soprano who was the first African American soprano to receive international acclaim. From 1961 she began a long association with the Metropolitan Opera, where she was the first Af ...

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, Celia Torra,

Yehudi Menuhin Yehudi or Jehudi (Hebrew: יהודי, endonym for Jew) is a common Hebrew name: * Yehudi Menuhin (1916–1999), violinist and conductor ** Yehudi Menuhin School, a music school in Surrey, England ** Who's Yehoodi?, a catchphrase referring to the v ...

Pau Casals Pau Casals i Defilló (Catalan: ; 29 December 187622 October 1973), usually known in English by his Castilian Spanish name Pablo Casals,

Rudolf Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev ( ; Tatar/ Bashkir: Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; rus, Рудо́льф Хаме́тович Нуре́ев, p=rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf; 17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet ...

Maurice Béjart Maurice Béjart (; 1 January 1927 – 22 November 2007) was a French-born dancer, choreographer and opera director who ran the Béjart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland. He developed a popular expressionistic form of modern ballet, talking vast th ...

Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French, ...

, José Carreras, Luciano Pavarotti,

Lily Pons Alice Joséphine Pons (April 12, 1898 – February 13, 1976), known professionally as Lily Pons, was a French-American operatic soprano and actress who had an active career from the late 1920s through the early 1970s. As an opera singer, she s ...

Marina de Gabaráin Marina de Gabaráin (191713 June 1972) was a Spanish mezzo-soprano. Her international career began at Glyndebourne in 1952, where she appeared in Rossini's ''La Cenerentola'' as Angelina (Cinderella), which became her signature role. Life Born ...

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, Kiri Te Kanawa, among others, and Argentine artists such as Adelaida Negri, Héctor Panizza,

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Jorge Donn Jorge Donn (25 February 1947 in Ciudad Jardin, Buenos Aires – 30 November 1992 in Lausanne, Switzerland), was an Argentine internationally known ballet dancer. He was best known for his work with Maurice Béjart's ''Ballet of the 20th Cen ...

, Norma Fontenla, José Neglia, Olga Ferri,

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, Maximiliano Guerra,

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and

Osvaldo Pugliese Osvaldo Pedro Pugliese (Buenos Aires, December 2, 1905 – July 25, 1995, Buenos Aires) was an Argentine tango musician. He developed dramatic arrangements that retained strong elements of the walking beat of salon tango but also heralded the d ...

. In the last decade other popular artists such as

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, Katherine Jenkins, Sarah Brightman, Joss Stone,

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, play here. Among the main events of its history are the creation of stable bodies in the 1920s and its municipalization in 1931. In 1946, Peronism promoted a policy of openness to popular music and greater democratization of the public, which was reverted after its overthrow in 1955 and again resumed when democracy recovered in 1983. In 2006 a full restoration work was started that would extend until 2010, when it was reopened on May 24 in commemoration of the Bicentennial of Argentina.

The first Teatro Colón

The first Teatro Colón was designed by Charles Pellegrini, and proved to be a successful venue for over 30 years, with 2,500 seats with the inclusion of a separate gallery reserved only for people who were in mourning. The construction started in 1856 and completed in 1857. This was celebrated with an opening on April 27, 1857, with

Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

's ''

La traviata ''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on ''La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his own 18 ...

'', just four years after its Italian premiere. The production starred Sofia Vera Lorini as Violetta and

Enrico Tamberlik Enrico Tamberlik (16 March 1820 – 13 March 1889) was an Italian tenor who sang to great acclaim at Europe and America's leading opera venues. He excelled in the heroic roles of the Italian and French repertories and was renowned for his po ...

as Alfredo. This theater was closed on September 13, 1888 to step aside for a new improved building, which was opened twenty years later on Libertad street, overlooking

Plaza Lavalle A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...

. In that period of time, the 1890 crisis and its effects were the cause for the delay in the completion of this second theater. Before the construction of the current Teatro Colón, opera performances were given in several theatres, of which the first Teatro Colón and the

Teatro Opera The Teatro Opera (''Opera Theatre'') is a prominent cinema and theatre house in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Introduction The Teatro Opera (officially called Opera Orbis Seguros for commercial advertising reasons), is located at 860 Avenida Corriente ...

were the most important. The principal company that performed at the Teatro Opera moved to the Teatro Colón in 1908. However, major companies also performed at the Teatro Politeama and the

Teatro Coliseo The Teatro Coliseo is a theatre in Retiro neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina which opened on July 8, 1905. History The Coliseum Theatre opened in 1905 as living the American circus clown Frank Brown, of great importance in the origins of ...

which opened in 1907.

The present Teatro Colón

Characteristics

The theatre is bounded by the wide 9 de Julio Avenue (technically Cerrito Street), Libertad Street (the main entrance), Arturo Toscanini Street, and Tucumán Street. It is in the heart of the city on a site once occupied by

Ferrocarril Oeste Club Ferro Carril Oeste, known simply as Ferro Carril Oeste or familiarly, Ferro, is an Argentine sports club from the neighbourhood of Caballito, Buenos Aires. Although many activities are hosted by the club, Ferro is mostly known for its foot ...

's ''Plaza Parque'' station. The auditorium is horseshoe-shaped, has 2,487 seats (slightly more than the

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

, London), standing room for 1,000 and a stage which is 20 m wide, 15 m high and 20 m deep. The low-rise building has 6 floors above ground and 3 below ground, 7 elevators with a facade of applied masonry. It has a large central chandelier with 700 light bulbs. The original architect was the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

Francesco Tamburini; after his death it was completed by the

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

architect

Julio Dormal Julio Dormal Godet (1846–1924) was a Belgian architect who, after studying in Paris, arrived in Argentina in 1868 where he became one of the first exponents of the Beaux-Arts style of architecture. He built the Palermo Race Course and designe ...

. The original auditorium "had eight boxes with metal grilles and a separate entrance, so that those in mourning could still attend performances, but remain dignifiedly sequestered from public view". The Colon's

acoustics Acoustics is a branch of physics that deals with the study of mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including topics such as vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician ...

are considered to be so good as to place it in the top five performance venues in the world.Long, Marshall
"What is So Special About Shoebox Halls? Envelopment, Envelopment, Envelopment"
''Acoustics Today'', April 2009, pp.21–25. Luciano Pavarotti held a similar opinion.

Opening and subsequent history

The present theatre, the second with that name, opened on 25 May 1908, after twenty years under construction, and was inaugurated with ''

Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 December ...

'' by the Italian company directed by

Luigi Mancinelli Luigi Mancinelli (; 5 February 1848 – 2 February 1921) was an Italian conductor, cellist and composer. His early career was in Italy, where he established a reputation in Perugia and then Bologna. After 1886 he worked mostly in other countr ...

and tenor

Amedeo Bassi Amedeo Bassi (29 July 1872 - 14 January 1949) was an Italian tenor. Life and career Born in Montespertoli, Bassi studied singing with Marquis Pavesi-Negri, and made his official debut in 1897, in Filippo Marchetti's opera ''Ruy Blas''.Mattera, ...

, soprano Lucia Crestani (as Aida). The second presentation was Thomas' ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' with the baritone

Titta Ruffo Titta Ruffo (9 June 1877 – 5 July 1953), born as Ruffo Cafiero (double forename) Titta, was an Italian operatic baritone who had a major international singing career. Known as the "Voce del leone" ("voice of the lion"), he was greatly admi ...

During the inaugural season seventeen operas were performed with famous stars such as

Ruffo Ruffo is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Noble house of Ruffo di Calabria *Fabrizio Ruffo (1744–1827), Italian cardinal *Fulco Ruffo di Calabria (1884–1946), Italian World War I flying ace * Giordano Ruffo (1200-1256), ...

Feodor Chaliapin Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin ( rus, Фёдор Ива́нович Шаля́пин, Fyodor Ivanovich Shalyapin, ˈfʲɵdər ɪˈvanəvʲɪtɕ ʂɐˈlʲapʲɪn}; April 12, 1938) was a Russian opera singer. Possessing a deep and expressive bass v ...

Boito Arrigo Boito (; 24 February 1842 10 June 1918) (whose original name was Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito and who wrote essays under the anagrammatic pseudonym of Tobia Gorrio) was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, librettist and composer, ...

's ''

Mefistofele ''Mefistofele'' () is an opera in a prologue and five acts, later reduced to four acts and an epilogue, the only completed opera with music by the Italian composer-librettist Arrigo Boito (there are several completed operas for which he was libre ...

'',

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's ''

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''. The cornerstone of the present Teatro Colón was laid in 1889 under the direction of architect

Francesco Tamburini Francesco Tamburini (1846 in Ascoli Piceno, Italy – 1891 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) was an Italian-born architect who designed many important architectural landmarks in Argentina. He studied architecture in Italy and arrived in Argentina in 18 ...

and his pupil,

Vittorio Meano Vittorio Meano (1860, Susa, Piedmont1904) was an Italian architect born in Susa, Italy, near Turin. Background and early career He studied architecture in Albertina Academy in Turin. In 1884 he arrived in Argentina to work in the studio of th ...

, who designed a theatre in the Italian style on a scale and with amenities which matched those in Europe. However, delays followed due to financial difficulties, arguments regarding the location, the death of Tamburini in 1891, the murder of Meano in 1904 and the death of

Angelo Ferrari Angelo Ferrari (14 August 1897 – 15 June 1945) was an Italian actor known for his work in German cinema. Selected filmography * ''The Nude Woman'' (1922) * ''The Green Manuela'' (1923) * ''Samson'' (1923) * '' The Faces of Love'' (1924) * ''Pr ...

, an Italian businessman who was financing the new theatre. The building was finally completed in 1908 under the direction of the Belgian architect

who made some changes in the structure and left his mark in the French style of the decoration. The bas-reliefs and busts on the facade are the work of sculptor

Luigi Trinchero Luigi Trinchero (June 9, 1862 in Acqui Terme – February 6, 1944 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) was an Italian sculptor, most active in Argentina after 1888, most notably the bas-reliefs and busts on the facade of the Teatro Colón. Biography ...

. The theatre's opening on 25 May, the ''Día de la Patria'' in Argentina, featured a performance of Verdi's ''

'' and it quickly became a world-famous operatic venue rivaling

La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...

and the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...

in attracting most of the world's best opera singers and conductors. The Teatro was bombed by anarchists in 1910;

Georges Clemenceau Georges Benjamin Clemenceau (, also , ; 28 September 1841 – 24 November 1929) was a French statesman who served as Prime Minister of France from 1906 to 1909 and again from 1917 until 1920. A key figure of the Independent Radicals, he was a ...

was present in Argentina during the attack. The bomb landed in the middle of the orchestra. Clemenceau describes the attack as follows: "The horror can not be exaggerated. A senior official told me that he had never seen such puddles of blood. The wounded were carried off as best as possible, and the room was emptied by the cries of fury, and the material damage repaired during the day which followed, not a woman of society missed the representation of the morrow. It is a fine trait of character that particularly honors the female element of the Argentine nation. I am not quite sure that in Paris the hall would have been full in such cases." Ballet stars performed at the Colón alongside Argentine dancers and classical instrumentalists. This included the prima ballerina, Lida Martinoli. When she retired from dancing, Martinoli began to choreograph. She died in Santa Fe. The tragic 1971 aviation death of two of the best known of these, Norma Fontenla and José Neglia, was commemorated with a monument in neighbouring Lavalle Square. With excellent acoustics and modern stage areas, the theatre's interior design features a rich scarlet and gold decor. The

cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, most often dome-like, tall structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome. The word derives, via Italian, from ...

contains canvas painted in 1966 by the 20th-century artist

Raúl Soldi Raúl Soldi (27 March 1905 – 21 April 1994) was an Argentine painter and production designer whose work treated various subjects, including landscapes, portraits, the theater and the circus, and nature. His theatrical figures are renowned for ...

during renovation work.

Refurbishment, 2005 – 2010

In recent years, given the political and economic circumstances of Argentina, the Teatro Colón has suffered considerably, but a period of slow recovery began. The theatre underwent massive phased remodelling of both interior and exterior, initially while the house was still open, but production activities ceased at the end of December 2006 to allow full refurbishment. Initially, "what had been planned as an 18-month, $25-million renovation with 500 workers, scheduled for a May 2008 reopening with ''Aida'', became a three-year $100-million extravaganza with 1,500 workers including 130 professional architects and engineers."Lynn, p. 29 In addition, an exterior open-air stage was planned for an opening in 2011. In all, underwent updating, both inside and out. Some of the last performances immediately before closure of the theatre's building were ''

Swan Lake ''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoye ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, link=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failur ...

'' on 30 September with the Ballet Estable del Teatro Colón and the Buenos Aires Philharmonic (''Orquesta Filarmónica de Buenos Aires''). and, on 28 October, the opera ''Boris Godunov (opera), Boris Godunov'' was given featuring Orquesta Estable del Teatro Colón and the house chorus. The theatre's final performance before its closure for refurbishment works in 2005 was a concert on 1 November starring folklore singer Mercedes Sosa in performance with the Argentine National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Pedro Ignacio Calderón. While it was originally planned to reopen in time for the centenary on 25 May 2008, delays prevented this, and the house was finally reopened with a gala concert and 3D animations on 24 May 2010, the eve of its own 102nd birthday and the Argentina Bicentennial. Tchaikovsky's ''

'' and Act 2 of Puccini's ''La bohème'' were performed. A private concert to test the acoustics attended by employees, architects, and others involved in the renovation occurred on 6 May 2010. On the 6 September 2013, the Teatro Colón hosted the Opening Ceremony of the 125th IOC Session, 125th Session of the International Olympic Committee.

Image gallery

File:Buenos Aires - San Nicolás - Teatro Colón.jpg, The Golden Room (''Salón Dorado'') File:Colon-interior-escenario-TM.jpg, Concert hall and stage File:La cúpula.jpg, Allegorical ceiling frescoes painted by

File:Reapertura del Teatro Colón - Sala principal (4).jpg, Balconies File:Reapertura del Teatro Colón - Vista exterior del Teatro (3).jpg, Reopening celebrations File:Reapertura del Teatro Colón - Orquesta antes de La Boheme.jpg, Reopening Gala

References

;Notes ;Sources * Caamaño, Roberto. ''Historia del Teatro Colón'', Vol I-III, Cinetea, Buenos Aires, 1969. * Ferro, Valenti. ''Las voces del Teatro Colón'', Buenos Aires, 1982 * Garland, Marguerite. ''Mas allá del gran telón''. Buenos Aires, 1990 * Hoos, Monica, ''El Teatro Colón'', 2003, * Lynn, Karyl Charna, "Restoration Drama", ''Opera Now'', (London) Sept/Oct 2010, pp. 28–30 * Matera, J. H., ''Teatro Colón Años de gloria 1908–1958'', Buenos Aires, 1958. ML1717.8.B9 T4 * Moyano, Julia. ''Teatro Colon A telon abierto''. * Pollini, Margarita. ''Palco, cazuela y paraíso. Las historias más insólitas del Teatro Colón''. 2002 * Sessa, Aldo, Manuel Mujica Láinez, ''Vida y gloria del Teatro Colón''. 1983. * Sessa, Aldo. ''El mágico mundo del Teatro Colón''. 1995. * Sessa, Aldo. ''ALMAS, ANGELES Y DUENDES DEL TEATRO COLON'',

External links

Official website

Website with interior photos of the house

Description of a visit to the Teatro Colon at the end of October 2006, just before its closure for refurbishment until 25 May 2008

Panoramic virtual tour of inside the theatre in 2004

Architectural History of the Teatro Colon

"On with the Show! A Celebration of the 100th Anniversary and Restoration of the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Teatro Colon 2014 Opera Program
{{Authority control Concert halls in Argentina Opera houses in Argentina San Nicolás, Buenos Aires Argentine opera companies Culture in Buenos Aires, Teatro Colon Buildings and structures in Buenos Aires, Teatro Colon National Historic Monuments of Argentina, Teatro Colon Tourist attractions in Buenos Aires, Teatro Colon Theatres in Buenos Aires Music venues completed in 1857 Theatres completed in 1857 1908 establishments in Argentina, Teatro Colon Music venues completed in 1908 Theatres completed in 1908

History

The first Teatro Colón

The present Teatro Colón

Characteristics

Opening and subsequent history

Refurbishment, 2005 – 2010

Image gallery

See also

References

External links