Update: May 25, 2010 – Teatro Colón is now re-opened after a 3 year renovation..
At the end of the month, Buenos Aires great opera house Teatro Colón will be closing its doors for a year and a half while the building is renovated. Teatro Colón is scheduled to re-open on May 25, 2008.
(Having been involved myself in a couple of major building renovation projects, I’m sure everyone managing the renovation of the Colón is worried about meeting that deadline. Already, even the announcement on the theater’s Web site says that Teatro Colón will re-open with “most of the works completed.” To see what’s going to be happening, take a look at the master plan for the restoration of Teatro Colón.)
Some history
Lately, I’ve been reading a lot about the history of Teatro Colón and opera in Buenos Aires, particularly the influence of Italian immigrants on the local opera scene. So, I’ve decided to create a series of postings, sort of a history of opera in Buenos Aires. I’m not yet sure how many postings will be in this series, but I’m going to try and keep the postings short: nuggets of information rather than encyclopedic. Anyone with more knowledge about any of these topics, please jump in with comments. I’m just learning these things as I read, passing along what’s interesting.
A brief history of Teatro Colón itself is available on its Web site. (That same link is available in Spanish).
While the present Teatro Colón will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2008, there actually was another Teatro Colón that was built in 1857 across from Plaza de Mayo, where the Banco de la Nación is located. The first Teatro Colón closed in 1888. While the new Teatro Colón was being built over the following 18 years, the dominant opera house in Buenos Aires was Teatro de la Ópera, which was built in 1872. Another theater of that time was Teatro Politeama, which remained popular well into the 20th century. The Politeama wasn’t just an opera house, but provided a venue for a lot of popular entertainment. Have a look at this Yiddish poster advertising a show at the Politeama in the 1930s.
Okay, I promised to keep these postings short, so I’m stopping now…need to come back another day and say something more about the Teatro de la Ópera.
October 20th, 2006 at 7:06 pm
[…] Some history today from Buenos Aires. The upcoming renovation of the downtown opera house, Teatro Colón has inspired Jeff Barry to to begin a series on the history of opera in Buenos Aires. eBlog, meanwhile, points out that today is the 30th anniversary since the debut of Diego Maradona [ES] with the Argentinos Juniors. […]
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:59 pm
What a bad new you gave us. A shame for the coming cultural season of Buenos Aires.
October 25th, 2006 at 11:29 pm
[…] 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. […]
November 13th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Still, (and no, I don’t work for them!), I wouldn’t let the closing allow me to miss “Turandot”, a wonderful and lovely spectacle of an opera, at Luna Park!
November 17th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
[…] Continues part I…. […]
December 7th, 2006 at 6:33 am
I saw Turandot. The sound at Luna Park was artificial (amplified). You couldn’t tell where the singing was coming from.
December 23rd, 2006 at 11:55 am
Thank you for posting this incredible website for those of us who will likely be unable to see Teatro Colon in person this coming March due to the renovatons. At least we can see some of its beauty through your online photographs.
I hope there will be a possibility to step just inside to see the magnificent interior from some available point sometime between March 18-21 when my husband and I will be in Buenos Aires with a group from Vassar College in the United States. Would you kindly email me if this might be possible? Thank you very much.
December 23rd, 2006 at 8:02 pm
Susan, I just sent you an email… there is a page on the Teatro Colón official Web site about the tours, evidently they are still providing the tours during the renovation. See http://www.teatrocolon.org.ar/English/guidedtours.htm
December 31st, 2006 at 12:11 am
I am interested in finding out more about the Teatro Colon. My great grandfather was Francisco Columbo, and from my family accounts he was the person responsible for building and owning the Teatro Colon. My great grandmother was an opera singer. I would like to know if there is information on Francisco Columbo and his wife (I think her name was Maria Mestaste). Please let me know if you can supply any information. As you may note Colon is the Spanish version of the Italian Name Columbo.
January 2nd, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Claire – I sent you an email on this topic.
January 26th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Jeff: Did you say we can still do a tour of Teatro Colon even during renovation? Joseph and I will be in BsAs March 15-20. Can we buy tickets online before arriving in BsAs? Thank you in advance for your info!
January 26th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Well, in late December, they were still giving tours. Perhaps the renovation hadn’t really started then even though the performances were over. As of now (late January) it looks like all the tours are canceled during the renovation. Sorry.
January 24th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
[…] the renovation of Teatro Colón behind schedule, which shouldn’t surprise anyone, the theater will not be ready for its 100th […]
May 17th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Hello I try to find the dictionary the la opera because my moms name is there can you please help me find I know the edit in Buenos Aires her Name is Claudia Mocchi (soprano)from Brasil.
Thank you
June 9th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
[…] 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 […]
November 19th, 2008 at 7:20 am
I’ll be in BA on 6th December 2008.I want to attend the opera.Will it be open?The website says that there are no guided tours currently.What is Opera in camara?
November 19th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Hi John,
Teatro Colón will not be open for performances in December 2008.
I’m not exactly sure, but I assume la Ópera de Cámara del Colón is a smaller group under the auspices of Teatro Colón that present short works. Their performances are at Teatro SHA (Sociedad Hebraica Argentina). I’ve not been to one of these performances but I’m sure it’s worth attending if you’re in town and like opera.
November 30th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Hello, i’m just passing here and i want to tell you that i wrnt a lot of times to the Colon, it is a beautifull place and its enormous, i really enjoy to be there, you can see lots of interesting cultural stuff about the opera and lots of things like that, i’m from Buenos aires.
May 6th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
[…] 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 […]
June 17th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Hi my name is Roberta and I try too find a dictionary off the Opera made at Argentina and have every one who’s have sing at the Colon theatre,my mother Claudia Mocchi is a Opera singer (soprano)and have her career in that book and she’s very sick whit Alzaimers, my kids barely know here, I live in USA now and I try to find so my kids can see and be proud off here and have a nice memories from they grandmother, if any one can help me get a copy or know where I can find one I realy apreciete.
Thanks
Roberta Mocchi
rmocchi@yahoo.com
March 6th, 2010 at 1:52 am
Hi – Did the Teatro Colon burn in 1888, is that the reason it closed? If it was not the Colon that burned, do you know of another Opera house that did burn around the 1880 timeframe?
The reason I am asking is that my wifes great aunt was in Buenos Aires when an opera house burned. She saved the five children for whom she was a nanny. I also need the name of the family for whom she was a nanny.
Horace
March 6th, 2010 at 8:30 am
Hi Horace,
Hmmmm, good question. I don’t know the answer. It would be an interesting topic to research.
May 20th, 2010 at 4:09 am
[…] 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 […]
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:52 pm
[…] been interesting.Previous Colon TheaterThere was actually a Colon theatre before the current one, as noted recently by Jeff Barry in his blog (he will soon be posting moreon the Colon, probably far more coherently than I am doing […]