Teatro Politeama in Lisbon, Theatre in Santa Maria Maior, Portugal.
The Teatro Politeama is a theatre and cinema building on Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, in the central Lisbon neighbourhood of Santa Maria Maior. Its facade is marked by a large arch framing three pairs of windows, with carved stone details typical of early 20th-century construction.
The building opened on December 6, 1913, with an operetta performance that attracted a well-known audience from across the city. In the 1920s it was converted from a live performance space into a cinema, following a broader shift in how people in Lisbon chose to spend an evening out.
The words "Musica" and "Comedia" are carved into the facade, recalling the two art forms the building was originally dedicated to. These inscriptions are still visible today and give the theatre a distinct identity along its busy commercial street.
The Teatro Politeama stands on Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, a central street that is easy to reach on foot from many parts of downtown Lisbon. Even outside of show times, the facade is worth a look from the pavement as you walk along the street.
The auditorium has three levels of horseshoe-shaped balconies with stage boxes, giving it the feel of a small opera house rather than a typical city cinema. This layout means that almost every seat in the house has a clear view of the stage.
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