Colón Theater, Opera house in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Colón Theater is an opera house in central Buenos Aires that can hold more than two thousand visitors in a horseshoe-shaped auditorium. The hall extends over several floors with balconies and boxes, while a large chandelier with hundreds of light bulbs hangs from the center.
Construction began in 1889 under the direction of Francesco Tamburini and continued after his death with Vittorio Meano, until Belgian architect Jules Dormal completed the building. The venue opened its doors in May 1908 with a performance of Verdi's Aida.
The name Colón honours Christopher Columbus, and the theatre opened on 25 May 1908, Argentina's national day, with Verdi's Aida. Its resident orchestra, choir and ballet perform here, and the 1966 ceiling painting is by Raúl Soldi. A monument to dancers Norma Fontenla and José Neglia, killed in a 1971 air crash, stands in neighbouring Lavalle Square.
The hall can be visited on guided tours that take place several times daily and pass through the main auditorium, foyers and sometimes the production workshops. It is advisable to book tickets in advance as places often fill up quickly.
An international survey among acoustic experts has rated the sound quality of the hall as one of the best in the world for opera performances. The reason lies in the horseshoe-shaped geometry and the materials of the walls, which distribute sound evenly throughout the space.
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