Battle of the Opera

This weekend saw the reopening of Buenos Aires famous ‘Teatro Colón’ following a seven year restoration, costing $25 million US dollars. The refurbishment of the ornate 2700 seat theatre began with the measurement of its acoustics back in 2001, just as millions of Argentines were plunged into poverty.

However, not even an economic crisis could derail the ambitious refurbishment of the theatre, modelled on Milan’s ‘La Scala’ and the building closed at the end of 2006 so that stucco facades, columns and French stained glass could be painstakingly restored. Experts were brought in to ensure that the work in no way interfered with the delicate natural acoustics for which the horseshoe shaped theatre is world renowned.

The theatre, which hosts ballet and opera performances, was originally opened in 1908 when Argentina was among the world’s richest nations and initial projections had hoped it would reopen in time for the 2008 centenary. However, the careful restorations were only finally complete some two years later, a little behind schedule for the centenary, but fortunately just in time for Argentina’s bicentennial celebrations to commemorate independence from Spain.

This weekend saw thousands of Argentine's gather outside the theatre for the grand reopening, which included a 3D film projected on the theatres exterior wall, showing key moments and performances form the theatres history. Inside, the chandeliers and Italian pink marble stairwells had been returned to their original splendour, giving Europhile Argentines reason to once again be proud of their cultural icon, located in the very heart of the ‘Paris of South America’.

Luxury Latin American travel experts Dehouche offer tailor made tours of Buenos Aires as part of wider tailor made luxury family vacation and honeymoon itineraries with a local guide who actually worked on the restoration of the theatre, giving you an insider’s perspective on the cultural side of Porteño life.

Curiously, Argentina’s rival neighbour Brazil also has the official reopening of its iconic ‘Teatro Municipal’ in Rio de Janeiro, scheduled for later this month. The theatre, which was inspired by Paris’s ‘Opéra’ underwent a similar restoration costing R$70 million (about 38 million US dollars) and enjoyed a limited reopening at the beginning of the month after a two and a half year closure. Rio’s theatre had also originally been scheduled to reopen last year, in order to coincide with the building’s centenary, but suffered a ‘small delay’. Combine a trip to Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro with Dehouche and admire both renovations for yourself.

Let Dehouche arrange your luxury boutique hotel and transportation requirements, allowing you to enjoy a whole host of insider tips on where to truly escape from it all on your vacation.

Dehouche S.A.,
Leblon,
Rio de Janeiro ,
Brazil.
www.dehouche.com

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