Location:
Libertad 621 & Toscanini 1168
The Colon Theatre is world famous being considered as one of the
best acoustic in the world together with Milan´s La Scala, the Paris
Opera and the Bolshoi in Moscow. The building occupies 8202 sq. mts.
and the hall, a mixture of Italian Rennaissance and French Baroque.
It sits 2478 people (4000 standing) and it has 7 levels.
The use of golden and scarlet red colours predominated in the
decoration.
History of the first Colon Theatre
The first Colon Theatre was opened April 27m 1857 with a staging La
Traviata. It was located opposite Plaza de Mayo. The design was made
by the engineer Carlos E. Pellegrini, father of a future President
of the Republic. The old Colon Theatre existed for three decades
before being transformed into the Banco de la Nación Argentina. It
presented the most famous singers of the times like E. Tamberkick,
G. Cima, S. Vera-Lorini, G. Medori, F. Nicolao, J. Gayarre, A. Patti
and F. Tamagno. It developed a striking repertoire wide and eclectic
including first performances of German Operas sung in Italian just
as it took place in some European countries.
Building Features
The building is located on land bordered by Libertad, A. Toscanini,
Cerrito and Tucuman Streets between Plaza Lavalle and 9 de Julio
Av. The land where it is built embraces 8202 sq. mts., 5006 sq. mts.
belonging to the building and 3196 sq. mts. to underground “related”
rooms below A. Toscanini St.
The total surface built is 37884 sq. mts. The façades are divided in
three architectural orders. Over the terraces, an elegant
two-section pointing roof stands out. It is a harmonious whole that
can be appreciated at a distance from 9 de Julio Av.
There are elements of Italian Renaissance in the building. Basements
similar to the Greek-Attic order made up of ground floor, first
floor, monumental inter columnation (with Ionic and Corinthian
capitals) and its multiform variations unify the first, second and
third floors.
The openings on the walls are managed with arches, architrabes and
moldings. We cannot talk about a definite style but of an eclectic
style typical of construction at the beginning of the 20th.
Centuries.
Main Entrance
The great entrance hall
has Verona marble, stained glass on the dome and a stair case
leading up to the foyer; the statues room and the so-called golden room. From
the sides of the main stairs there is access to the lane of
carriages, a narrow interior street communicating Toscanini and
Tucuman Street.