Top 10 Buenos Aires

$ Vitreaux
The massive vitreaux
(above) in the entrance hall is
impressive, but do not miss
the pair in El Salón Dorado,
depicting Greek mythology.
La Sala
There is no such
thing as a bad seat
within the Colón’s
auditorium, where
upward of 2,500
spectators (right)
seated in red velvet
seats are treated to
acoustics only
afforded by a theater
with the optimal
horse-shoe shape.
* La Cúpula
A 3,423-sq ft (318-sq
m) dome above La Sala’s
floor forms the crown on
el Colón (left). Its original
paintings deteriorated –
the present ones were
rendered in the 1960s.
( Pasaje de los Carruajes
At the top of the entrance hall stairs is this
narrow hallway where, prior to the automobile’s
popularization in Buenos Aires, carriage drivers would
pick up and drop off their affluent charges.
)
Workshops
In the three
basements, artisans
construct sets, sew
costumes, and design
props. Performers hold
rehearsals on the
replicated stage (right).
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El Paraíso ^ The cheapest “seats”
also happen to boast
some of the best
acoustics. Here, in the
ironically named Paraíso
(Paradise), more than 500
standing audience
members can pack in.
Optimal sight lines,
however, are guaranteed
only for early arrivals.
& Library
El Colón’s formidable
archives, accessible to
all, contain first-edition
librettos, artifacts from
past performances, and
rich ballet and opera
reference materials. The
library’s main attraction is
its complete set of
programs from theater
performances, dating
from its 1908 opening.
A Fraught
Opening Act
The Colón’s cornerstone
was laid in 1889, yet the
theater would not open
for two decades. The
lead architect died
during construction,
leaving his assistant in
charge until his own
death in 1904, followed
by the chief financier’s
assassination. A Belgian
then inherited the
project, imparting many
French Baroque
touches. Verdi’s Aida
finally inaugurated the
house in 1908.
Buenos Aires’ Top 10 13