Cervantes Theater
The Teatro Cervantes (Cervantes Theater) in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires is the country's national theater .
history
The Teatro Cervantes owes its existence in part to the move of the Spanish theater producer María Guerrero and her company, which made professional stage theater popular in Argentina. The commercial success at the Teatro Odeón and her adaptations of classical Spanish dramas brought her to various theaters across the country. Following the opening of several large, richly decorated opera houses and theaters in Argentina, María Guerrero and her husband invested part of their fortune in building their own theater in 1918. The project caught the attention of both the local better society and the King of Spain, Alfonso XIII. who participated in the construction by commissioning handicraft elements and having materials and stage technology provided. The theater was built in the Spanish Baroque style and named after the legendary Spanish novelist and playwright Miguel de Cervantes .
The Teatro Cervantes was inaugurated on September 5, 1921 with a Lope de Vegas production “La Dama boba”. However, the proliferation of theaters in Buenos Aires and the arrival of radio in Argentina had a detrimental effect on audience numbers, and as early as 1926 Guerrero was forced to auction the building. Disappointed by this development, the then director of the national conservatory, Enrique García Velloso, persuaded President de Alvear to turn the Cervantes theater into a national theater. De Alvear, whose wife Regina Pacini was an opera singer and patron of the arts, agreed. In 1933 the theater also became home to the National Comedy Theater. A big fire in 1961 almost destroyed the theater, a disaster that, however, led to a comprehensive modernization of the now outdated building. A 17-story extension was also added to the building. The auditorium was rebuilt according to the original plans and in 1968 the Teatro Cervantes was reopened. The commitment of Lito Cruz , an Argentine personality, to the theater led to the enactment of a law declaring the Teatro Cervantes a national theater in 1997 and granting the facility annual grants.
overview
The Teatro Cervantes is located on Avenida Córdoba 1155, two blocks north of the Teatro Colón . It has three halls, the main hall is the “Salon María Guerrero” with a 456 m² stage and space for 860 spectators, 512 of them in the galleries. The second hall, the “Salon Orestes Caviglia ”, has 150 seats and is mainly used for chamber music concerts. The "Salon Luisa Vehíl" is a multifunctional room that is known for its gold decor.
Web links
Coordinates: 34 ° 35 ′ 56 ″ S , 58 ° 23 ′ 1.7 ″ W.