Teatro Municipal Santiago's Historic Opera House

The municipal theater, considered to be one of the jewels of Santiago, was originally opened in 1857. The building was designed with the collaboration of Charles Garnier who built the Paris Opera House and the Montecarlo Casino. The original building was mostly destroyed by fire in 1870 and was reconstructed following the original plans and reopened in 1873. Since then, the theater has been altered and renovated many times. 1500 people can enjoy the marvelous acoustics in the main room at the same time. In 1974, the Municipal Theater of Santiago was declared a national monument.

The main floor and the first balcony are accessible by the front door. These doors lead into the first balcony seating. We couldn't get up any higher in the theater than this level, since our seats were on the main level. There are two other entrances that are used to access the higher levels, depending upon where your seat is located.

The domed ceiling is a work of art topped by a huge crystal chandelier. Intricate carvings support the balconies.

This was the first performance we attended in this beautiful setting. It was a wonderful group of Gospel singers from Harlem. What a spirited performance! They had everyone in the audience standing, clapping to the beat, and singing along, even though all the songs were in English.

The second time we went there was during Adella's Visit. for a performance of Beethoven's 5th Symphony and Chopin Piano Concerto. Once again we were very impressed with the theater and its superb acoustics. If you are planning a trip to Santiago, you might want to check the calendar at the Theater's website (in Spanish) to see if you can catch a performance during your visit. It will be worth it!

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