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Teatro Colón

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Kiryo
Kiryo
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4 out of 5
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Teatro Colón

  • August 6, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Kiryo from Chicago, Illinois
Teatro Colón

A Tour of the Teatro Colón

Teatro Colón: what can be modestly considered to be the seat of the late 19th century’s cultural center of Bogotá is still recognizable now in the 21st century as an icon of culture—classical as well as modern. A Doric façade greets the visitor while the interior is strictly neoclassical. Named for Christopher Columbus, this theater sports general neoclassic throughout the interior including a main chamber with a huge chandelier surrounded by four figures representing the four seasons—yes, it gets very chilly in Bogotá even though an hour or two away it gets dramatically warmer year-round. Remember the altitude here.

Guided tours in Spanish are given two to three times daily by volunteers as well as paid staff. The ticket price is about $1.50 for a 45 minute walkabout of the backstage area, balconies, and general chamber areas—as well as a viewing of upstairs stages and staging areas for artists. Expect to hear a detailed historical sketch of the theater’s history from the first stone laid down at the site to some of the current events happening in the roster of performances.

However, classics are not the only musical or plays covered. On one day, yes, you may be treated by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Colombia’s general performances here its their home venue! The next you may find that there is a free electronic music concert. This theater is also known by its more ubiquitous name, El Teatro Nacional, due to the plethora of other activities that occur here at different times of the year.

Pictures are absolutely permitted, without the use of flash photography when the stage is being used by private parties. Then again, should they be rehearsing something nice, meaning you just paid $1.50 for a decent concert or play rehearsal. Overall the theater is highly recommendable and an excellent alternative to walking about Candelaria when its rainy outside. Just be mindful of the security staff here as they are a little Gun-Ho about not permitting people in outside of normal tour hours. This tour would be perfect on many occasions after a nice lunch or breakfast in many of Candelaria’s small restaurants. Many of these cater to government officials so watch out for politicians! This is in the capital after all.


From journal Santa Fé de Bogotá

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