But the Teatro Colon is not simply a gorgeous building; the opera house still draws the great opera stars and classical musicians. During my six months in Buenos Aires, I saw a fantastic rendition of Puccini's Madame Butterfly, as well as the pianist Bruno Gelber perform with the National Symphony Orchestra. Contrary to what you might have heard, tickets are neither hard to come by nor expensive. You must simply find out when tickets go on sale, and then arrive early and wait in line. The cheapest tickets cost about 15 dollars, and will give you standing room on the top tier. A bit uncomfortable, but amazing, nonetheless.

There is also a small museum in the lobby of the Teatro Colon, containing a collection of costumes, photographs, musical instruments, and other artifacts. Public tours of the museum and theater are generally available, mostly in Spanish or English. You can take a look behind the scenes and under the scenes, with a stop at workshops nearly 50 feet below street level.

I was fortunate enough to attend a free concert recital in the Sala Dorado, one of the auxiliary rooms of the Teatro Colon. There was a piano and violin duet, followed by a clarinet player. I would have stayed longer, but the elderly host droned incessantly in Spanish between musical interludes, and I would have fallen asleep if I had to listen to his monotones any longer. As good as the acoustics were in the Sala Dorado, the sound must be extraordinary in the main auditorium. The building’s landmark status in Buenos Aires was magnified by a group of architecture students who were diligently documenting the edifice with photographs, sketches and field measurements.