The Teatro Independencia ("Independence Theatre") is the premier performing arts venue in Mendoza, Argentina.
The Teatro Independencia
History and overviewedit
The theatre resulted from a provincial project for the creation of a hub for tourism along Independence Square, downtown. The initiative, enacted by the reformist Governor Carlos Washington Lencinas in 1922, led to the opening of the Plaza Hotel, in 1924, and subsequently to a contract for the construction of the first opera house in Mendoza Province. The contract was awarded to Faustino and Mauricio da Rosa, who at the time managed the renowned Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires by concession.[1]
Supervised by the nation's Ministry of Public Works, the project was commissioned to architect Alfredo Israel, and its plans were approved in October 1923. The theatre was, as were many public works of this type in Argentina at the time, designed in a French Academy style. Its façade included a Neoclassical frontis featuring four Corinthian columns on a green marble base, a rococofrieze, the provincial escutcheon in bas-relief, and a balustrade above.[2]
The design for the interiors was based on those prevailing in Italian opera houses, and the formal vestibule is overlooked by grand marble steps leading to the concert hall. The auditorium itself includes four tiers of balconies, and its seating capacity is 730. The theatre serves as the home of the Provincial Philharmonic Orchestra.
Following a pre-inaugural festival organized by the Ladies' Brigade of the right-wing Argentine Patriotic League, the Independenicia was inaugurated on November 18, 1925, with the premiere of La Emigrada (The Emigrée), an opera by Argentine librettist Vicente Martínez Cuitiño; the work was performed by the Compañía Argentina de Dramas y Comedias, and featured Camila Quiroga (one of the leading opera performers in Argentina, at the time).[2]
Cinema installations were added to the theatre in 1944, and these were inaugurated with a showing of Casablanca. The building suffered from a massive fire in 1963, and reopened in 1965 with a performance by the Colón Theatre Ballet Company. Further renovations begun in 2000 included the construction of a 5-story annex, and on September 21, 2003, the theatre was re-inaugurated with a performance by Mendoza-born sopranoFabiana Bravo.[1]
References and external linksedit
^ abHistoria del Teatro Independencia (in Spanish) 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
^ abMinisterio de Educación del Gobierno de Mendoza: Historia de la Remodelación del Teatro Independencia (in Spanish) 2010-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
teatro, independencia, independence, theatre, premier, performing, arts, venue, mendoza, argentina, history, overview, editthe, theatre, resulted, from, provincial, project, creation, tourism, along, independence, square, downtown, initiative, enacted, reformi. The Teatro Independencia Independence Theatre is the premier performing arts venue in Mendoza Argentina The Teatro IndependenciaHistory and overview editThe theatre resulted from a provincial project for the creation of a hub for tourism along Independence Square downtown The initiative enacted by the reformist Governor Carlos Washington Lencinas in 1922 led to the opening of the Plaza Hotel in 1924 and subsequently to a contract for the construction of the first opera house in Mendoza Province The contract was awarded to Faustino and Mauricio da Rosa who at the time managed the renowned Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires by concession 1 Supervised by the nation s Ministry of Public Works the project was commissioned to architect Alfredo Israel and its plans were approved in October 1923 The theatre was as were many public works of this type in Argentina at the time designed in a French Academy style Its facade included a Neoclassical frontis featuring four Corinthian columns on a green marble base a rococo frieze the provincial escutcheon in bas relief and a balustrade above 2 The design for the interiors was based on those prevailing in Italian opera houses and the formal vestibule is overlooked by grand marble steps leading to the concert hall The auditorium itself includes four tiers of balconies and its seating capacity is 730 The theatre serves as the home of the Provincial Philharmonic Orchestra Following a pre inaugural festival organized by the Ladies Brigade of the right wing Argentine Patriotic League the Independenicia was inaugurated on November 18 1925 with the premiere of La Emigrada The Emigree an opera by Argentine librettist Vicente Martinez Cuitino the work was performed by the Compania Argentina de Dramas y Comedias and featured Camila Quiroga one of the leading opera performers in Argentina at the time 2 Cinema installations were added to the theatre in 1944 and these were inaugurated with a showing of Casablanca The building suffered from a massive fire in 1963 and reopened in 1965 with a performance by the Colon Theatre Ballet Company Further renovations begun in 2000 included the construction of a 5 story annex and on September 21 2003 the theatre was re inaugurated with a performance by Mendoza born soprano Fabiana Bravo 1 References and external links edit a b Historia del Teatro Independencia in Spanish Archived 2011 07 06 at the Wayback Machine a b Ministerio de Educacion del Gobierno de Mendoza Historia de la Remodelacion del Teatro Independencia in Spanish Archived 2010 07 24 at the Wayback Machine 32 53 18 5 S 68 50 45 W 32 888472 S 68 84583 W 32 888472 68 84583 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Teatro Independencia amp oldid 1197545268, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
