Country Article / Postcards
Tosca in Uruguay
Date: 03/06/2007
The Teatro Solís, 150 years old, and re-opened for business.
International Living Postcards-- your daily escape
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Montevideo, Uruguay
The production of Puccini's Tosca was spectacular…but the applause lasted longer than usual. This curtain call marked the final celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Uruguay’s first opera house, reopened for the first time in years, completely refurbished. The Teatro Solís looks as stunning and elegant as it did in 1856.
At the inaugural gala, the story goes, a neighbor who owned a dairy decided to offer theatre goers a round of milk while they were standing in line. While they waited for the opening, the good neighbor helped illuminate the dark street with a red lamp from his stables. Ever since, a big red lamp located at the top of the building is turned on at the start of each performance and turned off at the end.
Close to outdoor cafés, restaurants, and pubs lining the main pedestrian street, the Teatro Solís has become a meeting point for Uruguayans and tourists. Walking across the lobby, we passed under a huge Baccarat crystal chandelier, reminiscent of the splendor of a bygone era. The Teatro Solís was originally designed as a typical Italian opera house, with five levels of boxes--the perfect layout to look at other theatre goers without being seen.
Maria Reynolds
For International Living
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