First opened in 1857, the Teatro Colón was renovated from 2006- 2010.

A brisk fifteen-minute walk (really brisk, for I needed to find a restroom) took us to the Teatro Colón.  I had read that the present edifice dates from 1908, but the original (at another site) went back  fifty years.  Carl was able to find an English-language tour of the opera house, and it was truly magnificent, with marble staircases, sculptures, and tapestries.  Our guide said that you could trace the evolution of the building through the different decisions of its three architects.

The guide said that the Colón was Pavarotti’s favorite opera house, because of its acoustics.

Teatro Colón can seat 2,500 patrons, and in the top level (the paraiso, with the best acoustics of all) an additional 1,000 can stand.  When we visited the main auditorium, technicians were on stage preparing the scenery for the evening’s performance of “Hagith,” a 1913 opera by Karol Szymanowski.  We were tempted to go, but had a meeting that evening with Carl’s classmate Martín Marimón.

Bridget found the Colón’s lobby sculpture something of an inspiration.

After viewing the Colón, we walked back to pedestrian shopping area, La Florida.  We all split up for a while and bought souvenirs, then took the subte back to the apartment.  When Martín met us, we walked to El Rey de Vino for our second meal at that marvelous restaurant.  It had been a full day, and on the next we planned a visit to the Puerto Madero.