Cristina, the President has cancer of the thorax, discovered 22. Dec. Operation 4 Jan. Prognosis optimistic. Nation shows unanimous support.
Messi, the soccer player, is declared Latin America's Sportsman of the Year. Critics maintain, he is not as good as Pele or Diego Madrona. Well...that was then.
Holiday Exodus towards the beach of La Plata is on. 850.000 Portenos are seeking R&R in the Sea Side city, more than ever. 4000 micro (buses) per day, and innumerable private cars creep from city to beach. Good time to stay home.
100 year old Nelly Omar, the 'Nation's Singer', is performing on TV. She looks and talks and sings not showing her age.
Demonstration march of relatives of 194 victims of Nightclub fire 7 years ago...the emergency exits were chained and locked, to keep non paying revellers out. 16 year old lit fireworks inside, fumes from teddy bear stuffing insulation and plastic sound props poisened discoers...
The dog, presumed humanely put down after a traffic accident, is alive and recovering from a broken hip. TV coverage from animal hospital shows him peeking from a hospital cage.
Tango Lesson schedule and milongas off the usual schedule, so one heads for another discovery. The venerable Opera House of Buenos Aires, newly restored and open again for Performances. Unfortunately the last performance for 2011 was one day before I made it to the Theatre.
Never mind, the palacial building is worth a visit for it's own sake.
Wrought iron and glass entrance canopy of the Opera House
Built between 1890 and 1903, built by Tamburini, and the Architects Meano & Dormal, has been declared a National Historic Monument.
The Entry Hall soaring over red carpeted marble stair-cases, an impressive introduction...
Part of balustrade on entry stair case. Italian marble from Carrera (?) and intricate tile floors.
Leaded ceiling windows, intricately designed, and vividly coloured
Painted ceilings supported by classic columns, and adorned with massive chandeliers.
How about meandering in these halls during intermission, balancing a little Kir Royal in one's hand and mingling with opera aficionados.
And another glance heavenwards to gild edged ceiling adornments, frescoes and glittering candelabras.
French antique furniture (please do not sit here) line the walls of the anterooms. Small chamber music concerts delight in these intimate venues.
Proof that Buenos Aires, at the beginning of the 20th century, was considered the Paris of the South. The splendour and luxury of these mirrored halls remind one of Versailles.
3000 people find room in the actual performance hall. A large round fresco, el Paraiso, tops it off. Sometimes people hold wedding ceremonies up there...a marriage made in heaven.
The building is oval, with six levels of balconies raising straight up from the general seating area.
The accustics are world famous, one of the best ten venues world wide. Pavarotti is said to have complained about the accustics...so perfect, that every minute error can be heard in the farthest corner and every seat.
As a last stop of one of the very small tour groups (security I suppose) one enters the Presidential balcony. Lousy view of the stage, I would say, but lots of room behind the viewing chairs to conduct a bit of lobbying and political intrigue.
I just have to come back again...January to March are off season; only tours are lead through, to get but an inkling, of the elegant performances of concerts, ballet and opera in this magnificient building.
