Our last day in BA was classic Argentina. The Teatro Colon is one of the world's best opera houses, certainly among the most beautiful, and it's acoustics are legendary. We took a tour of it today, 18 months after a long renovation period, and really swooned over the marble, gilding, chandeliers, posh box seating. Of course, everything in it was imported, and it took 20 years to build under 3 architects, opening in 1908. The opera and concert performers were all European, as there was no such training in Argentina at that time. Not until 1925 did local companies develop. That was under President Alvear, who several years before had married--against the advice of everyone in the elite--a Brazilian Portuguese singer. Alvear cultivated the arts and the Teatro Colon, but BA never accepted his wife. In those days, women were supposed to stay home and have kids. Even widows could not show themselves for two years after their husbands' death.
It was such an elitist venue 100 years ago that when anarchists exploded a bomb in the building, which did no damage, the orchestra was instructed to play the national anthem to ease everyone's nerves--but the orchestra did not know the tune! This, 100 years after independence.
The acoustics are so good that no amplification is needed for voices or instruments. We got to sit in on an instrumental rehearsal.
Then we walked over to the Plaza de Mayo in time to see the Mothers demonstrating for the disappeared. As these old women walk around the square, they recite the names of those missing or dead during the military junta's rule in the late 1970s. Unexpectedly, a second group of marred was lending their support to a demonstration for the return of the Falkland Islands to Argentina. Concurrently, veterans of the Falklands War with Britain were demonstrating in from of Pink House demanding more attention. Interesting afternoon!
We are heading to the airport for an evening flight through Miami. That will make nine different planes for us on this trip by the time we get home tomorrow morning!
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