Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Santiago de Chile

The Municipal Theater of Santiago, National Opera of Chile is the most important stage theatre and opera house in Santiago, Chile. The Teatro Municipal was inaugurated on September 17, 1857. At the time, the theatre held 1,800 spectators, and included distinctive interior details such as a teardrop crystal chandelier. The building suffered a fire on December 8, 1870 that practically destroyed it. It was rebuilt & reopened on July 16, 1873. The theatre went through a devastating 1906 earthquake, suffering the loss of most of its interior, and a second, serious fire in 1927, although it recovered quickly on both occasions. Following these reconstructions, the theatre's capacity was reduced to 1,500 in the main hall; however, its interior became more opulent. It was further modernized in 1952 and 1959, and numerous cultural institutions were created for the theatre during that era. The Santiago Philharmonic Orchestra was established in 1955, the Cultural Corporation of Santiago was formed to administer the center in 1957, the Santiago Ballet in 1959, and the Teatro Municipal Chorus, in 1962. The Teatro Municipal was declared a National Monument, in 1974. Renowned Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau, who had left his homeland in 1941, returned for a visit in 1984, on which occasion the Claudio Arrau Salon, seating 250 spectators, was inaugurated. The stage curtain, installed in 1926, was replaced in 1995 with funds raised by offering donors a piece of the older curtain as a keepsake.