Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2009) |
Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City Saigon Opera House | |
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Nhà hát Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh | |
Lam Son Square, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1 | |
Town or city | Ho Chi Minh City |
Country | Vietnam |
Coordinates | 10°46′36.12″N 106°42′11.59″E / 10.7767000°N 106.7032194°E |
Construction started | 1898 |
Opened | 1 January 1900 |
Renovated | 1955, 1998, 2007-2009 |
Renovation cost | VND$25 billion, or ~US$2 million in 1998 |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Félix Olivier, Ernest Guichard, Eugène Ferret |
Other information | |
Seating type | Cushion |
Seating capacity | 559 (1900) 500 (2009) |
Website | |
hbso (Not mobile friendly) |
The Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City (
Designed by French architects as the Opéra de Saïgon, the building was completed in 1900. The 500-seat building served as the house of the unicameral National Assembly from 1956 until 1967 and subsequently as the seat of bicameral chambers: Lower House (Hạ Nghị Viện) and a Senate or Upper House (Thượng Nghị Viện) of the National Assembly of South Vietnam. It housed the People's Congress of Deputies (Đại hội đại biểu Nhân dân) of the Republic of South Vietnam in 1975. It was not until 1976 that it was again used as a theatre. The façade was restored in 1998.
Architecture
The Municipal Theatre is a smaller counterpart of the
Its architectural style is influenced by the flamboyant style of the French Third Republic, with the façade shaped like the Petit Palais which was built in the same year in France. The house had a main seating floor plus two levels of seating above, and once was capable of accommodating 1,800 people. The design of all the inscriptions, décor, and furnishings were drawn by a French artist and sent from France.[2]
In accordance with the style employed, the façade of the theatre was decorated with inscription and reliefs (like the
History
After the invasion of Cochinchina and the establishment of a colony, in 1863 French colonists invited a theatre company to Saigon to perform for the French legion in the villa of the French admiral at the Clock Square (Place de l'Horloge) (presently the corner of Nguyen Du and Dong Khoi streets). After a short time, a temporary theatre was built at the site of what is now the Caravelle Hotel. In 1898, the construction of the new theatre commenced on the site of the old one, and it was completed by 1 January 1900.
Between
Following criticisms of the theatre's façade and the high costs of organizing performances, the municipal government intended to turn the theatre into a concert hall (Salle de Concert), but this was never carried out. Instead, decorations, engravings and statues were removed from the theatre façade in 1943 to make the theatre look more youthful. In 1944, the theatre was damaged by the
In 1955, the theatre was restored as the seat of the Lower House of the
In 2020, Ho Chi Minh City Metro's Opera House Station opened to public viewing, with Line 1 operations scheduled to begin in 2023.[3]
See also
External links
- Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera – Official website
- A O Show – Lune Production – Official website
References
- ^ "The Saigon Opera House". Sai Gon Local Guide. Archived from the original on 2015-08-10. Retrieved 2015-06-12.
- ^ "Saigon Opera House – Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theatre". Saigon-online.net. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-07-22. Retrieved 2015-05-07.
- ^ "First Floor of Opera House Metro Station Completed Ahead of Schedule | Saigoneer". saigoneer.com. Retrieved 2022-09-01.