Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica
Encyclopedia
The National Theatre of Costa Rica is the national theatre of Costa Rica
. It is located in the central section of San José, Costa Rica
. Construction began in 1891, and it opened to the public on 21 October 1897 with a performance of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
's Faust
.
The National Theatre stood as a cultural asset of the country during a time when coffee exports were a source of its success. It presents high quality performances, with artistic criteria being very high.
The building is considered the finest historic building in the capital, and it is known for its exquisite interior which includes its lavish furnishings.
In order to finance the construction of a theatre fit for name "National Theatre", the President of Costa Rica, José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón
decided to place a tax on coffee, then the principal export product. Later, one coffee
planter begged the government to remove the export tax on his product and put it on rice
and beans (also principal export products of the time).
There were many problems during the early period of construction and mistakes were made.
But construction errors were fixed by bring in an Italian engineer to direct the process. It took seven years to finish the theatre, and the inauguration took place on 21 October 1897.
The front of the theatre features statues of Calderón de la Barca
and Ludwig van Beethoven
. The inside features the mural
Allegory of Coffee and Bananas by Milanese artist Aleardo Villa, which is nowadays featured on the five colón
bill.
. Performances by the National Symphonic Orchestra (NSO) take place as part of orchestra's regular season, and include both Costa Rican and foreign composers.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. It is located in the central section of San José, Costa Rica
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
. Construction began in 1891, and it opened to the public on 21 October 1897 with a performance of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
's Faust
Goethe's Faust
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust is a tragic play in two parts: and . Although written as a closet drama, it is the play with the largest audience numbers on German-language stages...
.
The National Theatre stood as a cultural asset of the country during a time when coffee exports were a source of its success. It presents high quality performances, with artistic criteria being very high.
The building is considered the finest historic building in the capital, and it is known for its exquisite interior which includes its lavish furnishings.
Construction history
Constructed in the late 19th century, when San Jose's population was only around 19,000 people, the theatre presented many private performances. Its only real competition was the Teatro Mora (also called the Municipal Theatre, or Teatro Municipal), that existed for many years until it was abandoned and destroyed by an earthquake.In order to finance the construction of a theatre fit for name "National Theatre", the President of Costa Rica, José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón
José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón
Term of office: 8 May 1890 to8 May 1894– Preceded by: Bernardo Soto Alfaro– Succeeded by: Rafael Yglesias CastroDate of birth: 6 January 1837Place of birth:San José, Costa RicaDate of death: 30 November 1917...
decided to place a tax on coffee, then the principal export product. Later, one coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
planter begged the government to remove the export tax on his product and put it on rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
and beans (also principal export products of the time).
There were many problems during the early period of construction and mistakes were made.
But construction errors were fixed by bring in an Italian engineer to direct the process. It took seven years to finish the theatre, and the inauguration took place on 21 October 1897.
Pedro Calderón de la Barca
Pedro Calderón de la Barca y Barreda González de Henao Ruiz de Blasco y Riaño usually referred as Pedro Calderón de la Barca , was a dramatist, poet and writer of the Spanish Golden Age. During certain periods of his life he was also a soldier and a Roman Catholic priest...
and Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
. The inside features the mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
Allegory of Coffee and Bananas by Milanese artist Aleardo Villa, which is nowadays featured on the five colón
Costa Rican colón
The colón is the currency of Costa Rica. The plural is colones in Spanish, but English speakers often say colons instead. The ISO 4217 code is CRC....
bill.
The theatre today
As well as having performances several times a week, the theatre is a tourist attractionTourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
. Performances by the National Symphonic Orchestra (NSO) take place as part of orchestra's regular season, and include both Costa Rican and foreign composers.