National Theatre of Santa Ana
Coffee-boom theatre of 1910 beside Parque Libertad, restored over two decades and open for visits.
The foundation stone was laid on 9 February 1902 under the government of General Tomás Regalado, and the theatre opened on 27 February 1910 with the Sigaldi opera company performing Rigoletto. It was paid for by the wealth of the coffee districts around Santa Ana, and its Renaissance-revival front, tiered horseshoe auditorium, painted ceiling and chandeliers were intended to match the ambitions of the country's second city. The years to 1933 were its busiest, with visiting opera, operetta and zarzuela companies.
In 1933 the building passed to the national cinema circuit and was used as a picture house until 1979, when it was transferred to the Ministry of Education. It was declared a national monument in 1982. Restoration began in 1987 and was carried through over more than twenty years by the Santa Ana cultural heritage association with state support, returning the auditorium, foyer, staircases and decorative painting. The theatre is now run by the Ministry of Culture and is open both for performances and for visits on non-performance days.
Highlights
- Opened 27 February 1910 with a performance of Rigoletto
- Renaissance-revival facade facing the Parque Libertad
- Painted auditorium ceiling and restored chandeliers
- Declared a national monument in 1982 and restored from 1987
