Teatro General San Martín
Encyclopedia
The Teatro General San Martin (General San Martin Theater) is an important public theater in Buenos Aires
, located on Corrientes Avenue
and adjacent to the cultural center
of the same name. It is one of the major theaters in Argentina
and offers venues for the representation of stage works and film, as well as art exhibitions.
Alfredo Palacios
introduced a bill to that effect. A similar resolution passed the Deliberative Council
of the City of Buenos Aires, which authorized the creation of the Buenos Aires People's Theater, and the bill was signed by Mayor Joaquin de Anchorena.
On November 26, 1936, Mayor Mariano de Vedia and Mitre provided for the construction of a building to house the Teatro del Pueblo, and on December 23, a theater located on 1530 Corrientes Avenue was expropriated for the purpose. Directed by Leonidas Barletta, the New Theatre received a 25-year concession from the city, though a nationalist 1943 coup d'état resulted in its rescission on December 3.
The Municipal Theater of Buenos Aires was inaugurated in its stead on May 23, 1944, for the promotion and expansion of the Argentine theater. The institution was renamed Teatro General San Martín (in honor of the centennial of the death of Gen. José de San Martín
, the hero of the Argentine War of Independence
) by order of President Juan Perón
, in 1950. Perón commissioned local architects Mario Roberto Álvarez
and Macedonio Ruiz for the design of a new building for the San Martín, and work on the present building began June 24, 1954.
The new building was inaugurated on May 25, 1960, but began operating a year later. Becoming one of the most influential cultural centers Latin America, its thirty thousand m², distributed among thirteen floors and four basements, would include three performance stages, several exhibition halls and a cinema.
Martín Coronado Salon
The largest of the three rooms of the theater is the Martín Coronado, named in tribute to one of the pioneers of drama in Argentina. With its two-tiered stalls, it can accommodate 1049 spectators. The Italian-style stage is equipped with a mouth of variable sizes (between 11 and 16 meters) and has a center section that can move vertically, in whole or in part, through nine lifts operating simultaneously or separately. It includes an orchestra pit and a drawbridge to modern lighting and sound systems.
The celiling of the Martín Coronado is decorated with a colored cement relief (4 by 2.50 meters) entitled Allegory to the Theater and completed in 1962 by local sculptor José Fioravanti
. The walls are decorated with allegorical sculpture
s to drama and comedy, completed between 1957 and 1958 by local artist Pablo Curatella Manes
.
Casacuberta Salon
The salon is named for Juan José de los Santos Casacuberta, the preeminent performer of the nineteenth century Argentine stage, and perhaps the first classically-trained actor in local dramatic history. It can accommodate 566 persons and includes a semicircular orchestra divided into three radial sectors. A platform can be extended forward for a drawbridge scenario, or to raise the orchestra pit onto the stage, 35 meters wide and 6 deep.
The lobby of this salon is graced by a mural (35 by 11 meters) by Luis Seoane
, titled The Birth of the Argentine Theater, and completed in 1960, as well as allegorical terracotta reliefs by sculptor Carlos Cárcova and a steel sculpture (Continuity) by Enio Iommi.
Cunill Cabanellas Chamber
The center's third stage opened in 1979 at the initiative of Kive Staiff, then in his second season as general and artistic director of the Teatro San Martín, and was named in honor of prominent Catalan-Argentine stage director and instructor Antonio Cunill Cabanellas
. Dedicated to experimental theatre
, the capacity of the room (about 200 spectators) may vary with the movement and changes in the relationship between stage and pit, according to the requirements.
The hall is graced by a ceramic mural (1.65 by 1.65 meters) in honor of the Podestá Brothers, by Luis Diego Pedreira. The original building opened in 1957 as the Teatro San Telmo; nearly destroyed by fire in 1970, it was incorporated to the Teatro San Martín in 1999.
34°36′15.9"S 58°23′18.8"W
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, located on Corrientes Avenue
Corrientes Avenue
Avenida Corrientes is one of the principal thoroughfares of the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. The street is intimately tied to the tango and the porteño sense of identity...
and adjacent to the cultural center
Centro Cultural General San Martín
The General San Martín Cultural Centre is a cultural centre located in Buenos Aires, Argentina near the major thoroughfare Corrientes Avenue.It is run by the city government, and hosts diverse cultural and artistic events...
of the same name. It is one of the major theaters in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and offers venues for the representation of stage works and film, as well as art exhibitions.
History
Projects for the construction of this theater date to 1908, when Socialist CongressmanArgentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
Alfredo Palacios
Alfredo Palacios
Alfredo Lorenzo Palacios was an Argentine socialist politician.Palacios was born in Buenos Aires, and studied law at Universidad de Buenos Aires, after graduation he became a lawyer and taught at the university until becoming a dean.In 1902, he was elected to the Buenos Aires' legislature, and in...
introduced a bill to that effect. A similar resolution passed the Deliberative Council
Buenos Aires City Legislature
The Buenos Aires City Legislature is a central part of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, as well as an architectural landmark in the city's Montserrat section.-History:...
of the City of Buenos Aires, which authorized the creation of the Buenos Aires People's Theater, and the bill was signed by Mayor Joaquin de Anchorena.
On November 26, 1936, Mayor Mariano de Vedia and Mitre provided for the construction of a building to house the Teatro del Pueblo, and on December 23, a theater located on 1530 Corrientes Avenue was expropriated for the purpose. Directed by Leonidas Barletta, the New Theatre received a 25-year concession from the city, though a nationalist 1943 coup d'état resulted in its rescission on December 3.
The Municipal Theater of Buenos Aires was inaugurated in its stead on May 23, 1944, for the promotion and expansion of the Argentine theater. The institution was renamed Teatro General San Martín (in honor of the centennial of the death of Gen. José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
, the hero of the Argentine War of Independence
Argentine War of Independence
The Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
) by order of President Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
, in 1950. Perón commissioned local architects Mario Roberto Álvarez
Mario Roberto Álvarez
Mario Roberto Álvarez was a prominent Argentine architect.-Early life:Álvarez was born in Buenos Aires in 1913. He enrolled at the University of Buenos Aires School of Arquitecture in 1932, and graduated with Gold Medal honors in 1936...
and Macedonio Ruiz for the design of a new building for the San Martín, and work on the present building began June 24, 1954.
The new building was inaugurated on May 25, 1960, but began operating a year later. Becoming one of the most influential cultural centers Latin America, its thirty thousand m², distributed among thirteen floors and four basements, would include three performance stages, several exhibition halls and a cinema.
Facilities
The theater has three halls for performing arts:Martín Coronado Salon
The largest of the three rooms of the theater is the Martín Coronado, named in tribute to one of the pioneers of drama in Argentina. With its two-tiered stalls, it can accommodate 1049 spectators. The Italian-style stage is equipped with a mouth of variable sizes (between 11 and 16 meters) and has a center section that can move vertically, in whole or in part, through nine lifts operating simultaneously or separately. It includes an orchestra pit and a drawbridge to modern lighting and sound systems.
The celiling of the Martín Coronado is decorated with a colored cement relief (4 by 2.50 meters) entitled Allegory to the Theater and completed in 1962 by local sculptor José Fioravanti
José Fioravanti
José Fioravanti was a prolific Argentine sculptor known for the many civic monuments he created.-Life and work:...
. The walls are decorated with allegorical sculpture
Allegorical sculpture
Allegorical sculpture refers to sculptures that symbolize and particularly personify abstract ideas as in allegory.Common in the western world, for example, are statues of 'Justice', a female figure traditionally holding scales in one hand, as a symbol of her weighing issues and arguments, and a...
s to drama and comedy, completed between 1957 and 1958 by local artist Pablo Curatella Manes
Pablo Curatella Manes
Pablo Curatella Manes was a prolific Argentine sculptor.-Life and work:Born in La Plata in 1891 to Clara Manes, a Greek Argentine immigrant, and Antonio Curatella, from Italy, Curatella Manes first acquired an interest in sculpture during his frequent childhood visits to the newly-inaugurated La...
.
Casacuberta Salon
The salon is named for Juan José de los Santos Casacuberta, the preeminent performer of the nineteenth century Argentine stage, and perhaps the first classically-trained actor in local dramatic history. It can accommodate 566 persons and includes a semicircular orchestra divided into three radial sectors. A platform can be extended forward for a drawbridge scenario, or to raise the orchestra pit onto the stage, 35 meters wide and 6 deep.
The lobby of this salon is graced by a mural (35 by 11 meters) by Luis Seoane
Luís Seoane
Luis Seoane was a lithographer and artist. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on June 1, 1910, of Galician immigrants, he spent much of his childhood and youth in Galicia . He was educated in A Coruña...
, titled The Birth of the Argentine Theater, and completed in 1960, as well as allegorical terracotta reliefs by sculptor Carlos Cárcova and a steel sculpture (Continuity) by Enio Iommi.
Cunill Cabanellas Chamber
The center's third stage opened in 1979 at the initiative of Kive Staiff, then in his second season as general and artistic director of the Teatro San Martín, and was named in honor of prominent Catalan-Argentine stage director and instructor Antonio Cunill Cabanellas
Antonio Cunill Cabanellas
Antonio Cunill Cabanellas was an influential Catalan-Argentine playwright, theatre actor, director and instructor.-Life and work:...
. Dedicated to experimental theatre
Experimental theatre
Experimental theatre is a general term for various movements in Western theatre that began in the late 19th century as a retraction against the dominant vent governing the writing and production of dramatical menstrophy, and age in particular. The term has shifted over time as the mainstream...
, the capacity of the room (about 200 spectators) may vary with the movement and changes in the relationship between stage and pit, according to the requirements.
The hall is graced by a ceramic mural (1.65 by 1.65 meters) in honor of the Podestá Brothers, by Luis Diego Pedreira. The original building opened in 1957 as the Teatro San Telmo; nearly destroyed by fire in 1970, it was incorporated to the Teatro San Martín in 1999.
External links
34°36′15.9"S 58°23′18.8"W