The Colon’s construction began in 1889 under the supervision of architect Francesco Tamburini and his pupil Angelo Ferrari. However, it took a further 20 years for the theatre to be completed after planning issues marred the project. Julio Dormal finished the job and the theatre opened on 25 May 1908 with a performance of Verdi’s Aida.

Since then the Colón has attracted most of the world’s leading talents, including Luciano Pavarotti. The frescos on the cupola, painted by Raul Soldi, and the scarlet and gold décor, ensure that the Colón is as beautiful as it sounds: the acoustics are thought to be the third best in the world, after the opera houses in Paris and Vienna, and interestingly, the stage flips around right under the Avenida 9 de Julio. In addition to opera, ballet legends such as Alicia Alonso, Margot Fonteyn, Paloma Herrera and Julio Bocca have danced here.