Description of the attraction
The Municipal Theater in Ho Chi Minh City is one of the positive effects of French colonization. The luxurious colonial-style building was designed by the most famous French architects of the late 19th century. Decorations and furnishings were also made by painters and decorators in France and shipped to Saigon as finished products. The construction was completed in 1897. At that time, the three-story theater building, a copy of the same theater in Hanoi, could accommodate up to 1,800 spectators. The architectural project provided for several events in the theater at the same time - for the entertainment of the middle class.
All costs of inviting French theater companies were paid by the colonial authorities, even during the First and Second World War. At the end of World War II, a bombing raid by Allied forces destroyed the building. It was restored in 1950, but not for theatrical activity. The building was given for the meetings of the lower house of the puppet government of the state of Vietnam, created by the French colonialists. Only in 1975, after the end of the wars and the unification of the country, the theater was returned to its original meaning.
By that time, Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City, and the theater was named the Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Theater. The original decorations were returned to its facade, the auditorium was equipped with the latest light and sound equipment, technical innovations. The opening of the capitally restored theater was timed to coincide with a double anniversary: in 1998, the centenary of the theater and the 300th anniversary of Saigon were celebrated.
Today the theater is one of the most beautiful architectural monuments in Ho Chi Minh City. In the evening, with spectacular artificial lighting, its building looks unusually elegant. The interior, with exquisite furnishings and designer crystal chandeliers, creates a special theatrical atmosphere.
This cultural heritage is not only home to performances by the national Vietnamese theater, Cai Luong. Famous musicians and opera stars willingly perform on the stage with excellent acoustics. Various music festivals are also held.
