“On my word of honor, I have never felt such self-satisfaction, such pride, such happiness as in the consciousness that I am really the creator of this beautiful work.” – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Composer (in a letter to his publisher regarding his 6^th Symphony)

Teatro Colon, in downtown Buenos Aires, is the third best opera house in the world
(behind Milan and Amsterdam) in terms of acoustics. The marble, wood, tile and glass in the great hall are positioned to enable sound reverberation of 1.6 seconds, perfection. The stunning building, which dates back to 1908, shows the opulence of the world in which it was built (gold leaf on the walls and ceilings? Yes please!).

We were fortunate to see the Buenos Aires Philharmonic play Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet and his 6^th Symphony, a work Tchaikovsky himself called “the best thing I ever composed or shall compose.” The Symphony tells the story of life (or death depending on your interpretation… I prefer the rosier view!) and the Philharmonic did it justice. We sat mesmerized by the clear, pure sound of the last notes which hung in the air as the bases plucked out the piece’s last heartbeats.

Our seats were truly spectacular; we sat in the front row of Eva (Evita) Peron’s former box, which is currently reserved for foreign dignitaries, and apparently us :-). What a treat for our last night in Argentina’s capital!

-Erika