Over the vicissitudes of history, of the Hanoi Opera House exists as a symbol of architectural space, cultural and political capital city 1,000 years old. Hanoi Opera House is a great program that the French colonial government in Vietnam has built in the early 20th century. Old where there is a wetland in the land of two villages Thach Tan and Tay Luong near Cuu Lau village, the General Phuc Lan, Tho Xuong district.
In 1899, the City Council to preside at the meeting under Richard – The Ambassador Hanoi, proposed for construction on Governor Fourer Theater. Map designed by two architects is Broyer and Harvy been reviewed for funding the construction of two million francs.
Works started on June 7, 1901. The ground leveling is carried out quite hard. 35,000 bamboo stakes are close to cubic concrete thick iron 0m90. Daily with 300 workers.
Those who design buildings or inquiring reference ancient Greek architecture-and The Opera de Paris to create a separate block architecture.
In 1911, the work is completed. Theaters in length than the 87m, 30m wide on average, the area 26.000m2 highest point is 24M. The front of the Opera House is the spacious appearance, many look to level the square width (now known as the August Revolution Square) – market concentration of 6, 7 great street.
Inside the Opera House stage with a wide audience the room has an area of 24x24m, containing the 870-seat, mid-floor rooms have small winning tickets for a specific audience. Compared with a population of Hanoi in 1945 about 20 ten thousand people, the architectural theaters time is huge.
Stairs to the second floor is the large hall. Stairs and corridors in the extra two sides. Behind the Opera House is the administrative office, 18 chambers for chemical actor pages, 2 gym sing, mirror room, library, meeting rooms.
After 10 years of construction, Opera House was put into use. The first time, the Theater for the burden of annual song from the Europe took to the officials of the French world view. Those Vietnamese high society also attended, but want to theater, they must wear formal and return expensive costs.
Later, the Opera House also took up work by Vietnam to the organization that (rescue personnel flooded the province, alms house…). However, in the history of their activities, theater to again and again by advocates of different authorities. Since 1940, many of the troupe said we can rent the “Europe Theater” to perform.
Comments about the Opera House Historian Duong Trung Quoc said that although the birth later than the theater in Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, but consider the size of the architecture, the Hanoi Opera House is a typical difference. And more importantly it is a cultural institution.
“Hanoi Opera House is the right of colonial products. But if the “colonial” is a term political vision that we received it as a conflict, suppressed, oppressed, we must also see the cultural side of this project. This period is the period of interference between European and Asian cultures. This is clearly a French cultural setting in our country. And it as a supplement to the national cultural step-century modern, “says Duong Trung Quoc said.
Not just a cultural space, Hanoi Opera House is where a lot of great political events of the country.
Time in August 1945, Opera House Square is the center of the vibrant political atmosphere that day. Here, on August 17, 1945 took place the meeting of the General Assembly officers and immediately was turned into the launch of Vietnam Minh Front, led our people to the success of the resounding way Network August history.
Prior to the Ba Dinh Hall, Hanoi Opera House is where the National Assembly of Vietnam Democratic Republic of conducting important session. On March 5, 1946, the National Assembly of Vietnam Democratic Republic of key meetings in the first Opera House. Also in 1946, on October 28, the National Assembly passed two meetings first Constitution of Vietnam Democratic Republic here …
Opera House is the place saw the first moments of peace in the country, is a witness of the revolutionary capital of Hanoi culture thousands of years. Since then, the Opera House is always the center of conferences, meetings and other important performance art troupes of art and abroad.
To meet the development needs of the capital, in mid 1955, the Hanoi Opera House steps on the biggest stage restoration budget for the 156 billion (about $ 14 million).
Since completed and put into use, the Hanoi Opera House became a place where regular cultural activities, performing arts troupes of art and abroad.
Mr. Hoang Xuan Nam – Director of Opera House that since the Ministry of Culture and Information Affairs responsible organization artistic quality, from just 17 sessions held in 2000, to present The Song made the average 400 per year, welcoming over 140 international art troupes. Annual revenue from the concert to bring about the Theater and attained high. The performance art brought to the public capitals dishes meaningful sense …
Complications experienced ups and downs of history, as well as many other architectures and the type of intangible culture, Hanoi Opera House has become a legacy that we receive and promote it as evidence for a period that interference cultures together, helping Vietnam integration with the world. Therefore, conservation, preserve this heritage, making sense of the value deeper, richer is what the country and people always towards Capital.
