The works of restoration of the National Theater advance

The works of restoration of the National Theater advance

By La Estrella

One of the most striking is in the dome of the main room or ceiling, called: "Birth of a Republic"

In the centennial infrastructure of the National Theater of Panama - currently undergoing restoration and rehabilitation work - the last details that will add brilliance and color, again, to famous shows that national artists hope to perform, said today in charge of the project.

The architectural jewel, located in the heart of the Old Town, was closed in June 2015 for showing problems of deterioration in its foundations, paintings and murals, so the government authorities decided in 2017 to begin a project to recover the artistic essence of the property .

Olga Espinosa -architect resident of Aprocosa, a company that won the Integral Architectural Rehabilitation project of the National Theater- told Efe that until now, there is an advance of 60 percent, so she foresees that this theater will open its doors in December.

This icon -whose construction was ordered in 1904 by the president of Panama, Manuel Amador Guerrero- was designed by the Italian Genaro Ruggieri, with an Italian-style operetta theater architecture, and its auditorium and the two amphitheater areas form a moon .

The cultural colossus was inaugurated on October 1, 1908, coinciding with the inauguration of José Domingo de Obaldía, as president of the recently inaugurated Republic. In addition, it premiered with the opera "Aida" by the Italian composer, Giuseppe Verdi.

But this story for the restorer of the artistic part, Angela Camargo, has its complement with the works of the Panamanian painter Roberto Lewis (1874-1949), who are scattered in different parts of the building.

One of the most striking is in the dome of the main room or ceiling, called: "Birth of a Republic", which evokes the independence of Panama, with regard to the construction of the interoceanic canal that runs through the country, and dating from 1941 .

"Lewis studied in Paris, they hired him to paint the vault of the theater (...), he managed the support of the dome to work it, and when he arrived in Panama, he had everything done to be able to bring his colleagues," he said. expert

He expressed that one of the peculiarities of the paintings is that they were glued with animal tail -made with horse leather- and a plaster film, but after more than 100 years, temperature changes in the theater due to the introduction of the air conditioning and light, ended up deteriorating the cool.

One of the events that suffered the painting happened in 2003, in which a piece of canvas collapsed, and had to be restored, although maintenance was not continued, so the deterioration of the piece of art continued.

"Everything was very damaged, that is why we are doing the impossible to leave it as it should be," said the specialist who works with another colleague the restoration work pictorial in the foyer (resting place), the stalls and the lobby.

Meanwhile, the general director of the National Institute of Culture (Inac), Janelle Davidson, mentioned to Efe that the entire intensive process of the works amounts to 15 million dollars.

He added that since the closure, both artists and citizens have suffered from the closure, affecting also businesses that mounted shows, but adds that it was necessary to perform the work in a comprehensive manner for the first time in the theater.

Now, the theater with capacity for 853 people, distributed in amphitheater, stalls, two floors of balconies, pit for the orchestra and a gallery. It will give a new face so that its visitors and artists shine among the beauty of this historic architectural work.