Opened in 1897 with a performance of El Fausto de Gournod by the Paris Opera, the National Theater is a lavish confection of marble and gilt, flanked by statues of 19th-century luminaries of the arts. Its cultural significance was recognized in 1965 when it was declared a national monument.
t The design of the building is based on the architecture of the Paris Opera House.
Experience San José
t Illustration of the historically important National Theater
The ruling coffee barons levied a tax on coffee exports to fund the building of this grand theater, following a snub by Spanish-born prima donna Adelina Patti, who refused to perform in Costa Rica during a Central American tour due to the lack of a suitable venue. The theater has a lavish Neo-Baroque interior, replete with statues, paintings, marble staircases, and parquet floors made of 10 species of hardwood. A double staircase with gold-gilt banisters leads to the magnificent foyer, which features pink marble and a surfeit of crystals, gilt mirrors, and gold-leaf embellishments. Splendid murals show scenes of Costa Rican life. Depicting a coffee harvest, the huge mural on the ceiling of the intermezzo, between the lobby and the auditorium, was painted in 1897 by Milanese artist Aleardo Villa. The scene is full of errors, the most notable being coffee shown as a coastal crop instead of a highland one.
Did You Know?
Collectors seek out the old five colón banknote, which featured the Teatro Nacional’s coffee mural.