Palacio de las Bellas Artes
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The Palacio de las Bellas Artes ("Palace of Fine Arts") is an opera house in Mexico City. It was designed by the Italian architect Adamo Boari in 1901 but construction wasn't completed until 1934.
The building is famous for both its extravagant Art Nouveau exterior in white marble imported from Italy as well as its murals by Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco
(Rivera's "Man in Control of the Universe" (or "Man at the Crossroads") mural was originally painted for the Rockefeller Center in New York City but Rockefeller ordered it destroyed for being too radical. Rivera repainted it here in 1934.)
The theater is used for classical music, opera and dance, notably the Ballet Folklórico. Maria Callas sang in several productions at the Palacio early in her career, and recordings exist of several of her performances here.
The Palacio has two museums: Museo del Palacio de las Bellas Artes and Museo de la Arquitectura.
External link
- Bellas Artes: official site (in Spanish)
