In a recent post Matthias Jost shared his impressions of San Jose, Costa Rica and its Teatro Nacional.  But what he didn’t share was the fascinating history that surrounds this piece of National Patrimony.

Part apocryphal and part historical, the tale goes that in the late nineteenth century an important European Opera Troupe was touring Central and South America, but they refused to stop in the “back water” of Costa Rica, as it had no proper venue for them to perform in.The coffee barons were highly insulted by this snubbing, so they imposed a tax on their own exports in order to raise funds to build the copper roofed neo-classical structure.

Not to be outdone by Brazil’s Manaus Opera House, the interior is pure Baroque with enough red plush, gold and marble, to satisfy any self-respecting Hapsburg.  While the ceiling of the central hall is wildly Celestial, featuring trumpet sounding Seraphim, the lobby ceiling is one of the theatre’s defining features.  Painted by Milanese artist Aleardo Villa, it depicts a somewhat romanticized version of the coffee and banana harvest and is so well loved that it once graced the 5 colón bill, constantly serving as a reminder of the theatre’s ties to “Rey del Café”.

In addition to the beautiful programming that takes place upon this stage or in the elegant concert hall upstairs, the Plaza del Cultura facing the theater offers another dimension of entertainment.  Frequently filled with jugglers, vendors selling handicrafts, locals and tourists, it’s the perfect venue for people watching.  For all the men and women are merely players, indeed.