Can you recognize these opera houses ?

[kishnevi]

This is part of a larger complex. 

[kishnevi]

More used now for touring Broadway musicals.  The phone number ought to make this an easy guess.

[The new erato]

Well, if anything seems difficult, or downright impossible, for you Westerners, please do come to Bucharest:

I will be in Bucuresti for a couple of days next summer.

[Christo]

Staying (relatively) on topic, this is not an opera house but a concert hall. Where is it located?


Hint: ask Christo.

Well, noblesse oblige: I once attended a concert there (I think it was on the same day I'd visited the Enescu Museum or Cantacuzino Palace), hope this little hint is enough for other readers.  BTW I wanted to add that many Romanian cities are exemplary of the same Central European model I mentioned before, and their grandiose opera and other concert buildings are often a landmark. 

[Parsifal]

[zamyrabyrd]

Well, noblesse oblige: I once attended a concert there (I think it was on the same day I'd visited the Enescu Museum or Cantacuzino Palace), hope this little hint is enough for other readers.  BTW I wanted to add that many Romanian cities are exemplary of the same Central European model I mentioned before, and their grandiose opera and other concert buildings are often a landmark.

Does it begin with a B? Is it larger than a bread box?

[Christo]

How about these three?

Again, I've been a couple of times in Bucharest and even more - first arrival was during a legendary dark night in 1991 with only one street light shining at the central square - in Cluj. Had to google the Enescu memorial house in Liveni, though. 

The only opera house I visited a few times, to discover that Puccini really doesn't do it for me, is this one:

[Florestan]

I'd love to go to Romania actually. From my understanding, there are loads of beautiful women there. Oh and I suppose the scenery is nice, too.

Correct on both accounts. 

[Spineur]

Well, if anything seems difficult, or downright impossible, for you Westerners, please do come to Bucharest....

Staying (relatively) on topic, this is not an opera house but a concert hall. Where is it located?



Hint: ask Christo.

You should be a Google local guide.....
Athénée roumain, Bucharest...

[Spineur]

The only opera house I visited a few times, to discover that Puccini really doesn't do it for me, is this one:

I believe the first demonstration that led to the overthrow of Chauchescu took place right in front of this opera house.  I love its architecture, and would love even more to hear Mme Butterfly there.

[Christo]

I believe the first demonstration that led to the overthrow of Chauchescu took place right in front of this opera house.  I love its architecture, and would love even more to hear Mme Butterfly there.

Right. I had students (of Journalism; Romanian students) in 1999 reconstruct the crucial hours there in December, 1989; interviewing a number of eye witnesses that had not been interviewed before, and the outcome was quite revelationary (for me, at least).

And I did hear and see Madame Butterfly here, and also Turandot. As to facade, that was completely reconstructed in a more 'national' Neo-Byzantine style in the 1920s (when Timișoara had become incorporated in Romania, together with all Transylvania and this part of the Banat). Originally, the 19th Century Neo-Renaissance facade of this prestigious opera house in a town that was still known as 'Little Vienna' and was largely inhabited by and Austrian population, had looked like this:

[The new erato]

Interesting. I plan to go via Timisoara on my Bucuresti trip (train in one direction - a superb way for travelling as opposed to being transported)

[Christo]

Interesting. I plan to go via Timisoara on my Bucuresti trip (train in one direction - a superb way for travelling as opposed to being transported)

Please do, Timișoara is more than worth a visit. If you have the chance, don't miss neighbouring Arad either (though that is a more modest town).

[The new erato]

Please do, Timișoara is more than worth a visit. If you have the chance, don't miss neighbouring Arad either (though that is a more modest town).

Thanks for the tip. This is a summer 2017 trip, and the return from Bucuresti to Vienna is subject for planning. Trains figure prominently

[zamyrabyrd]

Please do, Timișoara is more than worth a visit. If you have the chance, don't miss neighbouring Arad either (though that is a more modest town).

A nun was sitting next to me on a bus to Eilat many years ago. She said her monastery was in Timișoara, a very beautiful place and promised me I would go there sometime. I still don't see how this is possible, but who knows? She gave me a little present of a hairband that I used for a long time.

I heard from Romanian acquaintances that the Ceausescu's destroyed a lot of the architectural patrimony, some fine churches.  Nicolae however built himself a palace to rival any of the monuments and landmarks.

[Florestan]

Thanks for the tip. This is a summer 2017 trip, and the return from Bucuresti to Vienna is subject for planning. Trains figure prominently

Beware of Romanian trains , though, especially on long distance trips such as from Timisoara to Bucharest. They are expensive and almost invariably delayed.  Better rent a car, gives you much more liberty for visiting what´s worth seeing on the road.

[Florestan]

I heard from Romanian acquaintances that the Ceausescu's destroyed a lot of the architectural patrimony, some fine churches.  Nicolae however built himself a palace to rival any of the monuments and landmarks.

Alas! sad but true. He razed to the ground some of the oldest, most beautiful and picturesque Bucharest neighborhoods in order to build this monstrosity:



This is a street view from before that major cultural and social crime:

[Christo]

Beware of Romanian trains, though, especially on long distance trips such as from Timisoara to Bucharest. They are expensive and almost invariably delayed.

'We' (ahem) love the latter so much that 'we' even take the former for granted.  Did this track twice (well, when I was young) and enjoyed it, especially the bit with the lovely blue Danube.   

Well, if anything seems difficult, or downright impossible, for you Westerners, please do come to Bucharest: nous sommes ici aux portes de l'Orient, où tout est pris à la légère. The impossible suddenly turns into feasible, and the difficult into doable.  (Christo knows what I´m talking about).

He doesn't. Please tell him.