Guided Tour of Romania
Top Talent
Description
Vocal Characteristics
Language
EnglishVoice Age
Middle Aged (35-54)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
National Theatre of Bucharest, Iwan Luca Karachi Ali. Founded as the Grand Theatre of Bucharest in 18 52 it soon became a national institution by a decree of the prime minister and was officially named as the National Theatre. It is now administered by the Romanian Ministry of Culture. Initially, the theater was built in 18 52 on Victory Avenue. Today, the front of the Novotel Hotel on Victory Avenue replicates the exterior of the old Romanian National Theatre. Not far from its original location, the theater was built in the baroque style, with 338 stalls on the main floor, three levels of balconies, a luxurious four year with staircases of Carrara marble and a large gallery in which students could attend free of charge. For its 1st 2 years, the theater was lit with tallow lamps, but starting in 18 54 it used rape oil lamps. Still later, this was replaced by gas lighting and eventually electric lights. The historic theater building on Victory Avenue now featured on the 100 lei a banknote, was destroyed during the Luftwaffe, a bombardment of Bucharest on August 24 1944 The current National Theatre is located about half a kilometer away from the old site just south of the Hotel Intercontinental at University Square and has been in use since 1973. It forms part of a complex that also includes the Romanian National Operetta, an art gallery and exhibition space, and several of the city's most prominent bars, including a massive rooftop terrace. The theater is named after one Luca Karachi Ali, one of the greatest playwrights in Romanian language and literature, as well as one of its most important writers and a leading representative of local humor.