Teatro Municipal, Rio de Janeiro
It's been one of those weeks where you just need a little pretty. Luckily I have my penpal to supply me with beautiful photographs from his travels. One gem that caught my eye is the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janiero, Brazil (which I can never think of without humming a little Fred Astaire , I love that song of his about Rio!). The Opera house, designed by French architect Albert Guilbert, was heavily based on the Palais Garnier or Paris Opera House (See my post on that storied building HERE ) and completed in 1909. A later addition to the concert hall dates to 1934 with an adjunct being added just 20 years ago. The grand staircase could almost be seen as an exact copy! Is it any wonder that anyone would want to copy this great, impressive building? The ceiling features a beautiful stained glass skylight. Just as in Paris the top of the stair holds various gathering spaces for intermissions. They are slightly less ornate but no less grand. The similariti...