Amazon Theatre
Teatro Amazonas
A neoclassical opera house completed in 1896 at the height of the rubber boom. Its dome of colored tiles is Manaus's emblem.
The Amazon Theatre opened at the end of December 1896. Many of its materials were shipped from Europe. The roof tiles came from Alsace, the marble from Italy, and the ironwork and chandeliers from France. The dome is made of about 36,000 glazed tiles in green, yellow and blue, arranged in the colors of the Brazilian flag. It stands as a symbol of the wealth of the rubber baron era. The auditorium seats about 700. The ceiling painting shows a view of the Eiffel Tower looking upward. The upstairs VIP room, the Salão Nobre, has a wooden floor made from tens of thousands of pieces of Amazonian hardwood, and visitors must wear overshoes. In front of the theatre, Praça São Sebastião is paved with black-and-white wave-patterned stones that symbolize the meeting of the black and white rivers. Nearby are cafés and the Church of São Sebastião. In the evenings, free performances are often held here. Guided tours leave every 30 minutes, including an English-language tour. Opening hours are 9:00–17:00 Tuesday to Saturday and 9:00–13:00 on Sunday. The theatre is closed on Mondays. Admission costs about 20 reais (10 reais for half price), and tickets can be bought on site without a reservation. If there is an evening performance, buying a ticket to see the Amazonas Philharmonic Orchestra or an opera festival production is the most rewarding way to experience it. The theatre is in the city center, about a 15-minute walk from the port and the market.
Opening hours
Tue–Sat 09:00–17:00; Sun 09:00–13:00; closed Mondays (tours every 30 minutes)
Nearby sights
- Church and Square of São Sebastião
- Palace of Justice, Manaus
- Manaus Cathedral
- Palacete Provincial
- Manaus City Museum (Paço da Liberdade)
- Manaus Customs House
- Rio Negro Palace Cultural Centre
- Adolpho Lisboa Market