I. Overview of Saigon Opera House
Saigon Opera House, officially known as The Municipal Theater of Ho Chi Minh City, is one of the most attractive destinations in HCMC. The opera house is noteworthy for its Western European style and an example of French colonial architecture in VN. In 1898, the construction was built by French architect Eugene Ferret and opened its doors for visitors in the early 1900. The work was recognized as a national architecture and art relic in 2012. Let’s go with Mekong Smile Tour to explore more about Saigon Opera House!
Location
Saigon Opera House is situated at No 7 Cong Truong Lam Son in Dong Khoi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCM City. The building is right next to two luxury hotels, Caravelle Hotel and Continental Saigon Hotel. The Opera House is also near Ho Chi Minh Museum, the Independence Palace, Saigon Central Post Office, and Notre Cathedral Dame.
Opening hours and Entrance fee
Saigon Opera House is only open to the public during performances. Thus, the price of tickets and opening time varies based on the type of show/event, time, and seat class. You need to get further information about the schedule via the website https://www.luneproduction.com/saigon-opera-house. Beside that you also get to the box office next to the house working daily from 9 AM to 4:30 PM. Buy your ticket at the box office, or through the website, then follow the instructions of the staff here.
II. The history of the Saigon Opera House
After taking control of Cochinchina, French colonists invited a theater company to Saigon to entertain the French forces in 1863. At first, Clock Square, presently on the corner of Nguyen Du and Dong Khoi Streets, was chosen to perform a piece of music. After a short time, a temporary theater was built at the side of the Caravelle Hotel. In 1898, the French government planned to construct a new theater at the side of the old one. The work was inaugurated on 1st January 1900.
During World War I and World War II, the theater aimed to serve the upper class. However, these target customers tended to go to nightclubs and dance halls rather than opera house. At that time, the house just performed concerts and other Cai Luong programs to maintain its functions.
With the aim to renew the building, several decorations, engraving, and statues were removed from the facade in 1943. In 1944, the Allied aerial attacks caused the opera house to suffer serious damage. In 1954, the French defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu led to the Geneva Accords in the same year. Therefore, the theater was a temporary shelter for French civilians from North Vietnam. In 1955, the Saigon Opera House functioned as the Congress House (later called the Lower House of the State of Vietnam) of the Republic of Vietnam.
After the Reunification of Vietnam in 1976, the construction was restored to its original function as a theater. Having experienced renovation, the opera house is now a famous venue for many events and cultural – entertainment activities. The building became a national architecture and art relic of the city in 2012.
III. Saigon Opera House’s structure and architecture
In 1898, it was the French architect Eugene Ferret who designed the version of Saigon Opera House following the “flamboyant” style of the French Third Republic. Saigon Opera House is a skillful combination of architecture and sculpture. In particular, the constructors created the facade by following the art of the Petit Palais Museum in Paris.
From the exterior, the theater is set to be two meters higher than the street. Moreover, it is designed with two layers of doors in an attempt to avoid noise from outside. The total area of this work is nearly 3,200m2. The architecture boasts stone-carved ornaments and two statues following the style of Greek Caryatids of Erechtheion at the entrance.
Furthermore, the house has a main seating floor plus two levels of seating above. And, once is capable of accommodating 1,800 people. Arched windows with raised railing were designed in bold classical French architecture. Also, materials for interiors such as shiny granite floors, crystal chandeliers, stone statues, rails for stairs, cartouches, and ceilings were brought from France. The management board of the house decided to equip the theater with modern electrical facilities, lighting, and sound systems.
IV. Shows at Saigon Opera House
Saigon Opera House offers a number of shows such as classical concerts, opera, Vietnamese traditional and modern dance, plays, and more. The information below are some of the popular shows that have taken place there for your choice:
A O Show
The name “A O” derives from “Lang Pho” in Vietnamese, meaning “village and city” in English. The show, lasting about 60 minutes, depicts stories about the charming beauty of Vietnamese life in the rural area in contrast with the nation’s racing urbanization. This interesting performance is a mix of bamboo circus, acrobatic acts, dance, and theatrical visual art.
The Mist
The Mist show will tell audiences about farming life in the South, expressed through neo-classic and modern dance by skilled artists. Further, sensational live music, splendid visuals, and colorful lighting effects make the show more interesting and impressive. With myriad ups and downs, The Mist uses rice cultivation as a metaphor to appreciate farmers’ work, their misty dawn on the fields, and their hardship. Thanks to farmers’ dedication, rice will power rise up from humble muddy soil like shining pearls at harvest.
Vietnamese music shows
The beauty of Vietnam and Vietnamese people will be performed through singing, traditional instruments, and acting arts.
V. Tips for the best experience at Saigon Opera House
- Children aged from 5 to 12. However, the performances and shows here are not suitable for children under 5 years old. If you are an international visitor and you want to take your children here, you need to bring their passports when coming to the show.
- Dress code: You can wear polite casual clothes or dress up. To avoid putting on offensive costumes.
- You should arrive at the theater 15-30 minutes before the show starts to take a photo.
- If you just want to take photos of the building, you should visit it in the late afternoon. This is the time when the lighting is the best for photos.
VI. How to get there?
Saigon Opera House is in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, so you can easily get here on foot. If you stay far away from there, a taxi, bus, or motorbike can be a good choice. Besides, you can set a plan to visit here by bus, the bus number: 02, 03, 19, 45 and 53 will help you reach your destination.
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