Latest News

Paradisum by Recirquel explores the myth of rebirth following the silence of a destroyed world. Photo: Bálint Hirling/Teatro Mayor

Bogotá’s Teatro Mayor Presents 2026 Season, Germany Guest Nation

By The City Paper Staff - November 26, 2025

The Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo has unveiled its 2026 programme, outlining 116 productions and 178 performances across opera, dance, theatre, music, circus and family shows. The announcement reinforces the theatre’s role as one of Bogotá’s leading cultural institutions, bringing national and international artists to audiences across the capital. A highlight of the year […]

Bogotá’s Teatro Colón stages climate change opera ‘Sun and Sea’

By The City Paper Staff - March 17, 2025

Bogotá’s Teatro Colón transforms into an artificial beach for Sun & Sea, the award-winning Lithuanian opera-performance addressing climate change and mass tourism. Running March 21-24, the immersive production blends music and environmental commentary, offering audiences a unique theatrical experience.

Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte at the Auditorio Nacional del Sodre/Juan Diego Castillo.

Bogotá’s Teatro Mayor unveils Mozart’s timeless “Cosi Fan Tutte”

By Richard Emblin - February 15, 2024

Bogotá’s Teatro Mayor will stage Mozart’s iconic comic opera ‘Cosi Fan Tutte’ in 1970s Argentina, with international soloists and Mexican music director José Areán.

Soprano Betty Garcés: Colombia’s leading lady of song

By Richard Emblin - March 8, 2023

From Buenaventura to performances on the world’s stage, soprano Betty Garcés is Colombia’s leading lady of Opera.

Puccin's "Tosca" returns to Teatro Mayor for two performances in February. Photo: Juan Diego Castillo

Puccini’s “Tosca” returns to Bogotá’s Teatro Mayor

By Richard Emblin - February 8, 2023

Set during Napoleon’s invasion of Italy, Puccini’s “Tosca” returns to Bogotá’s Teatro Mayor with performances in February. The iconic opera will be conducted by Andrés Estrada-Orozco.

Teatro Mayor presents Donizetti’s “Colombian opera”

By Richard Emblin - October 12, 2022

Bogotá’s Teatro Mayor and Ópera de Colombia are staging Donizetti’s famous “Elisir D’Amore” with stage direction by the acclaimed film director Sergio Cabrera.

Bogotá’s Teatro Mayor closes 2021 opera season with Tosca

By Richard Emblin - December 13, 2021

As the 2021 season draws to a close, Teatro Mayor presents Puccini’s epic Tosca, conducted by Vienna Symphony’s Andrés Orozco-Estrada.

Majestic Betty Garcés returns to the stage of Bogotá’s Teatro Mayor

By The City Paper Staff - July 27, 2021

With theatres recently authorized to reopen, Bogotá audiences have the opportunity to hear Colombia’s grand dame of opera, Betty Garcés, in a performance directed by Alejandro Roca.

Securing Colombia’s post pandemic opera season with the help of contemporary art

By Richard Emblin - August 19, 2020

With live opera canceled as a result of quarantine, Ópera de Colombia will host a silent art auction and perform an online version of Gianni Schichi to raise funds for future seasons.

Teatro Mayor’s “Don Giovanni” delivers lyrical and visual flamboyance

By Richard Emblin - February 24, 2020

The Colombian-Argentine production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” is a near sequel to Marcelo Lombardero’s 2018 staging of Weill’s Rise and Fall of Mahagonny.

Remembering Gloria Zea: Colombia’s grand dame of culture (1935-2019)

By Richard Emblin - March 12, 2019

Obituary: Gloria Zea will be remembered for her role at the Museum of Modern Art of Bogotá (Mambo) and for having founded Colombia’s first opera company.

The Ópera de Colombia presents Madama Butterfly at Teatro Mayor

By The City Paper Staff - March 11, 2019

Puccini’s legendary Oriental love story of Madama Butterfly comes to the Teatro Mayor with an international cast.

Bogotá’s Teatro Mayor gears up for a mega co-production of “Mahagonny”

By Richard Emblin - February 19, 2018

The opera by Brecht and Weill known as Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny is a major co-production between the Teatro Mayor, Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires and Santiago’s Teatro Municipal.

Teatro Mayor rolls out the red carpet with its 2018 programme

By Richard Emblin - November 17, 2017

Austria, Spain and Mexico bring their very best performing artists to the Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo in 2018

Betty Garcés returns to Colón in Cuban zarzuela “Cecilia Valdés”

By Timothy Langham - September 28, 2017

After two major Verdi operas, the Colón Theatre presents soprano Betty Garcés in the leading role of the Cuban zarzuela “Cecilia Valdés”.

Verdi’s Venetian Opera comes to Bogotá’s Colón Theatre

By Sofia Phillips - June 13, 2017

Willy Decker, director of Barcelona’s Liceu Theatre and conductor Hilary Griffiths bring Verdi’s operatic masterpiece Otello to the stage in four performances this month.