Liceo Theater: The room in the "Andurriales" that grew with the city and wants to celebrate its 150 years of life with Piaf

En 1872, lo que hoy se conoce como la esquina de Rivadavia y Paraná era considerada una zona alejada que, si bien no llegaba a la categoría de andurrial, distaba de ser un rincón estratégico de la ciudad. Sin embargo, fue durante aquel año cuando en ese solar se inauguró el Teatro Liceo, la sala privada más antigua de Latinoamérica que, aún hoy, sostiene su actividad artística.

"Maintaining a space as old as the Liceo is Quijotosco where he looks at it," recognizes businessman Carlos Rot weatherrg, who in 1994 bought the theater from his colleague Buddy Day. A diferencia del relato de Miguel de Cervantes, para Rottemberg, el hidalgo caballero responsable de mantener la sala de pie, los molinos de viento están hechos de textos de ficción y un escenario para montarlos.

Together with Rottemberg, more than one Sancho works.With the same effort, his son Tomás stands out, bound to theatrical production such as his father, and José Luis Ciarma, the company's manager, who are in charge of the enhancement works that are being carried out with a view to theCelebrations for the first 150 years of life in the room, which will be fulfilled in the middle of this year.

The nation toured the Lyceum with the Rottemberg and Ciarma, between scaffolding and tachos with materials, raised curtains and uninhabited dressing rooms.Even so, and although the makeup session is halfway, the flirtatious room dazzles with its beauty.They say, unlike what happens in most theaters, which is not inhabited by ghosts.One less problem when curiosity leads to running by seizing the place and rumming up hidden and magic recesses.

Put in value

“Lo que estamos haciendo en gran medida no es visto por los espectadores, pero son obras muy necesarias”, sostiene José Luis Ciarma, a cargo de supervisar las tareas que buscan devolverle el esplendor original a la sala y dotarla con los adelantos técnicos que hacen no solo a confort, sino también a seguridad. “A pesar de su antigüedad, se trata de un edificio muy noble.As we always say, a function was never raised by the building and yes because a sound console did not work or an artist became ill, ”says Tomás Rottemberg, who grew up in the theatrical world not only because of his father's activity, but alsoBecause his mother, actress Linda Peretz, cradled him in dressing rooms when maternity and work had to complement each other with strategic organization.

The sign with the name that finishes the spoiler and frames the facade is a symbol of the building that has its ten doors distributed in five openings.Outside, in the middle of the Buenos Aires center, the city is a hotbed and not only for the summer.When entering the high school everything changes and that outside the screams is canceled in the silent interior.

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The hall prologues the elegance of the room with marble stairs and bronze details to indicate the seats sector. Como aquellas buenas obras que en las que la primera escena da cuenta de la exquisitez de la trama por venir, el foyer del Liceo anticipa la elegancia de su sala bombonera. “Nuestra tarea es preservar ese valor del edificio, por eso hacemos foco en lo estructural y también en realzar algunos elementos venidos a menos como los frescos de los techos”, dice Tomás Rottemberg, refiriéndose a una de las joyas del lugar. Imposible no mirar hacia arriba ni bien se pisa el patio de plateas y admirar esas pinturas que fueron elogiadas por el propio Berni.

Given the age of construction, since Rottemberg took over it carried out several remodeling. “Hasta los años 90, los cables eran de tela”, cuenta uno de los responsables técnicos que trabaja desde hace décadas en el teatro y a quienes los Rottemberg y Ciarma consultan permanentemente."They are the soul of the theater," the businessman will say that, in Buenos Aires, he also has the rooms of the multi -theater, Multitabaris and Metropolitan, all on Corrientes Avenue, and, in Mar del Plata, he is the owner of the Atlas, America, Mar del Plata, Lido, Neptune and Bristol.

Impacts to enter the room that has armed an immense scaffold that reaches the ceiling.There are still the tables with their evenings that served to give frame to cabaret, the last success, and that possibly are a distinctive seal. “Es la única sala consagrada al musical. Si no damos musicales, no se programará otra cosa”, reafirma Rottemberg con indisimulable orgullo ante el destino que vio nacer piezas icónicas como Piaf y Casi normales."It bothers us less than is closed to work bad.

While La Nacion travels every corner of the theater, a spontaneous work meeting is held in the middle of the stage between the homeowners and technical staff.Carlos Rottemberg makes some inquiries around the general painting and the scope of the same.Ciarma Check the times so that everything is ready at the end of summer.

If the enhancement of the frescoes and the paint of the room can be enjoyed directly by the spectators, there are other secret, but essential aspects, which are also part of the tuning of the building. En plena pandemia, el Liceo fue uno de las últimas salas en abrirse, cosa que sucedió una vez que se acondicionaron los sistemas de ventilación de acuerdo a las nuevas normativas de seguridad surgidas a partir de la irrupción del Covid. Malevo, la propuesta que se vio en el segundo semestre del 2021, fue la primera en gozar con los nuevos mecanismos que otorgan seguridad a la permanencia del público" class="com-link" data-reactroot="">. Malevo, la propuesta que se vio en el segundo semestre del 2021, fue la primera en gozar con los nuevos mecanismos que otorgan seguridad a la permanencia del público. “Significó garantizar la circulación del aire, ya que la sala cuenta con bocas que toman el aire exterior, que ahora son mucho más grandes.In addition, there are new filters that take that air and improve it. Hubo que hacer nuevas estructuras, abrir ventanas y cortar filtros”, explica Tomás Rottemberg. Desde ya, la refrigeración cuenta con ese mismo mecanismo: “El aire no recircula sin ser filtrado previamente. Una vez realizada esa instancia, pasa al aire acondicionado, por eso la gente percibe una refrigeración que, además de generar bienestar, es segura”, sostiene Ciarma.

Like any room built in the XLX century, marbles are part of floors, stairs and decoration details, as well as colonial Mayólicas that portray an era.Some of those stones are being valued so that they look with their original color and brightness.The Lyceum is flirtatious, but not ampulous.Encoverable. Sin ser de estilo colonial puro, observarlo desde afuera permite descifrar que se trata de un tipo de arquitectura posterior al virreinato, propia de una ciudad y un país que comenzaba a crecer emancipado.

Witness of the country

Con sus jóvenes 150 años, allí está el Liceo, erguido en su esquina, ocre en su frente y dorado por dentro, con esa típica herradura de palquitos y tulipas que alberga a sus butacas y que recuerda al tiempo aquel de la matinée, vermouth, primera y segunda noche."It is forbidden to stay with a hat put to ladies and gentlemen during the function," says the sign.They were times of ritualities and respects.Far away, everyone took off their hat.Today it costs to turn off the cell phone that, unfailingly, will howl.

Over 150 years, the Liceo was not only art, but also vigía.Planting in front of the iconic chronotope that is the Plaza del Congress, designed by the Frenchman Carlos Thays, he witnessed the assumptions of constitutional presidents, celebrations and claim marches, beginnings of periods of legislative sessions, bloody revolts and the silence and mourning of aCongress closed when democracy was a lost value.The Lyceum saw everything.

"The city started here," recalls Tomás Rot weather, making history about the emblematic land of Rivadavia and Paraná.In 1872, the squares of the Congress and Lorea did not exist, but in those wide free lands still unb -The northern end, a flour mill that, by closeness, would then give name to the future confectionery of the mill.

Only in 1913, already with hundreds of functions under his credit, the Lyceum building would begin to feel the vibrations of the passage of the bourgeoise cars, belonging to the Line A of Subterráneos, the first to start operating in Latin America.Seven years later, a meters from Rivadavia and Paraná would mount the Buckingham Circus, which would offer its shows by sections.Definitely, the Lyceum was a strut in that area that began to stand as a key place in political, social and cultural life not only of the city, but of the whole country.With May Avenida, the Avenida and Gloria completed the theatrical pole of the area.

“Que sea la sala privada más antigua en pie ya es una marca registrada”, se ufana Carlos Rottemberg, el empresario que sella sus acuerdos con los actores estampando un dedo en una hoja en blanco, instancia a la que todavía no llegó con Elena Roger para el reestreno de Piaf, aquel musical de factura perfecta que podría volver al Liceo y formar parte de las celebraciones de la temporada 2022" class="com-link" data-reactroot="">que podría volver al Liceo y formar parte de las celebraciones de la temporada 2022.

When the curtain was raised in the high school for the first time, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento lacked two years to complete his presidential mandate.El Dorado, Goldoni, Rivadavia and Modern were the previous names of the room, which began to be called Liceo only in 1911.

Even today, on their plans, the palenques located at the door are listed to tie the carriages horses.From there comes the desire always repeated among the artistic community before a premiere, "Much Merde".The more dirt left by the horses at the doors of the rooms meant that the more public had arrived to witness the functions.

Phoenix

“The theater was already about to fall at the hands of the piqueta in 1977. Un aviso en un matutino anunciaba la venta de sus 600 metros cuadrados, por la suma de 120 millones de pesos.The successors of José A.Gerino, owner of the deceased room in 1955, had no interest in the theater. Pero el ámbito cultural se movilizó enseguida, y Buddy Day y Julio Werthein adquirieron la sala”, recordaba el periodista Pablo Gorlero en LA NACION, en diciembre de 2005.

After that "change of signature", the Theater housed glorious seasons until, in 1994, Buddy Day decided that it was time to return to Chile and leave the activity in the country. Lo dramático fue que la única oferta que recibieron los propietarios pertenecía a una empresa que iba a convertir la sala en una casa de apuestas hípicas.

“Un martes, llega Buddy Day a la oficina del Ateneo para decirme: ´Si mañana firmo, el Liceo se convierte en casa de apuestas hípicas. Si querés salvarlo, podés comprarlo´.Faced with that approach, I replied that I had no money and it was he who mentioned the Mercantil Bank ”.Rottemberg draws a loan in that bank that had as one of its partners Werthein, precisely Buddy Day's partner: "That is to say that one of the partners that the theater sold me is the one who gave me the credit to buy it,"Laughs Rottemberg before those somersaults of destiny.

"Buddy Day was put on three conditions: that the agreement went to closed tranquera, free of any debt and that my architect could travel it to confirm if the structure was firm," recalls Carlos Rotborg.That "closed trail" implied that everything inside the room was there."Even Las Bombitas," recalls the businessman, who, faithful to his style, listed the conditions in a napkin."I look like corach," he jokes.

As a good theater businessman, Buddy Day did not want the property to stop at the hands of a equestrian betting agency, so he decided to keep the offer made to Rottemberg until the firm was stamped.That afternoon, Buddy Day left the Athenaeum, to meet Rotborgg that same morning at the Lyceum. A las dos de la mañana, Day y su mujer levantaron una de las persianas para que Rottemberg y su arquitecto pudieran recorrer el lugar."We were 2 to 4 in the morning until, finally, the architect told us that the building was solid," recalls the producer.

"To the only one that will bother you that the Lyceum becomes a place of equestrian bets is to you, that's why I came to see you," Buddy Day had told Rottemberg.It was not wrong, that same morning of 1994 the agreement was sealed and Rottemberg went on to take possession of the building.Given the consummated fact, the equestrian betting house went to the room of what Cinema One was, on Suipacha street.

For that quixotic work, Rottemberg was awarded the ACE Award. Al recibirlo, Aída Luz cometió un simpático furcio y en lugar de celebrar que las paredes del Liceo no habían caído en la piqueta, la actriz pronunció la palabra “picana”.

Prestige

The Lyceum is one of those rooms that were characterized throughout its history by good programming.Here, for a decade, Enrique Pinti filled Sunday with his epic Creole sauce, that review of national history that found the best environment in this scenario close to the National Congress."There were 5600 people every week.As we already knew the number, the bordeaux was done before, instead of at the close of the ticket office as it is usual, ”recalls Carlos Rottemberg, still amazed by the modality against the appellant“ Exhausted localities ”, a phenomenon that had begun when LiceoI was still in the hands of Buddy Day.

Thelma Biral had her own company with her husband Titino Pedemonti, makers of successes that lasted entire seasons at the Lyceum.When the actress said goodbye to Coqueluche, whose functions were given in the former Blanca Podestá, today multiteatro, she reached the corner of Rivadavia and Paraná to represent a string of highly remembered titles: Doña Rosita, La single;My loves, Pepsi, next year at the same time, and several more.

In 150 years of history, there was no lack of anecdotes.In the "contemporary era", unforgettable were those functions of the comedy, unemployed, made by the company of Guillermo Bredeston, when a revolt in the square in front of Congress unleashed the fury of tear gas from early.However, the public arrived at the high school as the room could and filled, since no one wanted to miss the show.Once the function began, the blinds were lowered and, while outside everything was chaos and runs, inside the people enjoyed the laughter of the successful comedy.

In one of the soy functions of Creole sauce, journalist Bernardo Neustadt sat on the stalls to enjoy the show.He had not finished the function when the creator of the New Tiemp.To the screams cuidized and predicted: "No one can come to see this".He was wrong, was one of the great events of the national scene."There is no theater that has had a success like Creole salsa, with the same protagonist during all seasons," says Carlos Rottemberg.

Liceo's anecdotes could occupy several volumes.The oldest private theater in South America has a lot to count under those unalterable walls that cannot be modified due to its heritage value: “We cannot touch a brick, it is absolutely protected.We have all the possible stamps in terms of restrictions and none for support.That is, the room does not have any help that differentiates it from the theaters of Corrientes, including ours located there. De todos modos, también es una política mantenernos al margen de algunas cosas, somos una empresa ciento por ciento privada”, argumenta Carlos Rottemberg con indisimulable orgullo.

It's time to leave.The hammers continue, rumbling with privileged acoustics in those 600 square meters where the most grenade of the Argentine show has paraded.Tomás Rottemberg and José Luis Ciarma talk to one of those responsible for the work, while Carlos Rotongerg consults them, making it clear that he made the work of value in their hands.Before a doubt, they immediately call one of those historical employees who know the room better than their own home.Everyone is passionate, imagining how the room will be with just over 500 seats.

"To do theater you have to feel like it, it is not just a job," says Tomás Rot weatherrg, the heir of the passion who was born with his father being a child in a stalls of a cinema on Lavalle Street, while the rebel novice was screened."This year we will have a cake with 150 candles and that will be the greatest investment of the reform," concludes Carlos Rotborg with humor, while his gaze walks through the high school like that father who sees a son mature. Y si la patriada es sacrificada y onerosa, a Carlos Rottemberg bien le cabe el “non, je ne regrette rien” de Edith Piaf. Arrepentirse no es lo suyo.