Teatro Colon 2026 Season


The prestigious TEATRO COLON OF BUENOS AIRES, one of the most important Opera Houses in the world, has announced the program for its 2026 SEASON.

In 2026, Teatro Colon celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra by presenting 19 subscription concerts and 8 extraordinary concerts, four of which are outside the venue, reaching an increasingly wider audience.
A season that will feature prominent national and international conductors and soloists, and in which no less than 10 premieres of works will be offered.
In addition to co-productions such as the Great Performers and [Aura] cycles, 2026 will feature proposals such as Astor, Piazzolla Eternal, and the multisensory experiences of the new Immersive Colón cycle, which will open with Monet and continue with Aida.

OPERA
The 2026 Opera Season will consist of seven subscription series and three chamber opera productions. Die Walküre will mark the return of Wagner and German musical drama to the stage of Teatro Colón. French opera will be represented by Jacques Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann, with a revival of Eugenio Zanetti’s acclaimed production, which the Theater unveiled in 2019. Contemporary creation will arrive with the world premiere of Dementia, a work that the institution commissioned from the celebrated Argentine composer Oscar Strasnoy.
The Italian tradition, the foundation of this theater's origins, will be present in the 2026 Season with five titles ranging from 19th-century "bel canto", with Vincenzo Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi, a lyric tragedy; Puccini's Manon Lescaut, in a concert version to be presented at Palacio Libertad; Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci and Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana, opening the season with all the intensity of verismo; and Giuseppe Verdi's monumental Otello
The Chamber Opera series will offer the opportunity to experience three essential 20th-century works: Igor Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale, Weill Brecht's The Threepenny Opera, and Benjamin Britten's The Turn of the Screw.
In this 2026 season, the great Argentine singers of today will be present, assuming leading roles in each of the season's titles, which will also feature some of the most outstanding and valued international figures.

BALLET
The Ballet, under the direction of Julio Bocca, will present 8 productions and will once again feature the star visit of Marianela Núñez, who will star in the opening of the season with Swan Lake and the closing of the season with The Nutcracker.
The Ballet will encompass everything from Tchaikovsky's captivating creations to the world premiere of Borges, a work that pays tribute to the celebrated Argentine writer, commissioned by Teatro Colón and choreographed by Goyo Montero, featuring music by Gustavo Santaolalla and Owen Belton. 
Kenneth MacMillan's magnificent Manon will also be featured this season, which will also include the Argentine premieres of three gems from the 20th and 21st centuries: Études by Harald Lander, Aftermath by the Argentine choreographer Demis Volpi, and Come in by Aszure Barton, integrating the Mixed Program. 
Midway through the season will come the Argentine premiere of Alice in Wonderland, the magnificent creation by Christopher Wheeldon, which will be performed by the Royal Danish Ballet.

CONCERTS
Alongside its work in the operatic field, the Resident Orchestra will present three concerts led by its new principal conductor, the Argentinian Alejo Pérez, dedicated to great works of the repertoire.
Completing the extensive concert season, the Academic Orchestra, Argentina's premier musical institution, will offer a series of eight concerts from March to December.
The Berliner Philharmoniker will return to the stage of Teatro Colón after twenty-six years to offer 3 concerts, led by Kirill Petrenko, its principal conductor and featuring pianist Daniil Trifonov as soloist.

CONTEMPORARY COLON
The Colón Contemporary will offer four new performances in the Main Hall. Featuring five Latin American premieres of works from the 20th and 21st centuries, this series will encompass everything from symphonic genres to major creations for mixed media (acoustic instruments + electronics), opening its season with a screening and live performance of the iconic film Blade Runner.

COLON FOR KIDS
With five titles designed for the whole family, including operas and ballets, the Colón for Children program will feature everything from King Arthur, a semi-opera with magnificent English Baroque music, to Lyrical Tales, two micro-operas based on the imaginations of Argentine writers. These will be joined by adapted versions of The Barber of Seville and Swan Lake, culminating the season with the magic of A Christmas Dream, in which opera and dance intertwine. l

GOLDEN HALL CONCERT SERIES
Structured around 11 thematic axes, the Golden Hall will offer numerous performances dedicated to choral, vocal, and instrumental music.
From chamber music to urban expressions such as tango and jazz, as well as the dialogue between diverse artistic languages, giving rise to young Argentine talents while also paying homage to the great masters of national music.

The full 2026 Season's program (in Spanish only) can be downloaded through this link.

TICKETS:
Tickets for all the 2026 performances can be purchased through the Theater's website, or at the Box office: Tucuman 1171, Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4:45 pm.
(Except May 1st, December 24, 25, 31, and January 1st).

For more information and tickets, visit Teatro Colón official website.


El Ateneo Grand Splendid, one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world



El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore in Buenos Aires is considered by many as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

The building which hosts the bookstore today was inaugurated in 1919 as an elegant theater, the "Grand Splendid", designed by architects Peró and Torres Armengol, with 4 rows of theater boxes, 500 seats, a dome painted by Italian Nazareno Orlandi, and sculptures by Troiani to the sides of the stage, and on the Greek style front marquee. In the year 2000, the building was acquired by Yenny-El Ateneo bookstore and restored to maintain its original features.

Access to the bookstore is free to anyone who wants to visit. Since January 2026, visitors also have the chance to buy a ticket for the "Grand Splendid Experience", an immersive experience to discover the history and transformation of this iconic building from a lavish cinema-theater to becoming the most beautiful bookstore in the world. This experience takes place in the 3rd floor of the building, which until recently was closed to the general public. 
Tickets for this experience can be purchased at the store, and include a coffee/drink with an exclusive close up view of the dome.





In 2008 El Ateneo Grand Splendid was listed in the second place in the list of 10 fairest bookstores in the world, according to Sean Dodson from British newspaper The Guardian: "El Ateneo has retained its former splendor, with high painted ceiling, original balconies and ornate carvings intact. Even the crimson stage curtains remain part of the show. Comfy chairs are scattered throughout, the stage is utilized as a reading area and cafe, and even better, the former theatre boxes are used as tiny reading rooms".

Location: Av Santa Fe 1860, Buenos Aires
Opening times: 
Bookstore: Monday to Saturday: 9 am to 9 pm. Sundays: Noon to 9 pm.
Grand Splendid Experience: Monday to Saturday, 11 am to 7 pm - Sundays: 1 pm to 8 pm.

*Important information about the Grand Splendid Experience: The café and interactive scene area are accessible to people with reduced mobility. There is an elevator available on the ground floor.
The immersive room and the old galleries (where the stage is viewed from above) are located on a higher level, accessible only by stairs. They do not have accessible access because they are part of the theater's original structure, which cannot be modified.

The Obelisco, symbol of Buenos Aires, opens to the public


The Obelisco, symbol of the City of Buenos Aires, was built in 1936 to commemorate the 400 years of the first foundation of the city.

In 2025 Buenos Aires' iconic monument has been renovated to offer an unforgettable experience: for the first time in its 89-year history, visitors will be able to climb to the top of the Obelisk and enjoy a 360° panoramic view of the city from its Observation Deck, at a height of 67.5 meters. 
 
Thanks to the addition of a specially designed elevator that doesn't alter the original structure, you can now safely and comfortably reach the top. The ascent has an added bonus: one side of the elevator is made of glass, allowing you to discover the interior of the Obelisk, and another side features an information screen. 

After climbing eight steps, you'll reach the elevator that will whisk you to level 55 in just one minute. From there, a 35-step spiral staircase leads to the observation deck. Through four strategically placed windows facing the cardinal directions, you'll be treated to an unparalleled panoramic view. The experience lasts approximately 20 minutes and includes a historical and cultural narration.

Tickets have to be purchased in advance through this website: miradorobelisco.com.ar

*Note that, due to technical and safety limitations, the viewpoint is not accessible to wheelchairs or people with reduced mobility.


In the 30's, Buenos Aires suffered a major transformation. Diagonals North and South were opened, and also Corrientes street was widened. At the same time, Avenida 9 de Julio started to be built. The Obelisk was planned to become the center of the convergence of these avenues.

The construction of the Obelisk, on a design by architect Alberto Prebisch, started on March 20th, 1936, on the same spot where the National Flag was raised for the first time in the city in 1812. It was inaugurated on May 23rd the same year.

It has been declared as a national historic monument.

2026 Chinese New Year celebration in Buenos Aires



As a preview of the main celebrations, on Sunday, February 8th, at "Plaza Parques Nacionales Argentinos" located on Av. Figueroa Alcorta between Sucre and Echeverria, in the neighborhood of Belgrano, there will be an open day of traditional dances, artistic expressions, typical gastronomy and family activities, marking the beginning of the Chinese New Year month in the city.

Buenos Aires' Chinatown will once again be the center of the Chinese New Year celebration, with a grand festival taking place from Saturday, February 14th to Tuesday, February 17th, coinciding with the Carnival long weekend. For four days, from noon to 8 pm, this area of ​​the Belgrano neighborhood will be transformed into a large open-air cultural stage.

This large-scale artistic and cultural event will include a central show of dragons and lions on tall poles, live Argentine horses, martial arts demonstrations, traditional and contemporary music, DJs, and live performances. There will also be traditional and modern fashion shows, art installations and murals, a performance by urban artist Índigo Ars, robots and robotic dogs, open food and cultural activities, raffles, and other events.

The main event will be on Monday, February 16th, bidding farewell to the Year of the Snake and officially welcoming the Year of the Horse, which begins at midnight on Tuesday the 17th.

Additionally, on Sunday, February 15th, the traditional Dragon Boat Race will take place at the Puerto Madero docks. These competitions combine sport, tradition, and a sense of community, reinforcing values ​​such as teamwork, perseverance, and cultural unity.