Dec 26

Our morning excursion also took us to the Manaus Opera House (Teatro Amazonas) which was completed in 1896 during the rubber boom.  Rubber, or natural latex, is native to this area of Brazil and, until seeds were smuggled out of the country, planted in Kew Gardens in England and trees exported to Asia, Brazil had a monopoly on rubber.  The wealth generated by the rubber trade was phenomenal and the "Rubber Barons" built fantastic mansions.  There was an elite European society in Manaus and an opera house was a necessity.  There is marble and stone from Europe brought over as ballast in ships coming to load up rubber.  Female patrons wore the latest Paris fashions and dresses were actually shipped back to Paris for cleaning.  The opera house can seat 700 on the floor and in the 3 tiers of boxes each of which held 4 or 5 patrons.  Brazilian wood is used in the flooring and there is statuary and artwork all around.  When we visited in 2007 on Regent, there was a private reception for the ship in the lobby with champagne & canapes served followed by a half hour performance by the Manaus Symphony.