Sala Zitarrosa
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 Sala Zitarrosa in 2022 | |
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| Address | 1012 18 de Julio Avenue Centro, Montevideo Uruguay |
|---|---|
| Owner | Intendancy of Montevideo |
| Type | Concert hall |
| Capacity | 531 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | November 3, 1999 |
| Architect | Alfredo Jones Brown |
| Website | |
| salazitarrosa.montevideo.gub.uy/ | |
Sala Zitarrosa (Spanish for 'Zitarrosa Hall') is a concert hall and theatre in Montevideo, Uruguay. Located in the Rex building, in the city’s downtown area, it is named after the renowned singer-songwriter Alfredo Zitarrosa. The venue occupies the site of the former Cine Rex Theatre, which operated from the 1920s to the 1980s, and hosts concerts, theatrical productions, film screenings, and a variety of cultural events.
Sala Zitarrosa is located on the ground floor of the Rex Building in Downtown Montevideo. The building, designed in an eclectic historicist style with numerous modernist elements, was constructed by architect Alfredo Jones Brown.[1] Upon its completion, the ground floor housed the Cine Rex Theatre, operated by Max Glücksmann’s company.[2] The cinema was one of the first in the country to screen sound films and became one of Montevideo’s most luxurious venues, with a capacity of 850 people and a large stained-glass window that naturally illuminated the first floor.[3]
After a period of decline in the 1980s, the building was acquired by the Intendancy of Montevideo in 1997, which organized a restoration competition won by architect Conrado Pintos.[4] The restoration lasted 18 months and aimed to preserve the original materials, replacing only what was necessary with contemporary elements while maintaining harmony between old and new. The project included the work of Eneida de León, who later served as Minister of Housing.[5] Sala Zitarrosa was inaugurated on 3 November 1999 as a cultural center dedicated to national music.[6]
