Cine Opera by Michael Nyman

"An elaborate 1940's cinema in the centre of Mexico City is in a state of almost tragically beautiful disrepair."

Michael Nyman is one of Britain's most innovative and celebrated composers, probably most widely known for his film score for 'The Piano.' Far more than a practising composer, Nyman now also works in photography and film.

For Night of Festivals 2010, Nyman was commissioned by ArtReach to create a new work, 'Cine Opera'. Filmed in Mexico City and set to an existing music score by the artist, it premiered at Nottingham Contemporary in September of this year.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Michael Nyman Cine Opera
• Michael Nyman
• The Piano
• Night of Festivals
• 1940's Cinema
• Nyman
• festival derelict cinema
• derelict

[ArtReachEvents]

Hello,

This cinema can be found in Mexico City. I'm unsure where exactly it is, but it was one of the main cinemas for the city before it was damaged by and earthquake in the 1990's

[Arctikes]

@ArtReachEvents And it was definetelly closed in '98 beacuse Bauhaus gave there a concert but the fans caused a riot beacuse many of them couldn't get in and they banged the doors down jajaja... Too bad, for the cinema an beacuse Bauhaus cancelled their concert (not that i knew back then beacuse i was only 7 years old).

[ArtReachEvents]

@Arctikes It's fascinating to hear the history of the place. Have you been there before?

I've just had a look at the commercial you were talking about, I see what you mean - it's a little sad to realise that the cinema still isn't being used.

[TheHALVAM]

Outstanding video, my grandfather used to watch movies in this cinema when he was a child. This video brought him a lot of memories.

[ArtReachEvents]

@TheHALVAM That's fascinating. When the film was premièred at Nottingham Contemporary we also had a member of the audience who remembered watching 'Psycho' in the cinema when he was a teenager. Thank you very much for your comment.

[abuzadote]

Wow... What images... and the music... Exquisite, really.

I was a frequent patron of the CINE OPERA during the late 70's. It was already delapidated and showed second run movies, but it was a beautiful place. My Mom used to live in the same neighborhood (Colonia Santa Maria) during the 30's and 40's. It was a very posh area and the Opera was a luxurius cinema. Then the neighborhood lost its social standing and so did the cinema, which is a tragedy. Now it looks like a rotting corpse.

[kaikinmiyagi]

@ArtReachEvents My parents took me there plenty of times when I was a child in the middle 80's... It's located in Serapio Rendón Street... I can remember that during "half-time" you could go down and play with the other kids in the square that was between the seats and the screen, it was really huge (for 3,000 people) and beautiful with a big candelabra on it's top... Now as you can see, it's falling down to pieces... The only one remaining and still open as conert hall is Teatro Metropólitan.

[Mariblue69]

Era uno de los cines mas hermosos que habia visto en México, me toco vivirlo y entrar a disfrutar " La bella durmiente" de la mano de mi madre... Es nostalgico, triste y Hermoso volver a recordar tantas cosas... Gracias por haberme permitido volver a verlo desde este video..!

[Arctikes]

@ArtReachEvents No, never been there. I've only seen it from outside, bad luck beacuse one time last year someone made a movie projection inside. I knew about it a month after. And i just read that the concert wasn't cancelled jaja.

[Arctikes]

@ArtReachEvents It´s on Serapio Rendon street almost corner with Rivera de San Cosme street. It even appears now in a "plan Ballantines" commercial, supposedly being restaured. The commercial makes you do " D: " beacuse it's not really happening.

[isaacperezm]

It wasn't abandoned because an earthquake, it was simply too big and no longer functional as a cinema. It is very sad to see this beautuful building lost

[Inner2000]

I hope we can save this city treasure soon before is to late.