The Saigon Opera House is one of the best examples of French colonial architecture in Saigon. It’s an extremely elegant building. It has quite a rich history with the first production taking place in January 1900 by French actors. The first Vietnamese production was in 1918. The Opera House was closed during from 1945 -1955. Major reconstruction started in 1996, and the building reopened in 1998, marking Ho Chi Minh City’s 300th anniversary.
Though many associate it with the À Ố Show and other tourist productions it is the home of the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet, Symphony, Orchestra and Opera. I had the good fortune to see their recent production of Swan Lake, and it was extremely well done. Certainly on a par with the Boston production I saw in the past.
It’s worth going to an event there to get some interior shots and close-up architectural detail. The long-running À Ố Show is a lot of fun — Cirque du Soleil meets Vietnam.
The acoustics of the theater are excellent, and the modern lighting and sound systems make it a great venue for contemporary productions like the À Ố Show as well as the classical productions it was originally designed for.
It can be tricky to photograph the exterior. The ever-present crowds and, at times, unfortunate advertising banners make it a difficult architectural subject. It has nice evening lighting and fewer crowds in the early morning. Photos juxtaposing the formal French Colonial architecture with the modern nearby towers can also be interesting.
Operating Hours:
- Box Office: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM daily
- Building tours are available from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM when no rehearsals are scheduled
