BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – In Buenos Aires, the doors of the Colón Theater reopened on Friday night for the first time in a year since it was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, a sign of how the Argentine capital is combing its hair times slowly lowering. again.
In neighboring Brazil, however, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have gone in the opposition direction, and both announced stricter restrictions this week, a reflection of how the two local power stations are on completely different tracks fighting the virus.
“It makes me very happy, we have to go to the theater again, we have to lose our fear,” Fanny Mandelbaum, a local Argentine journalist who attended the first concert at the famous opera house, told Reuters. “It’s so satisfying to be in a room and share culture with other people.”
The symbolic opening of the opera house, which dates back to 1857 – albeit in a different building – is hot on the heels of film lovers in the capital to return to cinemas at the beginning of this month.
Authorities have also eased restrictions to keep restaurants and pubs open later, with indoor eateries bringing excitement to the city, which last year was one of the longest and most difficult exclusions in the region.
But in Brazil, the state of Sao Paulo this week imposed a partial exclusion, highlighting growing concerns about the increase in new infections. Rio de Janeiro, meanwhile, has accepted new restrictions, including a night watch.
“We have reached a serious moment of the pandemic. The coronavirus variants hit us aggressively, “Brazilian Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello said on social media.
The diversity of urban nightlife in the region illustrates the different trajectories that Argentina and Brazil are undertaking to tame COVID-19, even if the vaccination programs are hit by delays.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has long sought to reduce the severity of the virus, while Argentine President Alberto Fernandez has taken a tougher stance.
Claudio Mendez, manager of Cinepolis, film manager in Argentina, said that as the vaccines were deployed, they hoped that cinemas would return to normal after an incredibly difficult year.
“It was a situation not even imaginable in the worst horror movie,” he said. “We believe as the vaccination process progresses … movie premieres will normally start to flow.”
Back in the Colón theater, many musicians were still playing with their masks, while wind instruments were in transparent booths to avoid the possible spread of the virus. The audience was temperature controlled and seats were distributed.
“We had to go back and today was the day,” said María Victoria Alcaraz, director of the opera house. “The spirit was to reopen the doors as soon as possible so that the public and artists could meet again.”
Reporting by Lucila Sigal; Edited by Adam Jourdan and Diane Craft