The building combines elements of
Romanesque Revival and
neoclassicism. The painting of the ceiling of the auditorium shows the tendencies of the
Art Nouveau. Indeed, the roof has paintings by Saverio Fresa with dance images. It was one of the most famous buildings in
Italian Asmara. The building was erected on a hillside in Italian
Asmara, at the eastern end of the north side of today's Harriet Avenue (the old Corso Italia, later named Corso Mussolini and now the main road of Asmara) and at the corner of Beleza Street. This location made it possible to make the ascent to the Opera as a monumental
staircase, which is circled on both sides by a shell-shaped fountain and a Renaissance-style
loggia with
Corinthian columns. The rest of the exterior of the building, especially the Beleza Street side facing, is
castle-like, designed with battlements and towers. From the porch, it is possible to reach the
foyer, which in turn gives access to the huge auditorium. This has, in addition to the
parquet floor, three additional levels and can have 750 spectators. The stage is relatively small and does not have additional technical equipment. In 1938 the international car race called the
Asmara circuit was started exactly in front of the Opera building, on the Viale Roma (now called Sematat Avenue). The building was named
Teatro Asmara until after being purchased by Eritrea and
Ethiopia in 1952 from the Italian owners for far below the market value. After the independence of Eritrea in 1991/93, it was dispossessed and is now
state-owned property again. In the foyer, there is now a cafe, and in a side building, the headquarters of the national telephone company
Eritel. In Asmara Theatre were performed many "
commedie" and
opera works like those of
Pirandello and music by
Puccini and
Verdi, with soprano from the best theatres in Italy: for example, in 1951 was performed "La Patente" of Pirandello and music of
Chopin. After
World War II and until the 1970s even international companies performed in the Asmara Theatre with famous "artistic & musical tours", like those of
Renato Rascel and
Renato Carosone. The theatre was still occasionally used in 2012. ==Notes==