The entrance hall
This opera is started to be build around 1905.
The entrance hall was designed in Art Nouveau style.
However this style was very expensive and the other parts are made in different styles (e.g. Art Deco).
Antwerp had already an opera, which older people would call the French Opera.
So why this second one?
As Opera used to be a priviledge to be organised by nobel people (money and space), over the last century it became more popular by the richer people.
The last ones that has occupied Belgium where the French and all the people who had the best jobs, earned the biggest money were all Francophone.
Higher education, law, army, it was all French and the Flemish language was supressed, even if it was spoken by the majority of the people.
So when the French bourgeoisie built their theatre (rebuilt after it burned down by a fire and now known as the Bourla Schouwburg), and as they payed for all the artists and loges (places / seats they bought), they were the ones to decide what would be on the scene...
so all French plays!
As a reaction on this, in 1905 this Opera building was designed and the first music play to be performed was a Flemish one.
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