Opera House, Ho Chi Minh City

I was really happy to see a magnificent Opera House beside the hotel I stayed in ( Caravelle ) and judging from the architecture, it must have been built at the turn of the century. Though I didn't venture in, I joined the locals for a free performance one Sunday Morning.

Yeah, it all started when I was about done with my breakfast bowl of pho. Since it didn't taste as good as I hoped, I abandoned it after hearing some cheery strains coming from outside. I saw a military band playing on the steps of the grand opera house and as they played, a school of motorbikes swam towards the spot. I couldn't resist joining them, sans motorbike, it sure beats eating bad pho from a dishy hotel.

This beautiful building is an other legacy of the French occupation of Indochina. It was built in the early 1900s and renewed in the 1940s. Not many performances are given here now, but it's often used as a landmark for finding the Sheraton Hotel!

Built by the French, this building sat unused for a long time after the war. It's renovated and, I believe, actively hosts performances. Don't expect the Barber of Seville, though. Vietnamese really don't have Western-style operas.

Built at the beginning of 1897, under an original architectural design by French architect. With a rotating stage and a 800-seat hall, the Theatre meets the required standards for various artistic forms such as singing, music, dancing and traditional and modern dramas. It is a good place for artistic performances by domestic and foreign art ensembles and well-known artists, who visit Ho Chi Minh City.

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The Saigon Opera House, an opera house in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is an example of French Colonial architecture in Vietnam.

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There is a park in front of the Opera House where you could hang out and observe the Vietnamese as they go about during the night. I like it here especially at night because of the colorful lights.