Cine Ópera

Welcome to the bustling streets of the San Rafael neighborhood in Mexico City. Before you stands the awe-inspiring, yet tragic, facade of the Cine Opera. …

If one were to bypass the heavy padlocks and step through the original, ornate wooden doors, the transition from the noisy streets of Mexico City to the silent, cavernous lobby is jarring. The first impression is one of shattered…

Moving from the lobby into the main auditorium, the true scale of the Cine Opera reveals itself. Standing at the back of the highest balcony, the sheer volume of the space is dizzying. …

The trajectory of the Cine Opera was irrevocably altered on the morning of September nineteenth, nineteen eighty-five. A catastrophic magnitude eight point zero earthquake struck the Pacific coast, sending seismic waves that…

High above the main auditorium, accessible only by a series of narrow, treacherous concrete stairwells, lies the heart of the original cinema: the projection room. This space is a fascinating graveyard of mid-century technology. …

The final chapter in the active life of the Cine Opera occurred on October twelfth, nineteen ninety-eight. The legendary English gothic rock band, Bauhaus, was scheduled to perform. …