Renovations almost finished at the Tbilisi Opera House

Every time I’m in Tbilisi I check the status of the renovations of the Zakaria Paliashvili Tbilisi State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Georgia (known as the Tbilisi Opera House). The Opera House website has been uncommunicative for ages on the status of the renovations, but current news around the city is that the renovations will be completed in September 2015.

Opera was introduced in Georgia from 1845 and the Opera House was constructed from 1847-1851. Designed by Italian architect Giovanni Scudieri in the Moorish style, it was originally called the Tiflis Imperial Theatre. Scudieri (1817-1851) died soon after construction. After a fire in 1874, completely destroying the building, it was renovated and re-opened in 1896. In 1937 it was renamed to honour the Georgian composer Zakaria Paliashvili. New renovations commenced in 2010/2011.