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| The main hall of the newly-restored Manila Metropolitan Theater (Image Source: GMA Network/Pamana) |
The Manila Metropolitan Theater, the stunning Art Deco structure and cultural center of the nation's capitol prior to World War II and known as the "Grand Dame Of Manila", is set to reopen its doors on April 2021 and its maiden event since its closure back in 1996 is none other than the quintessential evening show on April 27, 2021 in commemoration of the Battle of Mactan's 500th year anniversary.
Designed by Juan M. Arellano, the monumental structure was inaugurated in 1931 but it was partially destroyed in 1945 during the Battle Of Manila and has undergone a number of restoration projects trying to restore its former glory. Its most recent restoration started in 2015 under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). However, catching an event inside the theater simply known as Met is impossible due to the continuing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and across the globe. Fortunately for those who want to take a glimpse of the old historic theater, there is one way they can experience it even from within the safe comforts of their own home.
Pamana, an online platform that aims to preserve Philippine heritage and promote cultural system, sports a full 360-degree view of inside the Metropolitan Theater which is made possible through the use of 360° immersive technology that can document heritage structures within the Philippines including churches, lighthouses, museums, WWII sites, shrines, ancestral homes, forts and other historical locations among others. The site currently features panoramic photography captured in December 2020 of the theater's main entrance lobby with its omate grill doors as well as its sparkling new main theater area.
"The inauguration of the new Met is the culmination of a long arduous journey. This has been made possible by the determined effort of a long line of individuals who share a common dream of bringing back to life one of our nation's cultural treasures," said NCCA chairman Arsenio "Nick" Lizaso in an interview with The Philippine Star. Experience and immerse in the 360-degree view of the Manila Metropolitan Theater here.
