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The Mann Auditorium and HaBima Theater
Tel Aviv’s reputation as a city of culture is certainly reaffirmed by the existence of two great centers of theater and music, The Mann Auditorium and Habima National Theater.
The Mann Auditorium
The Mann Auditorium is Israel’s foremost concert hall, and home of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. In Israel, the Mann Auditorium is most often referred to by its Hebrew name, “Heichal Hatarbut,” meaning the “Hall of Culture.” Although this term has also been appropriated by concert halls and auditoriums around Israel, the Mann Auditorium stands out from the rest thanks to its superb acoustics, large capacity, and, last but not least, its artistic program. All these create a superb setting for a musical interlude while on an Israel tour.
A legacy of greatness at the Mann Auditorium
Since the Mann Auditorium was inaugurated in 1957, it has hosted the world’s finest musicians, including Yehudi Menuhin, Izhak Perlman, Arthur Rubinstein, Isaac Stern and Daniel Barenboim. Some of the leading orchestras to have graced the stage of the Mann Auditorium include the London Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra.
Booking tickets for the Mann Auditorium and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The musical range at the Mann Auditorium includes operas, concerts, as well as musicals and other performances. It is advised to book tickets in advance. Tickets can be purchased at Mann Auditorium’s main ticket office, at 1 Huberman Street, located at the northern end of Rothschild Boulevard. To learn about the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s program and to book tickets, visit www.ipo.co.il or call 03-6211-777.
Habima National Theater
Habima National Theater is Israel’s foremost theater company. It is also one of the world’s oldest Hebrew language theater companies. Any sightseeing Israel tour of Tel Aviv in likely to include Rothschild Boulevard, and Habima Theatre is a distinct landmark at its northern end, next to the Mann Auditorium.
A brief history of Habima National Theater
The Habima Theater was originally founded in 1913, in Vilnius, Lithuania. In its formative years the theater came under the patronage of the renowned Russian acting teacher Stanislavsky. The first plays were strongly influenced by Stanislavsky’s unique methodology, which encouraged actors to completely immerse themselves in their role. Habima came into the public’s consciousness in 1923 with the staging of “Hadibuk” (“possession of the soul”). The play featured Hana Rovina, “the first lady of Jewish Theater,” in the role of Leah'le, a young bride who is possessed by a demon.
In 1926 Habima came to Israel, and was managed as a collective, where the actors chose the plays and shared the proceeds. From the mid 1930s, greater emphasis was given to original plays in the Hebrew language, as opposed to translated classics. The theater house at the end of Rothschild Boulevard was officially opened in 1946.
Habima National Theater performances and tickets
Habima National Theater performances are staged at several theater houses around the center of Tel Aviv, and not just at its main theater house and the end of Rothschild Boulevard. Tickets can be booked by calling 03-629-5555.
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