Teatro Aula

‘Hall for Expression’

Teatro KadaKen’s home base is Teatro Aula in Wishi. The space was built in 1930 inside the Huize Welgelegen building, known as Habaai. Back then, this enormous 19th-century structure was still a boarding school for wealthy girls from the region.

From 1864, the Sisters of Roosendaal ruled here. Just imagine all those privileged children spending decades in this ‘hall for expression’, dancing, singing, and perhaps even performing theater. But without an audience. Daughters of parents willing to pay extra took piano lessons or practiced playing string instruments.

All the girls received lessons in Castilian, French, English, Italian, and German, as well as calligraphy, declamation, literature, math, natural sciences, and biblical and church history. Because here at the boarding school, the sisters naturally also focused on the girls’ religious education and the cultivation of ‘virtues of the heart’.

Bathrooms with Fresh Water

In the early decades of the 20th century, ‘Colegio del Sagrado Corazón’, the Sacred Heart College, was held in high esteem. The building on the former Welgelegen plantation was in excellent condition, with spacious, well-ventilated and clean classrooms and dormitories, bathrooms with fresh water, and a patio. Outside, there was a tennis court. In 1930, the boarding school added a new wing with four classrooms, an auditorium, and a kitchen for the domestic science program, which was very modern for its time. Above the auditorium, a large dormitory was built, with beds separated by oak-paneled walls. In such a chambrette, you had just a little bit more privacy.

Since 1943, the former boarding school has served as a care home called ‘Huize Welgelegen’. For many years, the auditorium continued to host performances by schoolchildren and adults alike, including jazz musician Angel Salsbach and Edgar Palm, known for their Curaçaoan compositions, both now deceased. Today, Teatro Aula, located within the care home, has once again become a vibrant center for art, theater, and culture. Isn’t it amazing how young and old now come together under one roof?

Restoring the Glory

“We hope the building will officially be designated a protected monument this year, allowing access to heritage funds for restoration,” said expert Michael Newton in the Antilliaans Dagblad on November 26, 2021. This was at the official opening of Teatro Aula. It took a little longer, but in 2022, Huize Welgelegen did in fact receive the protected monument status.

Back in 2021, Newton also suggested restoring the auditorium to its ‘former glory’. First, a significant investment was needed in sound and lighting installations, which is essential for a proper theater venue. And that was only the beginning. It helps when people who feel connected to the development of performing arts chip in. These are our advocates, our allies. People like Etienne Pieters and Tania Kross.

Modern Theater in Old Glory

Together, took the first steps. In 2022 and 2023, we joined forces during the volunteer initiative Cura Doet, working alongside company employees, friends, and artists to refurbish the monumental hall. Teatro Aula is fully outfitted as a theater by 2025. It’s our baby, and we take great care of it.

At Teatro KadaKen, we believe in taking action. So we initiated a renovation plan aligned with monument preservation standards. The plan, developed in 2024 by Jurgenys Lichtenberg, a student at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Curaçao, was ready. We’re moving forward. We’re renovating. We’re preserving what’s beautiful and valuable, and adding what’s modern and essential for a professional theater experience. It’s happening. This is the center of the performing arts in Curaçao. And everyone should know: it’s all happening right here, at Teatro Aula!