The New Astor Hotel Ballroom

Published in The China Press in December 1923, this interview captures Abelardo Lafuente prior to the unveiling of the Astor Ballroom, which stood as the city's foremost entertainment venue before Lafuente later designed the legendary Majestic Hotel Ballroom. The Astor Ballroom captivated the public through its novel combination of elements: an embellished glass ceiling produced in China, a unique wooden floor tailored for dynamic dance movement, and marble colonnades executed by Italian sculptor B. Bertucci, whose mark is inscribed on one of the columns.