Detroit Opera House

The Opera House was designed by C. Howard Crane, the same man who designed other Detroit theatres such as The Fillmore Detroit, Fox Theater and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Orchestra Hall noted for its acoustic perfection.

History

The historic venues for Michigan Opera Theatre have been the Old Detroit Opera House (1869–1963) at Kennedy Square, the Whitney Grand Opera House (Garrick Theatre) at Griswold and Michigan avenues, and the New Detroit Opera House (1886–1928) at Randolph and Monroe streets.

Restored in 1996, the present Detroit Opera House (1922) at 1526 Broadway Street was originally known as the Capitol Theatre (1922). It was among the first of several performance venues built around Detroit's Grand Circus Park. When it opened, the theater was the fifth-largest in the world seating up to 4,250 people. The Capitol Theater's name changed to the Paramount Theater in 1929, and again changed in 1934 to the Broadway Capitol Theater.

Artists who had performed in the building's first few decades included jazz legends Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Following a minor restoration in the 1960s, it became the 3,367 seat Grand Circus Theatre. After closing in 1978, reopening in 1981 and closing again in 1985, the Michigan Opera Theater revived the historic Grand Circus Theatre name in 1988; however, the name changed again to its present name as the Detroit Opera House. At one pointe the business for the paramount theatre has decreased to such desparate measures, it was converted into a movie theatre, specializing in soft core porn. The name Grand Circus Theatre may cause confusion, since another Grand Circus Theatre (1913–1924), originally known as the Central Theatre, once stood at 2115 Woodward Avenue. Then, what is now The Fillmore Detroit Theatre (1925) arose on the same site at 2115 Woodward.

After its extensive restoration, the present Detroit Opera House (1922) celebrated its 1996 gala featuring Luciano Pavarotti. The Detroit Opera House is now configured with seating for 2,700. Recently, the opera house has annually hosted five opera productions, five dance productions from touring companies, and a small number of other musical and comedy events.

See also

• Nederlander Theater

Notes

References and further reading

• Hauser, Michael and Marianne Weldon (2006). Downtown Detroit's Movie Palaces (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-4102-8.
• Hill, Eric J. and John Gallagher (2002). AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3120-3.
• Meyer, Katherine Mattingly and Martin C.P. McElroy with Introduction by W. Hawkins Ferry, Hon A.I.A. (1980). Detroit Architecture A.I.A. Guide Revised Edition. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1651-4.
• Sharoff, Robert (2005). American City: Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3270-6.
• Sobocinski, Melanie Grunow (2005). Detroit and Rome: building on the past. Regents of the University of Michigan. ISBN 0933691092.

External links

• Detroit Opera House official site
• Nederlander Detroit
• The Voice of Michigan Opera Theater on WRCJ Detroit