Detroit Opera House
Encyclopedia
The Detroit Opera House is an opera house
located in Detroit, Michigan
. It is the venue for all Michigan Opera Theatre
productions and it hosts a variety of other events. It opened on January 22, 1922.
The building is located at 1526 Broadway Street and was originally designed by C. Howard Crane
, having created other prominent Detroit theaters such as The Fillmore Detroit
, Fox Theater
and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
's Orchestra Hall
, the latter noted for its acoustic perfection.
Over the years, opera has been presented at a variety of venues in Detroit - the Old Detroit Opera House (1869–1963) at Campus Martius
, 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.
The Nederlander Organization
, a major theatrical producer, began in Detroit with a 99-year lease on the Old Detroit Opera House in 1912.
The present Detroit Opera House opened in 1922 and was originally known as the Capitol Theatre. 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. In 1929, the Capitol Theater's name was changed to the Paramount Theater, and in 1934 was changed again, to the Broadway Capitol Theater.
During the first few decades of the building's history, it featured artists such as jazz
legends Louis Armstrong
and Duke Ellington
, although at one point the business at the Paramount Theatre had decreased so substantially that in desperation it was converted into a movie theatre, specializing in soft core porn.
Following a minor restoration in the 1960s, the building became the 3,367-seat Grand Circus Theatre. The building was closed in 1978, then reopened in 1981 only to close again in 1985.
In 1988, the Michigan Opera Theatre purchased the building and dubbed it the Detroit Opera House, after an extensive restoration and stage expansion. The reopening in 1996 was celebrated with a gala event featuring Luciano Pavarotti
and other noted artists. The Detroit Opera House is now configured with seating for an audience of 2,700. Since 1996, the opera house has annually hosted five opera
productions, five dance productions from touring companies, and a variety of other musical
and comedy events.
Starting in 2010, the Detroit Opera House has agreed to host a weekly Sunday church service for Triumph Church
, a Christian
megachurch
of Detroit.
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
located in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is the venue for all Michigan Opera Theatre
Michigan Opera Theatre
Michigan Opera Theatre is Michigan's principal opera company. The company is based in Detroit, where it performs in the Detroit Opera House. Each year it presents an opera and dance season. The company usually presents five operas in their original language with English supertitles and hosts five...
productions and it hosts a variety of other events. It opened on January 22, 1922.
The building is located at 1526 Broadway Street and was originally designed by C. Howard Crane
C. Howard Crane
Charles Howard Crane was an American architect.Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Crane established a practice in Detroit, Michigan early in the 20th Century. Like Thomas W. Lamb and John Eberson, Crane specialized in the design of movie palaces in North American...
, having created other prominent Detroit theaters such as The Fillmore Detroit
The Fillmore Detroit
The Fillmore Detroit is a mixed-use entertainment venue operated by Live Nation. The Detroit Music Awards are held annually at The Fillmore Detroit in April. Built in 1925, the Fillmore Detroit was known for most of its history as the State Theatre, and prior to that as the Palms Theatre...
, Fox Theater
Fox Theatre (Detroit)
The Fox Theatre is an ornate performing arts center located at 2211 Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit, Michigan, near Grand Circus Park. It was originally completed in 1928 as the first movie palace in the world to have sound systems for films. It was listed on the National Register of Historic...
and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Michigan. Its main performance center is Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood...
's Orchestra Hall
Orchestra Hall, Detroit
Orchestra Hall is a concert hall located at 3711 Woodward Avenue in midtown Detroit, Michigan. The hall is renowned for its superior acoustic properties and serves as the home of the internationally known Detroit Symphony Orchestra , the fourth oldest orchestra in the United States...
, the latter noted for its acoustic perfection.
History
Campus Martius Park
Campus Martius Park is a re-established park in downtown Detroit, Michigan. After the fire of 1805, Campus Martius was the focal point of judge Augustus Woodward's plans to rebuild the city. It is where the "point of origin" of Detroit's coordinate system is located...
, 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.
The Nederlander Organization
Nederlander Organization
The Nederlander Organization, founded in 1912 by David T. Nederlander and based in Detroit, Michigan, is one of the largest operators of legitimate theatres and music venuesin the United States. Its first acquisition was a lease on the Detroit Opera House in 1912. The building was demolished in...
, a major theatrical producer, began in Detroit with a 99-year lease on the Old Detroit Opera House in 1912.
The present Detroit Opera House opened in 1922 and was originally known as the Capitol Theatre. 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. In 1929, the Capitol Theater's name was changed to the Paramount Theater, and in 1934 was changed again, to the Broadway Capitol Theater.
During the first few decades of the building's history, it featured artists such as jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
legends Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
and Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, although at one point the business at the Paramount Theatre had decreased so substantially that in desperation it was converted into a movie theatre, specializing in soft core porn.
Following a minor restoration in the 1960s, the building became the 3,367-seat Grand Circus Theatre. The building was closed in 1978, then reopened in 1981 only to close again in 1985.
In 1988, the Michigan Opera Theatre purchased the building and dubbed it the Detroit Opera House, after an extensive restoration and stage expansion. The reopening in 1996 was celebrated with a gala event featuring Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
and other noted artists. The Detroit Opera House is now configured with seating for an audience of 2,700. Since 1996, the opera house has annually hosted five opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
productions, five dance productions from touring companies, and a variety of other musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
and comedy events.
Starting in 2010, the Detroit Opera House has agreed to host a weekly Sunday church service for Triumph Church
Triumph Church
Triumph Church is a Christian multi-site church located in Detroit, Michigan, USA. It was founded in the Fall of 1920 by Reverend Claude Cummings as the Triumph Missionary Baptist Church. Reverend Solomon W. Kinloch, Jr. is currently the Senior Pastor...
, a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
megachurch
Megachurch
A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...
of Detroit.