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Grand Opera House (Meridian, Mississippi)
Encyclopedia
The Riley Center, also known as the Grand Opera House and formally as the Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts is a performing arts and conference center in Meridian, Mississippi
. Added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1972 and renovated in September 2006, it is remarkable for being preserved to its original beauty while incorporating the latest in modern technology and amenities. The Grand Opera House and the adjacent Marks-Rothenberg Department store
were built in 1889 by two half brothers, Israel Marks and Levi Rothenberg. In addition to the extensive theater renovation, the department store was completely transformed into a state of the art conference facility. Together the theater and conference space make up the Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts, owned and operated by Mississippi State University
-Meridian Campus.http://www.msstate.edu/meridian/
operations by opening a new wholesale and retail mercantile store and an adjoining hotel. The site chosen covered almost a half a block — five lots facing 5th Street and three lots consuming the entire length of 22nd Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets. Construction began in 1889, under the direction of C.M. Rubush, a builder from Meridian. The exterior of the building was designed by Gustavus Maurice Torgerson, architect of Meridian's original City Hall. The original designs included a mansard roof
, establishing the architectural style as late Victorian
, Empire
/Romanesque
.
For an unknown reason, construction of the hotel was interrupted in process, and the decision to go with a Grand Opera House was made instead. Factors that may have influenced the decision may have been:
Seeking quality work, the Marks-Rothenberg partnership hired J.B. McElfatrick of New York and St. Louis to design the interior of the Grand Opera House. McElfatrick had designed over 200 theaters in the United States
, including the National Theater in Washington D.C. and the Metropolitan Opera
House of Philadelphia, among others.
The stage, at 30 feet wide by 50 feet deep, could accommodate the largest, most lavish shows from New York
. Under the 35-foot high arched proscenium
was an ornate painted border which featured the famous "Lady." The "Lady" eventually became the symbol of the Opera House, and today the Grand Opera House is often referred to affectionately as "The Lady."
's, "The Gypsy Baron
," performed by a German language company from New York. The same company performed Adolph Mueller's "The King's Fool" the next night.
Unlike the first two nights' presentations, most plays were simple melodrama
s that would have been very familiar to the city's residents. Sometimes, though, big names would perform; among them were Sarah Bernhardt
in "La Tosca
" and Henrik Ibsen
in "Ghosts
". The most popular form of entertainment at the opera house was that of the blackface
minstrels
, in which white performers with black paint on their faces impersonated African Americans in a humorous manner. Sometimes African American companies such as "Black Patti
" were given the stage as well.
The Opera House was remodeled again in May 1920, when it was converted in part to a movie theater
. The renovated theater opened on June 7, introducing the silver screen that can still be seen in the backstage area of the theater. This transition also divided the gallery into two areas, allowing a center opening for the film's projection
.
to Saenger Films of New Orleans under title of the Plaza Amusement Company at a cost of $1,000 a month for a period of 25 years. The lease was for thirty years, but in 1927, Saenger bought the larger Temple Theater
and wanted to gut the opera house into an office building. Because Levi Rothenberg, the previous owner (and builder) of the opera house had inserted a clause into the lease specifying that the building could only be used as a theater, the company abandoned the building and refused to pay rent. After Saenger reneged
on the lease, a long court battle ensued. The Rothenbergs eventually won the case, but the Great Depression
had begun by then, Saenger had declared bankruptcy
, Levi Rothenberg had died, and the Grand Opera House was closed.
After the closing of the Opera House, the department store continued to operate under various ownerships until 1990.
in the 1960s as a part of a modernization
trend, the building lost some of its historic character. In the 1980s, part of this siding was removed, and members of the community were reminded of how the building originally appeared, sparking attempts to restore the building. Over the next two decades, local efforts to "save the Grand Opera House" and restore the adjacent Marks-Rothenberg building garnered support.
own and operate the center. The Riley Foundation donated another $2.1 million in 2005 for construction and technology upgrades. Other donations by local, state, and federal agencies followed, including a $4 million donation by Lauderdale County, a $3.6 million donation by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
, and a $3 million donation from the United States Department of Commerce
. The project's final price tag weighed in at slightly under $25 million.
and West Alabama
through education and the arts
.
The Riley Center includes a theater which seats approximately 950 people, a 200-seat studio theater, and 30000 sq ft (2,787 m²) of meeting space, including a large exhibit hall, break out rooms, and board rooms, all equipped with teleconferencing capabilities and built-in technical features to create the optimal meeting environment.
stage is raised 41 in (104 cm) above audience floor and is finished with dark brown stain. The stage's proscenium
is 29 inch wide and 19 inch tall, with a depth 32 inch, and the apron
extends 7 inch into the crowd at center. The stage's left wing measures 8 inch, while the right measures 12 inch.
Its two sets of black velour
legs are 24 ft (7 m) x 12 ft (4 m). The stage includes one brick red teaser with gold trim measuring 34 ft (10 m) x 9 ft (3 m)
with fullness, three slimmer black velour teasers measuring 40 ft (12 m) x 6 ft (2 m) with fullness, and two 24 ft (7 m) x 40 ft (12 m) black velour travelers, operated stage left. A 24 ft (7 m) x 40 ft (12 m) blackout is also present, along with a black scrim and a white bounce of the same measurement.
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
. Added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1972 and renovated in September 2006, it is remarkable for being preserved to its original beauty while incorporating the latest in modern technology and amenities. The Grand Opera House and the adjacent Marks-Rothenberg Department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
were built in 1889 by two half brothers, Israel Marks and Levi Rothenberg. In addition to the extensive theater renovation, the department store was completely transformed into a state of the art conference facility. Together the theater and conference space make up the Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts, owned and operated by Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
-Meridian Campus.http://www.msstate.edu/meridian/
Construction
In the late 19th century, Israel Marks and his half-brothers, Levi, Sam, and Marx Rothenberg, expanded their retailRetail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
operations by opening a new wholesale and retail mercantile store and an adjoining hotel. The site chosen covered almost a half a block — five lots facing 5th Street and three lots consuming the entire length of 22nd Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets. Construction began in 1889, under the direction of C.M. Rubush, a builder from Meridian. The exterior of the building was designed by Gustavus Maurice Torgerson, architect of Meridian's original City Hall. The original designs included a mansard roof
Mansard roof
A mansard or mansard roof is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper that is punctured by dormer windows. The roof creates an additional floor of habitable space, such as a garret...
, establishing the architectural style as late Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
, Empire
Empire (style)
The Empire style, , sometimes considered the second phase of Neoclassicism, is an early-19th-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts followed in Europe and America until around 1830, although in the U. S. it continued in popularity in...
/Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
.
For an unknown reason, construction of the hotel was interrupted in process, and the decision to go with a Grand Opera House was made instead. Factors that may have influenced the decision may have been:
- The top price for a ticket to a first-run production by a traveling company with a star, set at $1.50 (about the same price as a room in a decent hotel)
- The profit margin would be much larger for an opera house than a hotel
- Torgerson was familiar with the highly successful Grand Opera House of New Orleans, completed only a few years earlier.
- Mr. Marks spent most of the year in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He would have been aware of the more successful shows, and, most probably, the booking and production houses of Klaw and Erlanger, the founders of the Syndicate—the most powerful commercial force in the American theater at the turn of the century.
Seeking quality work, the Marks-Rothenberg partnership hired J.B. McElfatrick of New York and St. Louis to design the interior of the Grand Opera House. McElfatrick had designed over 200 theaters in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, including the National Theater in Washington D.C. and the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
House of Philadelphia, among others.
The stage, at 30 feet wide by 50 feet deep, could accommodate the largest, most lavish shows from New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Under the 35-foot high arched proscenium
Proscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
was an ornate painted border which featured the famous "Lady." The "Lady" eventually became the symbol of the Opera House, and today the Grand Opera House is often referred to affectionately as "The Lady."
Performances
The Opera House was completed in late 1890, in time for the December 17 opening of Johann StraussJohann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
's, "The Gypsy Baron
The Gypsy Baron
The Gypsy Baron is an operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss II which premiered at the Theater an der Wien on 24 October 1885. Its libretto was by the author Ignaz Schnitzer and in turn was based on Sáffi by Mór Jókai. During the composer's lifetime, the operetta enjoyed great success, second...
," performed by a German language company from New York. The same company performed Adolph Mueller's "The King's Fool" the next night.
Unlike the first two nights' presentations, most plays were simple melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
s that would have been very familiar to the city's residents. Sometimes, though, big names would perform; among them were Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt was a French stage and early film actress, and has been referred to as "the most famous actress the world has ever known". Bernhardt made her fame on the stages of France in the 1870s, and was soon in demand in Europe and the Americas...
in "La Tosca
La Tosca
La Tosca is a five-act drama by the 19th-century French playwright Victorien Sardou. It was first performed on 24 November 1887 at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin in Paris, with Sarah Bernhardt in the title role...
" and Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
in "Ghosts
Ghosts (play)
Ghosts is a play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It was written in 1881 and first staged in 1882.Like many of Ibsen's better-known plays, Ghosts is a scathing commentary on 19th century morality....
". The most popular form of entertainment at the opera house was that of the blackface
Blackface
Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky...
minstrels
Minstrel show
The minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the Civil War, black people in blackface....
, in which white performers with black paint on their faces impersonated African Americans in a humorous manner. Sometimes African American companies such as "Black Patti
Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones
Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones, known as Sissieretta Jones, was an African-American soprano. She sometimes was called "The Black Patti" in reference to Italian opera singer Adelina Patti...
" were given the stage as well.
Alterations and Renovations
The Opera House was remodeled in 1902, reopening on September 17. The change involved moving the original entrance left to the site of the former gallery entry. Three marble steps led up to the entrance, which had a metal extension gate that could be closed when the theater was dark. Electricity capabilities were also added to the opera house in 1902.The Opera House was remodeled again in May 1920, when it was converted in part to a movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
. The renovated theater opened on June 7, introducing the silver screen that can still be seen in the backstage area of the theater. This transition also divided the gallery into two areas, allowing a center opening for the film's projection
Movie projector
A movie projector is an opto-mechanical device for displaying moving pictures by projecting them on a projection screen. Most of the optical and mechanical elements, except for the illumination and sound devices, are present in movie cameras.-Physiology:...
.
Fall of the Opera House
The demise of the Opera House began in 1923, when it was leasedLeasing
Leasing is a process by which a firm can obtain the use of a certain fixed assets for which it must pay a series of contractual, periodic, tax deductible payments....
to Saenger Films of New Orleans under title of the Plaza Amusement Company at a cost of $1,000 a month for a period of 25 years. The lease was for thirty years, but in 1927, Saenger bought the larger Temple Theater
Temple Theater (Meridian, Mississippi)
The Hamasa Shrine Temple Theater, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, is a historic theater located at 2320 8th Street in Meridian, Mississippi. The Temple Theater was constructed in the Moorish Revival style and began screening silent films in 1928. The theater features a...
and wanted to gut the opera house into an office building. Because Levi Rothenberg, the previous owner (and builder) of the opera house had inserted a clause into the lease specifying that the building could only be used as a theater, the company abandoned the building and refused to pay rent. After Saenger reneged
Revoke
To annul by withdrawing.In trick-taking card games, a revoke is a violation of important rules regarding the play of tricks serious enough to render the round invalid...
on the lease, a long court battle ensued. The Rothenbergs eventually won the case, but the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
had begun by then, Saenger had declared bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, Levi Rothenberg had died, and the Grand Opera House was closed.
After the closing of the Opera House, the department store continued to operate under various ownerships until 1990.
Restoration Efforts
Cause for Restoration
After being covered with metal sidingSiding
Siding is the outer covering or cladding of a house meant to shed water and protect from the effects of weather. On a building that uses siding, it may act as a key element in the aesthetic beauty of the structure and directly influence its property value....
in the 1960s as a part of a modernization
Modernization
In the social sciences, modernization or modernisation refers to a model of an evolutionary transition from a 'pre-modern' or 'traditional' to a 'modern' society. The teleology of modernization is described in social evolutionism theories, existing as a template that has been generally followed by...
trend, the building lost some of its historic character. In the 1980s, part of this siding was removed, and members of the community were reminded of how the building originally appeared, sparking attempts to restore the building. Over the next two decades, local efforts to "save the Grand Opera House" and restore the adjacent Marks-Rothenberg building garnered support.
Funding
The first major donation to initiate fund raising came from The Riley Foundation in the form of a $10 million grant in 2000 with a stipulation that Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
own and operate the center. The Riley Foundation donated another $2.1 million in 2005 for construction and technology upgrades. Other donations by local, state, and federal agencies followed, including a $4 million donation by Lauderdale County, a $3.6 million donation by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government...
, and a $3 million donation from the United States Department of Commerce
United States Department of Commerce
The United States Department of Commerce is the Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with promoting economic growth. It was originally created as the United States Department of Commerce and Labor on February 14, 1903...
. The project's final price tag weighed in at slightly under $25 million.
Riley Center Today
Now fully restored, The MSU Riley Center is designed to entertain and enrich, further lifelong learning, and improve the quality of life for people of MississippiMississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and West Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
through education and the arts
The arts
The arts are a vast subdivision of culture, composed of many creative endeavors and disciplines. It is a broader term than "art", which as a description of a field usually means only the visual arts. The arts encompass visual arts, literary arts and the performing arts – music, theatre, dance and...
.
Specifications
The mapleMaple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
stage is raised 41 in (104 cm) above audience floor and is finished with dark brown stain. The stage's proscenium
Proscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
is 29 inch wide and 19 inch tall, with a depth 32 inch, and the apron
Apron stage
The apron is any part of the stage that extends past the proscenium arch and into the audience or seating area. The Elizabethan stage, which was a raised platform with the audience on three sides, is the outstanding example....
extends 7 inch into the crowd at center. The stage's left wing measures 8 inch, while the right measures 12 inch.
Its two sets of black velour
Velour
Velour or velours is a plush, knitted fabric or textile. It is usually made from cotton but can also be made from synthetic materials such as polyester. Velour is used in a wide variety of applications, including clothing and upholstery....
legs are 24 ft (7 m) x 12 ft (4 m). The stage includes one brick red teaser with gold trim measuring 34 ft (10 m) x 9 ft (3 m)
with fullness, three slimmer black velour teasers measuring 40 ft (12 m) x 6 ft (2 m) with fullness, and two 24 ft (7 m) x 40 ft (12 m) black velour travelers, operated stage left. A 24 ft (7 m) x 40 ft (12 m) blackout is also present, along with a black scrim and a white bounce of the same measurement.