Manila Grand Opera House
Encyclopedia
The Manila Grand Opera House (Filipino
: Maringal na Bahay-Opera ng Maynila, abbreviated MGOH) was a theater and opera house
located in the Santa Cruz
district of Manila
on the intersection of Rizal Avenue
and Doroteo Jose Street. Built in the mid-19th century as the H.T. Hashim’s National Cycle Track, a circular wooden structure with a nipa
roof, the complex served as the center of Philippine culture and the primary theater for the viewing of plays, movies and zarzuela
s in Manila prior to the construction of the Cultural Center of the Philippines
in the 1960s. The complex had undergone several incarnations and name changes before being demolished. A hotel has since been constructed on the site on where the theater once stood.
roof. In 1890, the name was changed to the Teatro Nacional (National Theater), where the Russian Circus and some American theater companies performed. The name was subsequently changed to the Manila Grand Opera House after an extensive expansion of the original theater and its conversion to an opera house in time for the visit of an Italian opera company in 1902, after the American takeover of the Philippines, and was used as the location of the inauguration of the members of the First Philippine Assembly
on October 16, 1907.
The theater served as the home for theater productions, operas and zarzuelas in the Manila area until the onset of World War II
. Toribio Teodoro, then referred to as the "shoe king of the Philippines", acquired the property in 1942 and used the MGOH as his residence during the Japanese occupation and the Second Philippine Republic
, at which his house and shoe factory were seized by Japanese forces. Floods and a fire damaged the theater in 1943 and 1944, respectively, with reconstruction efforts commencing after the war.
By the 1950s, the theater, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for both theatrical and cinematic productions, was dubbed its famous title "The Theater with a History". It provided daily entertainment for Manila residents, charging 85 centavos
for admission to one theatrical production and one movie. In addition to plays and movie showings, operas, concerts and bodabil
(vaudeville) performances were occasionally staged in the complex. Ownership of the complex shifted from the heirs of Teodoro to former Philippine Ambassador to Laos Antonio Cabangon Chua in the 1960s, by which then the MGOH had become a cinema. Part of Cabangon Chua's plan for the complex include the construction of a hotel at the complex.
As economic activity shifted from the Avenida area to Makati City
in the 1970s, the MGOH was converted into what was then dubbed the largest nightclub
in Manila: Chicks O'Clock, catering to the working class near the Avenida area. The continued slump in Avenida eventually forced the closure of the club and the demolition of the theater.
, connecting to Doroteo Jose LRT Station
, which is also rumored to be constructed on the MGOH grounds.
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
: Maringal na Bahay-Opera ng Maynila, abbreviated MGOH) was a theater and opera house
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 the Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, Manila
Santa Cruz is located on the right bank of the Pasig River, on the northern portion of the City of Manila, near the mouth of the river, in between the districts of Tondo and Quiapo...
district of Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
on the intersection of Rizal Avenue
Rizal Avenue
Rizal Avenue also known as "Avenida" or "Avenida Rizal" is one of Manila's main thoroughfares. Named after the national hero José Rizal, it is a part of Radial Road 9 . The Light Rail Transit's Yellow Line elevated railroad is built above the street in its entire length, and several jeepneys ply...
and Doroteo Jose Street. Built in the mid-19th century as the H.T. Hashim’s National Cycle Track, a circular wooden structure with a nipa
Nypa fruticans
Nypa fruticans, known as the attap palm , nipa palm , and mangrove palm or buah atap , buah nipah , dừa nước , Ging Pol in Sinhala in Sri Lanka and gol pata , dani . It is the only palm considered a mangrove in the Mangroves Biome...
roof, the complex served as the center of Philippine culture and the primary theater for the viewing of plays, movies and zarzuela
Zarzuela
Zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance...
s in Manila prior to the construction of the Cultural Center of the Philippines
Cultural Center of the Philippines
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines. The CCP was established through Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by President Ferdinand Marcos...
in the 1960s. The complex had undergone several incarnations and name changes before being demolished. A hotel has since been constructed on the site on where the theater once stood.
History
The Manila Grand Opera House was built in the mid-19th century as the H.T. Hashim’s National Cycle Track, a circular wooden structure with a nipaNypa fruticans
Nypa fruticans, known as the attap palm , nipa palm , and mangrove palm or buah atap , buah nipah , dừa nước , Ging Pol in Sinhala in Sri Lanka and gol pata , dani . It is the only palm considered a mangrove in the Mangroves Biome...
roof. In 1890, the name was changed to the Teatro Nacional (National Theater), where the Russian Circus and some American theater companies performed. The name was subsequently changed to the Manila Grand Opera House after an extensive expansion of the original theater and its conversion to an opera house in time for the visit of an Italian opera company in 1902, after the American takeover of the Philippines, and was used as the location of the inauguration of the members of the First Philippine Assembly
Philippine Assembly
The Philippine Assembly was the lower house of the legislative body of the Philippines during the early part of American colonial period. It was created by the Philippine Organic Act, passed in 1902, which also established the Philippine Commission as the upper house of the Philippine Legislature,...
on October 16, 1907.
The theater served as the home for theater productions, operas and zarzuelas in the Manila area until the onset of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Toribio Teodoro, then referred to as the "shoe king of the Philippines", acquired the property in 1942 and used the MGOH as his residence during the Japanese occupation and the Second Philippine Republic
Second Philippine Republic
The Second Philippine Republic, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , was a state in the Philippines established on October 14, 1943 under Japanese occupation....
, at which his house and shoe factory were seized by Japanese forces. Floods and a fire damaged the theater in 1943 and 1944, respectively, with reconstruction efforts commencing after the war.
By the 1950s, the theater, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for both theatrical and cinematic productions, was dubbed its famous title "The Theater with a History". It provided daily entertainment for Manila residents, charging 85 centavos
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
for admission to one theatrical production and one movie. In addition to plays and movie showings, operas, concerts and bodabil
Bodabil
Bodabil was a popular genre of entertainment in the Philippines from the 1910s until the mid-1960s. For decades, it competed with film, radio and television as the dominant form of Filipino mass entertainment. It peaked in popularity during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines from 1941 to 1945...
(vaudeville) performances were occasionally staged in the complex. Ownership of the complex shifted from the heirs of Teodoro to former Philippine Ambassador to Laos Antonio Cabangon Chua in the 1960s, by which then the MGOH had become a cinema. Part of Cabangon Chua's plan for the complex include the construction of a hotel at the complex.
As economic activity shifted from the Avenida area to Makati City
Makati City
The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia...
in the 1970s, the MGOH was converted into what was then dubbed the largest nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in Manila: Chicks O'Clock, catering to the working class near the Avenida area. The continued slump in Avenida eventually forced the closure of the club and the demolition of the theater.
Manila Grand Opera Hotel
Partially fulfilling Cabangon Chua's vision for the site and as a contribution to the revival of the Avenida area, the Manila Grand Opera Hotel was constructed on the site of the former MGOH. The eight-storey hotel opened in August 2008, with its second building opening sometime in 2009. It will be the only hotel with a direct connection to the Manila Light Rail Transit SystemManila Light Rail Transit System
The Manila Light Rail Transit System, popularly known as the LRT, is a metropolitan rail system serving the Metro Manila area in the Philippines. Although referred to as a light rail system because it originally used light rail vehicles, it has many characteristics of a rapid transit system, such...
, connecting to Doroteo Jose LRT Station
Doroteo Jose LRT Station
Doroteo Jose LRT Station is a station on the Manila LRT Yellow Line . Like all other LRT-1 stations, Doroteo Jose station station is above-ground. The station is located in Santa Cruz in Manila, on Rizal Avenue and slightly past Doroteo Jose Street...
, which is also rumored to be constructed on the MGOH grounds.