A NEW OPERA HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1190, 27 July 1911, Page 2

A NEW OPERA HOUSE.

IN MANNERS STEEET. Manners Street East and Courtenay Pince is destined to ho the great threatro quarter in Wellington, just as Pitt Street is to Sydney and Bourke Street to Melbourne. The now His Majesty's Theatre is to 1m located half-wav a!oiig Manners Street, within sight of the lights of the King s Theatre, and now tho Opera House Company have taken steps to secure a site further eastward along Manners Street, within three minutes' walk of both tho. other theatres named.

I'or some timo past the directors of the Opera House Company have been aware that their existing theatre in Manners Street does not quite fulfil tho requirements of tho bigger attractions which visit Wellington, both in front and behind the .curtain, and Jor such productions they aro on tho' eve of completing arrangements to supply a home which will vie with anything of the sort in Australasia. The section over which tho company has an option to purchase is that vacant block in Manners Street East, next to Mr. Pinckney's furniture warehouse, and opposite tho Royal Oak motor garago and Hall's Turkish Baths, tho property at present, and for s«mo years past, of Mr. Thos. G. Macarthy, of this city, and formerly the site of the residence of the late Mr. John Kebbell, and later of Dr. Pollen. This fino block of land takes in the old flour mill at the back, and extends almost to Victoria Street. The frontage to Manners Street is 116 feet by a depth of 240 ft., which gives a magnificent scope for the crectiou of a very fino theatre, which will be practically surrounded by broad right-of-ways. The price of tho section will bo ,£23,000, and the building is expected to cost between .£22,000 nnd .£25,000. To meet this expenditure the sauction of shareholders will bo asked • to increase the capital from _£20,01>0 (the existing capital) to .£70,000. The iiew building will be nioro commodious than the existing Opera House on both sides of the curtain. It Mill seat about 2000 people, and the fullest provision will be made "behind" for the accommodation of the biggest productions which are likely to visit New Zealand for a long time to come. Ample provision will be made for exits, and ventilation, and every comfort will bo provided for patrons.

As to the general design of the new theatre, so far nothing has been settled, but later on the directors are to Seek tho advice of the Hon. Win. Pitt, of Melbourne, who came across from Australia recently chiefly in connection with the plans for a new municipal theatre for Napier. So far the directors of the Opera lloiiso Company have not semi or consulted with the visitor.

Tho erection of tho new theatre will not affect (he existence of the Opera House. Mr. W. C. Gascoigno, chairman of directors, informed a Dominion reporter yesterday that, in his opinion, there was plenty of room for two theatres (apart from tho permanent picturo and vaudeville theatres) in Wellington. Though tho Opera House was not perhaps all that could be.desired for big spectacular productions, which required plenty of stage room, it was still a very good house, and more suitable than a larger theatre for many companies—comedy, concert, and musical shows. It would remain practically as it is at present, and from the number of bookings which havo had to be refused each year, taken together with tho growth of Wellington, it was not anticipated that the. Opera. Houso would have so many vacant, dates.

The present appears to be a thwitrebuilding era. The Kine's Theatre is a little- over a year old. His Majesty's, as it is known at present, is to lie'demolished in ft week or two. in favour of a palatial theatre for Messrs. John Fuller and Sons, and the same firm intend rebuildine the old Theatre Royal next year. In addition to these, a new picture theatre-is at present in course of construction at Newtown. Elsewhere the same activity is noticeable. Blenheim is to have a new theatre. Timani is building ono at present. Napier is to have a fine municipal theatre, and there are. some rumours of still another theatre in plea-sure-loving Auckland.