Opera House for Auckland

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 977, 14 September 1881, Page 3

Opera House for Auckland

w» notice froia the Auckland Star that through the public spirited enter-- - prise of Mr. H. N. Abbott, the celebrated “consultor” of Auckland on the principal races of the colony, that town is about to possess an Opera will be at once an ornament to the place, and the resort for the lovers of music, pure and simple, very much required. The site selected for the building extends from the western end of the United Service Hotel to the corner of Elliott-street; it will be two stories in height, built of brick, cemented outside, and handsomely furnished within. It will have a frontage to Wellesley-street of 110 feet, and to Elliott-street of 70 feet. The various divisions of the house will have the same relative positions as those at the Theatre Royal now have, but the circle, unlike that at the Thespian temple, will be semi-circular to afford more spacious sitting room in the stalls, and to render it available as a ball room if deemed expedient. The dimensions of the stalls will be 40 by 66 feet, thus giving an area as large as that obtainable at the Choral Hall. It is calculated that the Opera House will easily seat on the ground floor 1500 people, or rather more than the Theatre can accommodate in the stalls and pit, but the circle will not be so large as that at the latter building. The stage will be 5 feet wider, and of about the same depth, viz., 42 by 66 feet. Especial attention is to be paid to the devisal of means of facile and rapid escape tn ease of panic or danger. Altogether the building and its equipment promise to be worthy the city and thoroughly suited for the particular purposes which it is designed to subserve. Mr. Abbott was desirous that it should be finished in time for a grand opening during the Christmas season, but as five months at least will be required for the work of construction, it is not likely to be ready before the end of February or the beginning of March next. t