The site was included in a proposed revitalization of downtown that, through the Lexington Center Corporation, would include the construction of Rupp Arena and the Civic Center. Over time, the building (and arguably the quality of the programming) deteriorated and, in 1968, that false ceiling collapsed.Ī fortuitous event, really, because it reminded urban renewal activists of the Opera House’s grandeur. Ultimately, the boxes were boarded up ( those on the orchestra level never would return) and a false ceiling was installed hiding the second balcony (in days of segregation, the remaining balcony was for blacks only).
GLEN CAMPBELL LEXINGTON OPERA HOUSE MOVIE
It operated as a vaudeville house and as a movie house. Over time, the tastes of arts patrons changed and the Opera House adapted. Exterior from Short Street Exterior from North Broadway Carved Putto over the main door into the theatre hearkens prosperity the orchestra and two balconies. What opened the following year was later described by the Lexington Leader as the “costliest, handsomest and most convenient Thespian temples in the South, an object of cherished pride in the city.” Designed with both safety and comfort in mind, the Opera House pumped cold water from a nearby ice factory to cool the temperature of the orchestra level and the two balconies. In 1886, a fire destroyed the old opera house – seated at the southeast corner of Main and Broadway – and the following month a corporation was formed to raise funds for the present Opera House. During its life, it has gone through a number of acts. Please join us on our next deTour – details on Facebook! You can also help us plan the September deTour by voting here! Our guides for the Opera House deTour were Opera House program director, Luanne Franklin, and technical director, Michael Lavin.Ĭelebrating its 125th anniversary this year, the Lexington Opera House has a colorful past and a bright future. The Bluegrass Trust for Historic Preservation hosts a monthly deTour to a local historic site that has been well-preserved and restored.
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