With its history of star-studded performances, closures, renovations and restorations, the Grand Opera House has quite a dramatic tale to tell. Curtain up!
Opened in 1895, the New Grand Opera House and Cirque, as it was then known, was the work of English architect Frank Matchem, who specialised in designs for theatres and music hall. In 1904 the building was renamed the Palace of Varieties, finally becoming the Grand Opera House in 1909.
Reflecting Belfast’s vibrant Victorian prosperity, the theatre had a lavish interior, rich in gold leaf and with an intricately painted ceiling. The original opening gala performance was a pantomime called Bluebeard, and indeed the pantomime tradition has continued ever since.
At the celebrations to mark the end of World War II, key figures from the victorious Allied forces, US Supreme Commander General Eisenhower and the British Field Marshals, Montgomery and Alanbrooke, attended gala performances. Many illustrious names have also trod the boards over the years, including Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy and Luciano Pavarotti.
In the 1970s the building was purchased by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, to save it from demolition and over the next decade it was extensively restored, reopening in 1980.
In 1995 the Grand Opera House Trust took over the running of the theatre. The Trust closed the theatre in 2006 for another significant renovation, during which time a new wing was built between the old building and the site that houses the Fitzwilliam Hotel. New bar areas and the Baby Grand studio theatre space were also added at this time. In 2021 the auditorium and foyer spaces were restored to their former glory, and a permanent heritage exhibition telling the theatre’s long history was installed.
Leis an stair de léirithe ó dhaoine mór le rá, druidim agus athchóiriú, tá scéal iontach le hinsint ag an Grand Opera House. Cuir suas na cuirtíní!
Osclaíodh an New Grand Opera House and Cirque sa bhliain 1895, mar a tugadh air ag an am. Toradh oibre ón ailtire Shasanach Frank Matchem, a raibh speisialtóireacht aige i ndearadh na n-amharclanna agus na hallaí ceoil. Sa bhliain 1904, athainmníodh an foirgneamh Palace of Varieties, agus tugadh an Grand Opera House.
Ag léiriú rath bríomhar Victeoiriach Bhéal Feirste, bhí taobh istigh den amharclann saibhir, le go leor duilleog ór agus síleáil a bhí péinteáilte go mion. Geamaireacht darb ainm Blueveard ba ea an chéad léiriú don ócáid oscailte, agus dar ndóigh, lean traidisiún na geamaireachta ann ó shin.
Le linn an cheiliúrtha ag deireadh an Dara Chogadh Domhanda, tháinig daoine tábhachtacha ó fhórsaí na gComhghuaillithe chuig léirithe ann - mar shampla, Ceannasaí Uachtarach SA, Ginearál Eisenhower agus Marascail Mhachaire na Breataine, Montgomery agus Alanbrooke. Is iomaí daoine mór le rá a rinne léirithe ann thar na blianta fosta, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel agus Hardy, agus Luciano Pavarotti san áireamh.
Cheannaigh Comhairle Ealaíon Thuaisceart Éireann an foirgneamh sna 1970í lena chosaint ó scartáil agus sna deich mbliana ina dhiaidh sin, rinneadh athchóiriú mór air - osclaíodh arís é sa bhliain 1980.
Sa bhliain 1995, tháinig an Grand Opera House Trust i gceannas ar reáchtáil na hamharclainne. Dhruid an t-iontaobhas an amharclann sa bhliain 2006 fá choinne athchóiriú suntasach eile, tógadh sciathán nua idir an seanfhoirgneamh agus an suíomh ar a bhfuil Óstán Fitzwilliam. Cuireadh beáranna nua agus an stiúideo Baby Grand leis an fhoirgneamh ag an am seo fosta. Rinneadh an halla éisteachta agus na forhallaí a athchóiriú lena dtabhairt ar ais ina sea sa bhliain 2021, agus cuireadh isteach taispeántas oidhreachta buan a insíonn stair fhada na hamharclainne.