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Small-town Opera House
Small-town opera houses exist in rural communities throughout the United States. Unlike metropolitan opera houses in the United States and other areas of the world, small-town opera houses in the U.S. were constructed to operate as theatrical, versus operatic, performance venues. The name "opera house" was generally applied to the buildings to differentiate them from less reputable facilities. History From the 1850s to 1920s, opera houses were constructed in a vast number of small communities in the United States, usually with the backing of a local commercial patron and with the intent – according to historian Ann Satterthwaite – of signaling "to the world that the town was civilized". In Colorado alone, 132 opera houses were built from 1860 to 1920. The importance of opera houses as cultural and entertainment venues in small communities in the United States ended with the growing ubiquity of cinema in the 1920s. "Opera House" versus "Theater" Opera houses in small towns in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Opera House
An opera house is a theater building used for performances of opera. Like many theaters, it usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, backstage facilities for costumes and building sets, as well as offices for the institution's administration. While some venues are constructed specifically for operas, other opera houses are part of larger performing arts centers. Indeed, the term ''opera house'' is often used as a term of prestige for any large performing arts center. History Greco-Roman antiquity Based on Aristoxenus's musical system, and paying homage to the architects of ancient Greek theater, Vitruvius described, in the 1st century BC, in his treatise ''De architectura'', the ideal acoustics of theaters. He explained the use of brazen vases that Mummius had brought to Rome after having had the theater of Corinth demolished, and as they were probably used in the Theater of Pompey. As wooden theaters were naturally sonorous, these vases, placed betwe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
