Detroit Opera House facts for kids
The Detroit Opera House looks out over Grand Circus Park.
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| Former names | Grand Circus Theater (1960s–1985) Broadway Capitol Theater (1934–1960s) Paramount Theater (1929–1934) Capitol Theater (1922–1929) |
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| Location | 1526 Broadway Street Detroit, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 42°20′11″N 83°2′55″W / 42.33639°N 83.04861°W |
| Type | Opera |
| Capacity | 2,700 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | January 22, 1922 |
| Renovated | 1996 |
| Website | |
| Detroit Opera official site: https://detroitopera.org/ | |
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Detroit Opera House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Part of | Grand Circus Park Historic District (ID83000894) |
| Designated CP | February 28, 1983 |
The Detroit Opera House is a beautifully decorated opera house in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is located in the Grand Circus Park Historic District. The theater can hold 2,700 people and is the official home of the Detroit Opera. It also hosts many other shows and events.
The building was designed by the famous architect C. Howard Crane. He also designed other important theaters in Detroit, like The Fillmore Detroit and the Fox Theater. The Detroit Opera House first opened its doors on January 22, 1922.
In the 1990s, the building was carefully restored to its original beauty. It reopened in 1996 and has been a major center for the arts in Detroit ever since.
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History of the Opera House
Before the current opera house was built, Detroit had other venues for opera. The city has a long history of enjoying this type of musical performance.
A Grand Opening
The building we know today as the Detroit Opera House first opened in 1922 under a different name: the Capitol Theatre. It was one of the first big entertainment venues built around Detroit's Grand Circus Park. When it opened, the Capitol Theatre was one of the largest movie theaters in the world, with room for about 3,500 people.
Changing Times and New Names
Over the years, the theater changed its name several times. In 1929, it became the Paramount Theater. Then, in 1934, it was renamed the Broadway Capitol Theater.
For many years, the theater showed movies and hosted live performances. Famous jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington played on its stage. Later, it became a movie-only theater.
In the 1960s, the building was updated and renamed the Grand Circus Theatre. However, by the 1970s, the theater was struggling. It closed in 1978 and only opened for a short time in 1981. After a small fire caused some damage in 1985, the theater closed down again.
A New Beginning
In 1988, the Michigan Opera Theatre bought the building. The group wanted to give the old theater a new life. They began a huge project to restore it and expand the stage area. They renamed it the Detroit Opera House.
The grand reopening happened in 1996 with a special show featuring the world-famous singer Luciano Pavarotti. Today, the Detroit Opera House is a busy and successful venue. It hosts about five opera productions and five dance performances each year, along with many other concerts and shows.
The Opera House was also shown in the 2012 documentary film Detropia, which was about the city of Detroit.
See also
In Spanish: Detroit Opera House para niños
