Napa Valley Opera House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Napa Valley Opera House
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| Location | 1018–1030 Main St. on E side, Napa, California |
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| Area | 0.1 acres (0.040 ha) |
| Built | 1879 |
| Architect | Newsom & Newsom |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000414 |
| Added to NRHP | October 25, 1973 |
The Napa Valley Opera House is a cool old theatre in Napa, California. It first opened its doors on February 13, 1880. The very first show was a play called HMS Pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan. Back then, only about 5,000 people lived in Napa!
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The Opera House's Early Years
The Napa Valley Opera House was first owned by George Crowey. Charles Levansaler helped manage the building. It was designed in the Italianate style. This style was popular for buildings back then. The architects were Newsom and Newsom, a famous father-and-son team. They also designed the amazing Carson Mansion in Eureka, California.
Building Features and Design
Construction of the theatre began in 1879. It had beautiful features like a stained glass skylight. There were also shiny brass chandeliers. A fancy curved staircase led up to the balcony. The first floor of the building had stores and restaurants. The stage and seating areas were on the second and third floors. The main floor of the auditorium was flat. This was special because it allowed for dances and big community events. The theatre even had a special curtain. Local businesses could advertise on it!
Famous Acts and Performers
The theatre was very popular during the time of vaudeville. Vaudeville was a type of entertainment with many different acts. These included music, comedy, and variety shows. In 1896, the famous boxer John L. Sullivan had a match there. John Philip Sousa, a well-known band leader, also brought his brass band to perform. In 1905, a famous singer named Luisa Tetrazzini performed. That same year, the writer Jack London read from his books.
Closing Down and New Uses
Sadly, the theatre closed in 1914. This happened for a few reasons. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake caused some damage. Also, vaudeville became less popular. Movies were becoming the new big thing! For the next 70 years, the building was used for different businesses.
Bringing the Theatre Back to Life
In 1973, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it was recognized as an important historical site. But it wasn't until 1985 that a special group was formed. This group wanted to restore the old theatre.
Community Support for Restoration
In 1997, Robert Mondavi and his wife Margrit helped a lot. They gave a special grant of $2.2 million. This money encouraged others to donate too. The total cost to restore the theatre was $13.7 million.
The Grand Reopening
The bottom floor of the building was changed into a smaller venue. It could seat about 200 people. This new space was called the Cafe Theatre. It opened in June 2002 with a performance by jazz singer Dianne Reeves.
Upstairs Theatre Reopens
The larger upstairs theatre opened on July 31, 2003. The opening night featured a performance by Rita Moreno. After that, they performed HMS Pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan. This was the exact same show that opened the theatre 123 years before!
The upstairs theatre can now seat 500 people. It has modern lights and sound systems. There's even an orchestra pit big enough for 40 musicians. Today, the theatre hosts many different shows. These include plays, music concerts, and dance performances every month.
Support from the City
In June 2011, the City Council of Napa helped the theatre. They gave a $1.5 million loan. This helped the theatre pay off some of its debt. The loan had special rules. The city could use the building for free up to 24 days a year. Also, the theatre had to rent its space to non-profit groups at a lower price twice a year. By 2011, the theatre was hosting over 100 events each year. Their goal was to reach 200 events!
New Leadership and Changes
In August 2011, Peter Williams became the new Executive / Artistic Director. He had worked at Yoshi's jazz club in Oakland before coming to Napa. Peter Williams later left in May 2014.
After another $2.5 million renovation, a new venue called City Winery opened on April 10, 2014. It was created by Michael Dorf and could seat 300 people. However, City Winery stopped operating the venue in late 2015.
Images for kids
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The Napa Valley Opera House today.
