Stifel Theatre facts for kids
Facade of venue (c.2009)
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| Former names | Municipal Opera House (1934–1943) Kiel Opera House (1943–2010) Peabody Opera House (2010–18) |
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| Address | 1400 Market St St. Louis, MO 63103-2609 |
| Location | Downtown West |
| Owner | SLB Acquisition Holdings |
| Capacity | 3,100 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 1932 |
| Opened | April 21, 1934 |
| Closed | May 7, 1991—September 30, 2011 |
| Reopened | October 1, 2011 |
| Rebuilt | 2009-11 |
| Construction cost | $1 million ($21.4 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | LaBeaume and Klein |
| Website | |
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Kiel Opera House
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| Area | 6.4 acres (2.6 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000016 |
| Added to NRHP | February 11, 2000 |
The Stifel Theatre is a cool place in St. Louis, Missouri, where you can watch live shows. It's been known by a few different names over the years, like the Kiel Opera House and Peabody Opera House. It's a historic building that hosts many different kinds of performances.
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About the Stifel Theatre
The Stifel Theatre first opened in 1934 as the Kiel Opera House. It was named after a former mayor of St. Louis, Henry Kiel. It was part of a bigger building called the Municipal Auditorium and Opera House.
The theatre was open for many years, until 1991. Famous musicians like Frank Sinatra performed there in 1965. Next to the theatre was the Kiel Auditorium. This auditorium was later torn down and replaced by the Enterprise Center, a sports arena.
When the auditorium was going to be torn down, the owners of the St. Louis Blues hockey team promised to fix up the opera house too. However, they didn't renovate the building for a long time.
Renovation and Reopening
In 2009, city leaders in St. Louis voted to help pay for the theatre's renovation. The new owners of the St. Louis Blues team, Sports Capital Partners, led this project. Money for the renovation came from city bonds and special tax credits for historic buildings.
On July 12, 2010, it was announced that the theatre would be renamed the "Peabody Opera House." This name came from a company called Peabody Energy. The renovation took 14 months to complete. They even built a new entrance for the building.
On October 1, 2011, the Peabody Opera House opened its doors again. This was after a big $79 million renovation. The opening night was a huge success, with a full house of 3,100 people. Famous performers like Jay Leno, Aretha Franklin, and Chuck Berry were there.
Since it reopened, the theatre has hosted many different types of shows. These include concerts by touring musicians, comedy acts, live plays, and dance performances. It also holds social and political events. On July 16, 2018, the building got a new name again. It became the Stifel Theatre, named after Stifel Financial Corp.
Famous Shows and Events
The Stifel Theatre has been the stage for many memorable events over the years.
The Rat Pack Concert
On June 20, 1965, a very special concert took place. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. performed together. Johnny Carson was the host for the evening. This was their only concert ever shown on television. It was a fundraiser for Dismas House, which helps people who have been in prison.
For 30 years, people thought the recording of this show was lost. But then, a copy was found in St. Louis! It has since been shown on TV and released on DVD.
The Rolling Stones Concert
On July 11, 1978, the famous band The Rolling Stones played a sold-out show at the theatre. The band focused on their music and attitude, rather than a big stage show. Because the theatre has limited seating, many fans couldn't get tickets. They gathered outside the building before the show. Police and dogs were needed to keep everyone safe and calm.
