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199 stories matching opera
- A Tired Opera Troupe Nearly Sinks, Then Saves Itself
The Pyke Opera Company reached Seattle after three days of hard travel, opened two comic operas under-rehearsed, and turned a rocky first night into a success.
- The Theater That Never Rose
A legal war erupts over a prime downtown corner as competing developers and a frustrated landowner fight over a failed opera house dream.
- The Struggle for a Proper Stage
A popular movement takes off to build Seattle its first dedicated grand opera house as performers complain about the city’s cramped, inadequate venues.
- The Opera House Gets Moved for a Concrete Block
H. M. Lund will replace Newport's Opera House with a two-story reinforced-concrete hardware store, while the old theater is sold and rolled north on Washington Avenue.
- Seattle’s Grand Theater Debut
After months of anticipation and construction, Seattle prepares to open a lavish new opera house with the Duff Opera Company.
- The Price of Progress: Arson in the Shadow of the Opera House
When an old commercial building was moved to make way for Seattle's new Opera House, a firebug turned the vacated structure into a torch.
- Ballard Opera House Destroyed by Blaze
A mysterious fire levels the largest building in Ballard, narrowly sparing the surrounding town.
- Worker Falls 36 Feet in Opera House Construction Accident
German laborer Henry Neigleman fell 36 feet through a collapsed plank at Frye's Opera House, breaking a shoulder blade.
- The Balloonist Who Vanished Over France
Fred A. Gower disappeared during a balloon ascension from Cherbourg eight years ago. His brother returned to Tacoma from a trip around the world with no news—and Gower’s opera-singer wife still could not prove him dead.
- Healing Through Faith: Judge Hanna at the Opera House
A prominent Christian Science lecturer visits the Walla Walla Opera House to explain the doctrine's stance on sickness and the 'mental cause'.
- A Stage for the Falls: The Push for Spokane's First Great Opera House
With touring companies expected on the Northern Pacific, local boosters propose a 1,000-seat frame hall—and a joint-stock company to build it for $6,000.
- The Torchlight Rally at the Opera House
A boisterous Democratic rally at the Acme Opera House signals the peak of a high-stakes campaign season in Grays Harbor.
- Music, Sunshine, and Pretty Girls at the Seattle Theater
The Carleton Opera Company concludes its popular engagement with a final performance of 'Dorothy,' leaving audiences enchanted.
- A Pioneer Businessman Bet on an Opera House at Third and Union
W. S. Whitney bought adjoining lots and planned a two-story cement block with shops below and a dance hall and opera house above.
- The Unpaid Players of the Casino Opera Company
When an acting troupe failed to pay its stars in 1886, the performers fought back by seizing the entire production—including the costumes and luggage—to cover their lost wages.
- The City's Ladder Was Too Short
When the volunteer fire company staged a demonstration at Frye's Opera House, the Mayor found the equipment wanting—and the resulting public spat was published in full.
- Ballard Stages a Fairytale
Local children perform a charming pantomime at the Ballard Opera House to the delight of the community.
- The Banker's Scandalous Opera Alley Spree
A Coupeville bank cashier’s disappearance turns into a public disgrace as reports emerge of his lavish debauchery in Tacoma’s red-light district.
- The Presbyterian Church Breaks Ground
A sunny afternoon ceremony launches the construction of a grand new sanctuary on Fourth Street, complete with Paris opera-style seating.
- Democratic Campaign Rally Turns Into Street Brawl
A political meeting in Seattle dissolved into violence when Democratic attendees attacked a band of Black minstrels who were innocently marching down the street.
- The Pirate Queens of Seattle
How an amateur opera company in 1886 Seattle silenced critics with a masterful performance of Gilbert and Sullivan.
- Ballard's Grandest School Gala
Over 1,000 residents packed the opera house for a military-themed school production, showcasing local pride and a new generation of talent.
- A Midnight Mystery at the Tacoma Opera House
A man is discovered near death with a broken neck in front of the theater, leaving police with nothing but a frantic, garbled message.
- The Traveling Show at Yesler’s Hall
A rare Seattle appearance of the Lilliputian Comic Opera Company promises a spectacle of stature—from 28-inch performers to a 600-pound giant.
- A Night of Music in a Jungle Opera House
Seattle's social elite transformed the opera house into a tropical paradise for a high-society concert event.
Also about this, in other words
- The Puritans Might Have Been Horrified, but Seattle’s New Opera House is Open
A new cultural landmark opens on Commercial Street, sparking a debate on whether theater remains a 'penal offense' or a sign of progress.