Opera House, Pretoria

The Opera House, Pretoria (sometimes Opera House Pretoria, but more familiarly known as the Pretoria Opera House) is a venue for operatic and other large scale productions, constructed in Pretoria in 1904.

History

Conceptualised in 1902, but finally opened on 27 February 1904. Designed by the company McIntosh and Moffat for the entrepreneurs Ben and Frank Wheeler.

Described by McIntosh as follows on 18 February, 1904: "The main front will be on Pretorius Street, of classic architecture in the rennaissance style, showing an elevation of three storeys. At either side of the entrance there will be two shops, one intended as a first class buffet. A long corridor with a marble tiled floor willlead from this entrance into the foyer, above 35 feet square, from whence by mounting a few steps directly in front of the entrance corridor access will be had to the stalls. On either side of the foyer there is a marble staircase leading to the dress circle. The total seating capacity is 1016." On the stage he said: "The proscenium opening is large, leading on to a stage 57 feet by 38 feet, with ample dressing room accomodation… the orchestry will be a sunken one." The theatre had a seating capacity for 600. The gallery, known as the "gods" was licensed to seat 200 but often as many as 400 crowded in.

It was meant for opera, but was only used for such for the first two years. Taken over by McKay Bros, the music firm, in 1907, it was mostly used for gramaphone concerts and operettas. It was also long a favourite venue for shows and meetings in Pretoria. Notable events taking place there include the Kruger-day (10 October) political meeting in 1914 which set off the the armed resistance to participation in the war (the so-called Rebellie - "Rebellion"). Like many such theatres it was later managed by African Theatres and used as a part time bioscope (cinema house). For example, over the years the film Die Voortrekkers was regularly shown there on December 16th (Day of the Covenant).

It was subsequently converted into a full time cinema, and in 1970s the interior was stripped to make way for a shopping mall, called the Opera Plaza - though - in response to a public outcry - the façade was retained and still stands in Pretorius Street.

Productions mounted in the Pretoria Opera House

Among the many English and Afrikaans productions done here, including several premieres, were:

1904: An African Millionaire (Leonard Rayne)

1906: Ou Daniel (Afrikaans-Hollandse Toneelvereniging)

1908: Piet s'n Tante

1916: Cinderella (J.C. Williamson Company)

1918: Afrikaner Harte ("Afrikaner Hearts") (Transvaal University College)

1925: Die Heks and Lenie (Stephanie Faure and Paul de Groot), Huis Toe (Paul de Groot)

1930: Ampie (André Huguenet)

1947: Spoke (“Ghosts”), Hamlet (in Afrikaans, produced by André Huguenet and African Consolidated Theatres).

1949: Romeo and Juliet (Johannesburg Reps)

1959: Try for White (Cockpit Players)

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_house

Binge, 1969,

Vermeulen, 1971,

Tucker, 1997)

https://artefacts.co.za/main/Buildings/bldgframes_mob.php?bldgid=11499

Greyvenstein, Walter 1988. The history and development of children's theatre in English in South Africa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University.

https://repository.up.ac.za/items/88f8d95c-732b-4f6d-b0be-f9d788dd95fd

Go to ESAT Bibliography