Article on Banvard's new theater and opera house

Event Information

Venue(s):
Banvard's Opera House [JUNE 1867-]

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
31 December 2025

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

13 Apr 1867

Program Details

There is an ad in the NYH on 04/02/67, p.1 about the new theatre. No music mentioned, but they refer to it as the "New Up Town Theatre and Opera House."

Citations

1)
Article: New-Yorker Musik-Zeitung, 13 April 1867, 570.

Two years ago, a company was founded to build a new enormous museum based on the model of Barnum’s. Last year a newsletter signed by the president of the company, Mr. Banvard, announced the imminent completion and opening of the museum in November 1866. As we know, this has not yet happened, and we don’t know how credible the entire endeavour is. It is said that the “new up-town theater” is almost finished and will soon stand next to the grand museum on the corner of Broadway and 30th street.

The theater and opera house is supposed to become the biggest stage “in America, if not in the entire world”; it is 60 feet wide and 40 feet high. The orchestra will be above the audience, not in front of the stage, so that the moving of the baton will not distract from viewing the performance. How opera performances will be possible with this new style seems mysterious to us. The auditorium has three galleries that rest on iron pillars and will seat 4000 people.

A lot of effort is put into fire safety; the scenery is painted with a fire safe paint (“Alaun solution”) and a “pompiercorps” will be in position during performances.

A museum, a lecture and science hall will be part of the new facility, which will soon open.