Ford's Grand Opera House

Ford's Grand Opera House was a major music venue in Baltimore, Maryland, located between Lexington and Marion Steets, just east of Eutaw Street. It was founded by theatre manager John T. Ford (also the owner of Ford's Theatre) and designed by architect James J. Gifford. The opera house opened to the public on October 2, 1871 with a show that included readings from Shakespeare's As You Like It as well as vocal and orchestral performances.

The opera house was later the site of Horace Greely's nomination as the Liberal Republican Party candidate for the 1872 U.S. presidential election.

Famous quotes containing the words opera house, ford, grand, opera and/or house:

    “The opera house sparkled with tiers
    And tiers of eyes, like mine enlarged by belladonna,”
    —James Merrill (b. 1926)

    “All this stuff you heard about America not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Americans, traditionally, love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle.... Americans play to win all the time. I wouldn’t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That’s why Americans have never lost—and will never lose—a war, because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.”
    —Francis Ford Coppola (b. 1939)

    “There aren’t any good, brave causes left. If the big bang does come, and we all get killed off, it won’t be in aid of the old-fashioned grand design. It’ll just be for the Brave New-nothing-very-much-thank-you. About as pointless and inglorious as stepping in front of a bus. No, there’s nothing left for it, me boy, but to let yourself be butchered by the women.”
    —John Osborne (1929–1994)

    “The Opera is obviously the first draft of a fine spectacle; it suggests the idea of one.”
    —Jean De La Bruyère (1645–1696)

    “It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home,
    A heap o’ sun an’ shadder, an’ ye sometimes have t’ roam
    Afore ye really ‘preciate the things ye lef’ behind,
    An’ hunger fer ‘em somehow, with ‘em allus on yer mind.”
    —Edgar Albert Guest (1881–1959)