Timeline of The Royal Wanganui Opera House
1897 Council discusses need for Municipal Opera House.
1898 Competition to design an Opera House for Wanganui.
1899 Foundation stone laid by Mayor Alexander Hatrick
1900 Official opening by Premier Richard Seddon on 9 February
1900 First shows, A Sporting Life and The White Heather performed 9 January by Bland Holt and Company.
1901 Water main laid.
1905 Wanganui Liedertafel - 20th Grand Concert.
1909 Handrails provided on stairs leading to Dress Circle.
1910 Agreement in July to cover stage entrance before next winter.
1911 Engineer told to prepare specifications and tenders invited for erecting stage.
1912 Larger music stands and improved lamp holders for the orchestra.
1913 The committee decided to recover 300 armrests, in Utrecht velvet.
1915 Staircase to dress circle treated with dark spirit stain.
1917 Engineer reports on ventilation.
1918 Council suggests Opera House could become Fire Station.
1920 Alterations to Opera House - movie theatre established.
1921 Modification of seats with central aisle created.
1930 Wiring reconditioned.
1934 First loan paid off.
1937 Fire in sweet stall closes theatre for several months.
1938 Annexe added.
1956 Custodian/manager collapses, dies.
1957 Opera House Debt free.
1958 Gas engine removed.
1962 Stairs carpeted.
1963 Exterior repainting.
1967 Gray’s attention drawn to deterioration in paintwork.
1964 Dome repainted.
1978 Fire in annexe.
1986 Staff member Dave Brough died while working in the circle.
1989 Council retains control of Opera House for at least 12 months more. Friends of the Opera House steering committee established. Membership drive for Friends of the Opera House begins. Smoke detectors installed. Foodtown donates $10,000 for refurbishing the orchestra pit. Girvan Corporation pledges at least $5000 through pre-Christmas competition.
1990 Orchestra pit refurbished.
1991 $51,000 Lotteries Commission grant towards sprinkler system.
1991 Exit doors installed at either side of the building replace two doors at the front of the building and make room for upgraded toilet facilities.
1992 New toilet facilities provided, including a paraplegic toilet. Upstairs area becomes lounge, bar and new sweet stall.
1992 New toilet facilities completed. Seat refurbishment begins.
1993 Stage replaced. Seventeen volunteers help to lay 3500 lineal metres of matai timber, and hammer in 15,500 nails. Old flooring reused in the foyer of the Whanganui Riverboat Restoration and Navigation Trust’s Riverboat centre in Taupo Quay.
1995 Newly installed sprinklers save Opera House from arson attempt.
1996 Historic Places Trust awards Category One grading to the Opera House.
1997 Discussions to extend annexe. Historic Places Trust agrees to 15 m by 13 m corrugated iron extension to maintain historic connections. Plans include room for set construction and catering kitchen. Horror when Friends discover upgrading the annexe means "every aspect of the building" having to adhere to the Building Industry Act regulations 1991. Friends’ president warns that people are pulling down buildings because the cost of compliance is so high.
1999 Annexe construction begins. Centennial celebrations begin. October: Royal charter given to the Opera House as part of the centennial celebrations. Name changed to Royal Wanganui Opera House
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“The opera house sparkled with tiers
And tiers of eyes, like mine enlarged by belladonna,”
—James Merrill (b. 1926)
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—Mary Arrigo (20th century)
“Opera once was an important social instrument—especially in Italy. With Rossini and Verdi people were listening to opera together and having the same catharsis with the same story, the same moral dilemmas. They were holding hands in the darkness. That has gone. Now perhaps they are holding hands watching television.”
—Luciano Berio (b. 1925)
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I think rather, replied my uncle Toby, that ‘tis we who sink an inch lower.”
—Laurence Sterne (1713–1768)