|
| The Opera House, Tunbridge Wells |
|
|
On Thursday, 10 October 1901, the famous actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree laid one of the foundation stones for The Opera House. Special trains were laid on from London Victoria for the event.
Dame Clara Butt sang at the Opera House in 1904 and it was also said that Dame Nellie Melba came for a fleeting matinee performance. To mark the end of World War I Murray King put on 'Robinson Crusoe'; included in the cast was Lily Langtry.
Between 1925 and 1931 the Opera House was leased by John Christie, who later went on to found the Glyndebourne Opera. He opened a refurbished Opera House in July 1925 with George Bernard Shaw's "St Joan".
By 1931, with the advent of Talkies, the theatre was being used more extensively for film, although also housing Amateur Theatricals, Pantomime and some touring productions. John Christie retained his interest until 1933. It had been a venture which played a considerable part in the history of Glyndebourne Opera.
Thirty-six years of use as a cinema followed, while twice a year the Tunbridge Wells Operatic and Dramatic Society put on live musicals until 1966 saw their last production there, The Song of Norway. From 1968, the building was used as a Bingo Hall, until J D Wetherspoon took it over and opened it as a pub and restaurant in 1997.
The Opera House has recently been refurbished to enable the production of fully staged opera, while still retaining its current use as a pub and restaurant.
Sources: Opera House Memories, by Richard Storkey; Royal Tunbridge Wells Opera House leaflet produced for Heritage Open Days 2006.
Click here to read about the opera
|
|