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ROH celebrates 150 years on the same stage
By Louise Jury, Evening Standard 10.03.08The Royal Opera House is celebrating 150 years in the current theatre with an exhibition chronicling key events in its history.
The display at sites throughout the house will include pictures and costumes from some of its most famous performers. They include ballet stars Rudolf Nureyev, Vaslav Nijinsky and Anna Pavlova and Eva Turner, the first great British soprano of the 20th century.
The current theatre is the third on the Covent Garden site where performances began in 1728.
The previous theatre was destroyed by fire in 1856 but rebuilt within two years thanks to the driving force of the then manager, Frederick Gye.
Cristina Franchi, the exhibition organiser, said it was the first show to focus on the theatre itself.
There will be items of architectural salvage such as columns removed from the grand tier during the last major redevelopment in 1997.
Visitors will be able to see items not often on public show. These include chairs originally made for Queen Victoria for the Great Exhibition of 1851 which she handed to the house for use in the royal box.
The red and gold stage curtains have featured the embroidered coat of arms of the reigning monarch since 1911.
The exhibition will include photographs of embroidery workers from the Royal School of Needlework producing the current drapes which were embroidered for the re-opening of the theatre in 1999 after redevelopment.
Other photographs chronicle changes in the building, both in the public areas and backstage. Until 1997, the stage ran on machinery which had not been significantly modified since 1901.
Dixon Jones, the architects who oversaw the last revamp, are lending two models. One shows early thinking about how the site could be used while the other large, wooden model reveals the finished building.
Paintings, drawings and caricatures record other famous stars such as the soprano Dame Nellie Melba and the Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. Visitors can pick up an introductory leaflet on the exhibits. A one-hour film has been commissioned to run alongside.
• Snapshots In Time: 150 Years Of Excellence is at the Royal Opera House until 4 August. Admission is free.
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