"Edwards Theatre" redirects here. For the defunct movie theater chain, see Edwards Theatres.
The Sarasota Opera House (originally the Edwards Theatre)[3] is a historic theater building used as an opera house at 61 North Pineapple Avenue in Sarasota, Florida. The building was the vision of A.B. Edwards, the first mayor of Sarasota. It opened on April 10, 1926, with a three-story entrance containing eight shops on the ground floor, 12 offices on the second floor, and 12 furnished apartments on the third.[4] The theatre's auditorium contained an orchestral pipe organ. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune hailed Edwards for "having admitted Sarasota into a fairyland of costly decoration, rich furnishings and never to be forgotten artistry."[4]
Sarasota Opera House
Renovations to the exterior and interior in 2007-08
The theatre is the home of the Sarasota Opera Association, Inc., which owns the building. The Association is the parent body that runs the Sarasota Opera. It has 1,119 seats.
Over the years, managements changed as did the name of the theatre: in December 1936 it became The Florida Theatre[6] while, in the same year, a hurricane damaged the Robert-Morton pipe organ. Various attempts to modernize removed most of its original Art Deco features. It then became a full-time movie theater, but in 1973, it closed.
Renovationsedit
By the early 1970s, the non-profit Asolo Opera Guild began to present small-scale operas in Sarasota from out-of-town in the 320-seat Asolo Theater. By 1974, the group had begun to produce its own operas. In 1979, the Guild bought the old Edwards Theatre for $150,000. The structure required major renovations to restore the facility and to accommodate the demands of opera production, so the Association began work in 1982, resulting in the new Sarasota Opera House appearing on the National Register of Historic Places in March 1984.
Original 3-story theatre atrium is revealed after renovations in 2007-08Sign outside Sarasota Opera House
Further renovations between the end of the 2007 season and the opening of the 2008 season have led to a significantly-enhanced opera theatre.[7]
The $20 million renovation included gutting the auditorium, which resulted in a newly configured seating plan; expansion of the public areas and Opera Club on the second level; re-opening the 3-story atrium, which was covered with a newly-installed skylight. The atrium and skylight was original to the building in 1926, but was covered by a ceiling and a chandelier used in the film, Gone with the Wind. In 2008, the Sarasota Opera reopened with Verdi's Rigoletto. Seating was expanded to approximately 1,200, however, after the 2009-2010 season, some seats along the far sides were removed and replaced with aisles leaving 1,119 seats.
Referencesedit
^"Sarasota Opera House". Emporis. from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
^Lucas, Chelsey (May 15, 2013). "Vintage Photo of the Historical Edwards Theatre in Sarasota ca 1926". Sarasota Magazine. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
^ ab"About Sarasota Opera House". Sarasota Opera. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
^Kelleher, Larry A. "The Edwards Theater". Sarasota History Alive!. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
^"Sarasota Opera House". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
^. Almond Architects. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
Further readingedit
LaHurd, Jeff (2004). Sarasota: A Sentimental Journey in Vintage Images. History Press. ISBN978-1-5962-9024-2.
External linksedit
Sarasota Opera website
January 01, 1970
sarasota, opera, house, edwards, theatre, redirects, here, defunct, movie, theater, chain, edwards, theatres, originally, edwards, theatre, historic, theater, building, used, opera, house, north, pineapple, avenue, sarasota, florida, building, vision, edwards,. Edwards Theatre redirects here For the defunct movie theater chain see Edwards Theatres The Sarasota Opera House originally the Edwards Theatre 3 is a historic theater building used as an opera house at 61 North Pineapple Avenue in Sarasota Florida The building was the vision of A B Edwards the first mayor of Sarasota It opened on April 10 1926 with a three story entrance containing eight shops on the ground floor 12 offices on the second floor and 12 furnished apartments on the third 4 The theatre s auditorium contained an orchestral pipe organ The Sarasota Herald Tribune hailed Edwards for having admitted Sarasota into a fairyland of costly decoration rich furnishings and never to be forgotten artistry 4 Sarasota Opera HouseRenovations to the exterior and interior in 2007 08Former namesEdwards TheatreGeneral informationArchitectural styleMediterranean RevivalAddress61 North Pineapple AvenueCountryUnited StatesCoordinates27 20 12 N 82 32 38 W 27 33667 N 82 54389 W 27 33667 82 54389OpenedApril 10 1926Technical detailsFloor count3 1 Design and constructionArchitect s Roy A BenjaminMain contractorG A MillerEdwards TheatreU S National Register of Historic PlacesShow map of FloridaShow map of the United StatesMPSSarasota MRANRHP reference No 84003835 2 Added to NRHPMarch 22 1984The building was designed by Roy A Benjamin in Mediterranean Revival Style Architecture 5 and constructed by the GA Miller Construction Company The theatre is the home of the Sarasota Opera Association Inc which owns the building The Association is the parent body that runs the Sarasota Opera It has 1 119 seats Contents 1 Early history 2 Renovations 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksEarly history editIn the 1920s the building quickly became a popular entertainment venue with major performers such as Will Rogers in 1927 and the Ziegfeld Follies 1928 appearing there The world premiere of Cecil B DeMille s The Greatest Show on Earth which had been filmed in Sarasota was shown there in late 1951 attended by its stars Charlton Heston and Dorothy Lamour Elvis Presley performed a concert there on February 21 1956 Over the years managements changed as did the name of the theatre in December 1936 it became The Florida Theatre 6 while in the same year a hurricane damaged the Robert Morton pipe organ Various attempts to modernize removed most of its original Art Deco features It then became a full time movie theater but in 1973 it closed Renovations editBy the early 1970s the non profit Asolo Opera Guild began to present small scale operas in Sarasota from out of town in the 320 seat Asolo Theater By 1974 the group had begun to produce its own operas In 1979 the Guild bought the old Edwards Theatre for 150 000 The structure required major renovations to restore the facility and to accommodate the demands of opera production so the Association began work in 1982 resulting in the new Sarasota Opera House appearing on the National Register of Historic Places in March 1984 nbsp Original 3 story theatre atrium is revealed after renovations in 2007 08 nbsp Sign outside Sarasota Opera House Further renovations between the end of the 2007 season and the opening of the 2008 season have led to a significantly enhanced opera theatre 7 The 20 million renovation included gutting the auditorium which resulted in a newly configured seating plan expansion of the public areas and Opera Club on the second level re opening the 3 story atrium which was covered with a newly installed skylight The atrium and skylight was original to the building in 1926 but was covered by a ceiling and a chandelier used in the film Gone with the Wind In 2008 the Sarasota Opera reopened with Verdi s Rigoletto Seating was expanded to approximately 1 200 however after the 2009 2010 season some seats along the far sides were removed and replaced with aisles leaving 1 119 seats References edit Sarasota Opera House Emporis Archived from the original on October 27 2020 Retrieved April 25 2022 National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 Lucas Chelsey May 15 2013 Vintage Photo of the Historical Edwards Theatre in Sarasota ca 1926 Sarasota Magazine Retrieved October 10 2020 a b About Sarasota Opera House Sarasota Opera Retrieved October 10 2020 Kelleher Larry A The Edwards Theater Sarasota History Alive Retrieved April 25 2022 Sarasota Opera House Cinema Treasures Retrieved October 10 2020 Sarasota Opera House Almond Architects Archived from the original on April 12 2013 Retrieved October 10 2020 Further reading editLaHurd Jeff 2004 Sarasota A Sentimental Journey in Vintage Images History Press ISBN 978 1 5962 9024 2 External links editSarasota Opera website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sarasota Opera House amp oldid 1222461330, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
