Completed in 1932, it employs the classic Roman Doric order in a reserved and sober form appropriate to its function commemorating all those who served in World War I (1914/17–1918). A colonnade of paired columns screens colossal arch-headed windows above a severe rusticated basement, a scheme that was influenced by the severe design of the Louvre Colonnade.
The lobby has staircases with overlooks at each end and entrances to the main level at left.
The interior contains a grand entrance hall with a high barrel vaulted and coffered ceiling parallel to the street, with overlooks from staircase landings at each end.
Stage and proscenium
The theater space is dominated by a massive aluminum and glass panel chandelier under a blue vault, and the proscenium arch is decorated with gilded figurative sculpture. The theater has 3,146 seats plus standing room for 200 behind the orchestra and balcony sections.
During the years of Kurt Herbert Adler's general directorship, the inadequacies of the house became apparent as the season was expanded. In particular, there was a lack of office space and rehearsal space. In 1974, The Pointer Sisters were the first pop act to perform at the theatre.[1] In 1979 the backstage area was extended, followed in 1981 by the opening of a new wing built onto the house on the Franklin Street side. This gave spaces for sets, coaches, and dancers as well as more administrative space. At the same time, the nearby Zellerbach Rehearsal Hall, with a stage the same size as that of the Opera House, was opened as part of the complex which included the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall.
In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake caused major damage to the Opera House. The architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and the theatrical consulting firm of Auerbach and Associates were retained in 1992 to oversee the building's technical renovation and a seismic retrofit. At this time additional private donations were raised for extensive technical improvements. These include:
State-of-the-art lighting system – which at the time, made it one of the most extensive and sophisticated systems in the world.
Replacement of chambers for a never-installed organ with modern restrooms, sorely needed since the original construction. The organ is not needed with the completion of the nearby Davies Symphony Hall.
An underground extension below the neighboring plaza to accommodate additional dressing rooms and backstage facilities.
San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center
January 01, 1970
memorial, opera, house, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, dec. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources War Memorial Opera House news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message The War Memorial Opera House is an opera house in San Francisco California located on the western side of Van Ness Avenue across from the west side rear facade of the San Francisco City Hall War Memorial Opera HouseWar Memorial Opera HouseLocation in Central San FranciscoAddress301 Van Ness AvenueSan Francisco CaliforniaUnited StatesCoordinates37 46 43 N 122 25 15 W 37 7786 N 122 4208 W 37 7786 122 4208Public transitCivic CenterVan NessOwnerSan Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts CenterTypeOpera houseCapacity3 126 seated 200 standingConstructionOpened1932Rebuilt1993ArchitectArthur Brown Jr G Albert LansburghTenantsSan Francisco Opera San Francisco BalletWebsitesfwarmemorial wbr org It is part of the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center It has been the home of the San Francisco Opera since opening night in 1932 It was the site of the San Francisco Conference the first assembly of the newly organized United Nations in April 1945 Contents 1 Architecture 2 History 3 Appearances in media 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksArchitecture editIn 1927 4 million in municipal bonds were issued to finance the design and construction of the first municipally owned opera house in the United States The architects of the building complex were Arthur Brown Jr who had also designed the adjacent San Francisco City Hall between 1912 and 1916 and G Albert Lansburgh a theater designer responsible for San Francisco s Orpheum and the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Completed in 1932 it employs the classic Roman Doric order in a reserved and sober form appropriate to its function commemorating all those who served in World War I 1914 17 1918 A colonnade of paired columns screens colossal arch headed windows above a severe rusticated basement a scheme that was influenced by the severe design of the Louvre Colonnade nbsp The lobby has staircases with overlooks at each end and entrances to the main level at left The interior contains a grand entrance hall with a high barrel vaulted and coffered ceiling parallel to the street with overlooks from staircase landings at each end nbsp Stage and proscenium The theater space is dominated by a massive aluminum and glass panel chandelier under a blue vault and the proscenium arch is decorated with gilded figurative sculpture The theater has 3 146 seats plus standing room for 200 behind the orchestra and balcony sections History editThe San Francisco Symphony performed most of its concerts in the house from 1932 to 1980 citation needed In spring of 1945 the United Nations had its San Francisco Conference UN Conference on International Organization first organizing assembly there The UN Charter was later drafted and signed in the Herbst Theatre next door Six years later in 1951 the Treaty of San Francisco declaring peace with Japan was drafted and signed here and in the Herbst Theatre During the years of Kurt Herbert Adler s general directorship the inadequacies of the house became apparent as the season was expanded In particular there was a lack of office space and rehearsal space In 1974 The Pointer Sisters were the first pop act to perform at the theatre 1 In 1979 the backstage area was extended followed in 1981 by the opening of a new wing built onto the house on the Franklin Street side This gave spaces for sets coaches and dancers as well as more administrative space At the same time the nearby Zellerbach Rehearsal Hall with a stage the same size as that of the Opera House was opened as part of the complex which included the Louise M Davies Symphony Hall In 1989 the Loma Prieta earthquake caused major damage to the Opera House The architectural firm of Skidmore Owings amp Merrill and the theatrical consulting firm of Auerbach and Associates were retained in 1992 to oversee the building s technical renovation and a seismic retrofit At this time additional private donations were raised for extensive technical improvements These include State of the art lighting system which at the time made it one of the most extensive and sophisticated systems in the world Replacement of chambers for a never installed organ with modern restrooms sorely needed since the original construction The organ is not needed with the completion of the nearby Davies Symphony Hall An underground extension below the neighboring plaza to accommodate additional dressing rooms and backstage facilities Appearances in media editFoul Play 1978 film Heart and Souls 1993 Steve Jobs film References editThis article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message Gamson Joshua The Fabulous Sylvester The Legend the Music the Seventies in San Francisco Reprint edition New York Picador 2006 Bibliography editTilman Jeffrey T Arthur Brown Jr Progressive Classicist New York W W Norton 2006External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to War Memorial Opera House nbsp San Francisco Bay Area portal San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center Restoring a Beaux Arts beauty Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title War Memorial Opera House amp oldid 1184919102, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
