Modell Performing Arts Center

Modell Performing Arts Center

Exterior of venue, c. 2013
Full name The Patricia & Arthur Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric
Former names The Music Hall (1894-1909)
Lyric Opera House (1909-2010)
Address 110 W Mount Royal Ave
Baltimore, MD 21201-5714
Location Downtown Baltimore
Public transit University of Baltimore — Mt. Royal
Owner The Lyric Foundation
Operator Lyric Productions, LLC
Capacity 2,564
Construction
Opened 31 October 1894 (1894-10-31)
Renovated 1908, 1921, 1980-82, 2010-11, 2014
Tenants
Metropolitan Opera (1904-Present)
Lyric Opera Baltimore (2011-Present)
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (1916-82)
Baltimore Opera Company (1950-2009)
Website

Venue Website

Lyric Theatre
Coordinates 39°18′20″N 76°37′9″W / 39.30556°N 76.61917°W / 39.30556; -76.61917Coordinates: 39°18′20″N 76°37′9″W / 39.30556°N 76.61917°W / 39.30556; -76.61917
Built 1893
Architect T. Henry Randall
Architectural style Renaissance
NRHP Reference # 86000131[1]
Added to NRHP January 23, 1986

The Modell Performing Arts Center[2] (originally The Music Hall and formerly the Lyric Opera House) is a music venue in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, located close to the University of Baltimore. The building was modeled after the Concertgebouw concert hall in Amsterdam, and it was inaugurated on 31 October 1894 with a performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Australian opera singer Nellie Melba as the featured soloist.[3] Beginning 1904, it was also used for touring performances by the Metropolitan Opera, and from 1950, it was the home of the Baltimore Opera Company until the company's liquidation in 2009.[4]

The Lyric has been the home of the Lyric Opera Baltimore company since 2011. It was founded after the demise of Baltimore Lyric Opera.[5]

History

The Grote Zaal (Great Hall) of the Concertgebouw after which the Baltimore Lyric Opera House was modeled.

Opera and music at the Lyric

Prior to the 1909 purchase of the building on behalf of the Metropolitan Opera by Otto Kahn, Oscar Hammerstein I presented an opera season and began to make plans to remodel it by enlarging the stage area. However Kahn's purchase caused the venue's name to be changed to the Lyric Theatre.[3] and firmed up the continuity of the Metropolitan Opera's annual visits. In the early 20th century, the Lyric Opera featured opera tenor Enrico Caruso who appeared there with the Metropolitan Opera in a performance of Flotow's Martha.

In 1950, building on earlier amateur efforts, the Baltimore Opera was formally established as the Baltimore Civic Opera Company, with the famous American soprano Rosa Ponselle as its first artistic director. She brought Beverly Sills to Baltimore for a production of Manon in 1952. By 1970, the name was changed to Baltimore Opera Company and had become firmly established at the Lyric.

Having been modeled on the Concertgebouw, the Lyric was primarily used as a concert hall. 1916 saw the founding of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra which presented performances there until 1982, while the building was purchased from Kahn in 1920 and a significant renovation created an enlarged balcony with seating capacity reaching 2,800. In March 1974, the Lyric's 75th anniversary featured the return of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and throughout these years, the Philadelphia Orchestra made regular appearances in Baltimore until April 1980. A highlight was the 1934 premiere of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, with the composer at the piano.

Other events

Many different kinds of events were presented at the Lyric, including sporting events such as the 1905 lightweight boxing fight between Joe Gans, the lightweight champion, and Mike Sullivan and the 1906 wrestling bout between Gus Schoenlein and the world champion, George Hackenschmidt, the world champion of the time. The first public showing of electric cooking in Baltimore took place, as well as hosting speakers like Aimee Semple McPherson, Will Rogers, Richard Byrd, Clarence Darrow, Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh and William Jennings Bryan.

Performers appearing at the Lyric included in April/May 1984 Yul Brynner who starred in The King and I which over 70,000 people attended in four weeks. That same year, Patti Labelle's performances sold out five performances while, in 1987, Cats played to over 75,000 people.

Creating an opera house

Major renovations from 1980-1982 completed its transformation into an opera house.

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2008-04-15). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ Tim Smith, After $3.5M gift "Lyric Opera House to carry Modell name" in Baltimore Sun, 7 September 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2013
  3. 1 2 Lyric Opera House history on lyricoperahouse.com. Retrieved 12 December 2013
  4. ↑ Craig Morrison (August 1985). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Lyric Theater" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  5. ↑ Tim Smith, "Baltimore Opera Company to close", The Baltimore Sun, Friday, March 13, 2009.
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