The Opera House (Toronto)

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The Opera House
Opera House Facade At Night.jpg
The Opera House in 2015
The Opera House (Toronto)
Former namesLa Plaza Theatre
Acropolis
Dundas
Cinema Ellas
Address735 Queen Street E
Toronto ON M4M 1H1
Location Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates 43°39′32″N79°20′56″W / 43.658949°N 79.348752°W / 43.658949; -79.348752
Type Theater/Music Venue
Capacity 950 (680 Main Floor and 270 Balcony)
Construction
Built1903
Opened1905
Website
theoperahousetoronto.com

The Opera House is a music venue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the city's most historic performing venues, opening in 1905. [1] It has also been a cinema and a live theatre venue. It is located at 735 Queen Street East, east of downtown in the Riverdale neighbourhood.

Contents

History

The building opened in 1905 as the La Plaza Theatre, an Edwardian vaudeville stage. Seating almost 700, it was the main entertainment venue in the primarily working-class neighbourhood. As films eclipsed vaudeville, the theatre was turned into a cinema, continuing to use the name La Plaza Theatre until the 1960s, and later under a series of other names. [2] [3]

As multiplexes made large single screen venues no longer viable as cinemas, it became a performing arts venue. In the late 1980s, it was home to the successful gospel musical Mama, I Want to Sing! . In early 1989, it was renamed "The Opera House" and became a music venue.

Other uses

References

  1. Doug Taylor (2016). Toronto's Local Movie Theatres of Yesteryear: Brought Back to Thrill You Again. Dundurn Press. pp. 14, 88, 89. ISBN   9781459733428.
  2. "History". Opera House. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
  3. "Toronto's la Plaza Theatre (The Opera House) on Queen East". 4 September 2014.
  4. "Casting Call Headstones want you Smiling & Waving". Archived from the original on 1997-10-21. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  5. "Barenaked Ladies videoshoot open to fans". Archived from the original on September 3, 2000. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  6. "Everclear shooting film in T.O." Archived from the original on January 9, 2001. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  7. "Tragically Hip Video At MuchMusic Today". Chart Attack. Archived from the original on June 25, 2003. Retrieved May 4, 2020.