When even those started going out of business, due to the spread of video and digital technology, the Opera House fell on hard times.
When it became difficult to sustain the space on live shows alone, it was turned into a single-screen cinema. Luminaries like Prithviraj Kapoor, Bal Gandharva, Deenanath Mangeshkar and his daughter Lata performed here the latter, reportedly, had her first public performance at the Opera House. For a city that had, thus far, no world-class theatres, the Opera House-with its baroque architecture, specialized acoustics and stylish interiors-was a monumental addition to the city's built heritage.įor decades, the Opera House hosted live performances, among them operas, musical acts, plays, and even magic shows. And the two men who made this possible-who raised the finances (the princely sum of around `7,50,000 at the time) to build it, and dictated its design-were Jehangir Framji Karaka, a Parsi businessman and philanthropist, and Maurice Bandmann, an American entertainer. BEHIND THE MASKS When it opened on 16 October 1916, the Royal Opera House became famous as an entertainment venue handsome enough to rival any in England or Europe.
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