The City Opera House is located at 106–112 Front Street in Traverse City, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1971 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

History

In 1891, business owners Perry Hannah, Charles Wilhelm, Tony Bartok, and Frank Votruba owned the land where the opera house now stands. They hired architect E. R. Prall from Pontiac, Michigan, to design the building and builder John Wilhelm to construct it. When it was built, it was the first building in Traverse City to use electric lights. The City Opera House offered a 1200-seat area for traveling performers and was also a great place for formal events, such as an Installation Ball held in 1892.

In 1920, a local movie theater rented the building and closed it to stop competition. The building remained rented until the 1940s and stayed closed until 1985. In 1978, efforts began to collect money for repairs. In 1980, the building’s owners gave it to the city, and restoration work started in 1985. In 2005, most of a 30-year, $8.5 million restoration project was completed.

Description

The City Opera House is a square, three-story building made of red brick. Each side is 110 feet (34 meters) long. The ground floor has businesses, and the main part of the opera house is on the upper floors. After the restoration was completed, the City Opera House has seats for 710 people, arches with trompe-l'œil clouds, a dome decorated with angelic putti, a two-story oriel window, an acoustic stage shell, modern theatre rigging, and full facilities for events with food and drinks.