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From Palace to Opera House

October 28, 2008

palace-theatre.jpgOn 7th September I brought to your attention an August article from Crains Business News about tentative plans for the construction of a new Opera House in Manchester to house northern operations of the Royal Opera House.  More information was promised in September and finally, at the latter end of October, we have developements.

As reported in the Stage yesterday and on the Whatsonstage gossip pages, the plans have been rejigged and the intention is now to create a northern base for the Royal Opera at Manchester’s Palace Theatre.

But hark!  Do I not sniff a strong scent of deja vu?  Am I correct in thinking that this is a recycled plan? A tiny tot I may been in the early 1980’s but my understanding is that early in that decade the Royal Opera House had an attempt to establish a base at this very same theatre?  R. Swindells explains all in a letter published in the Stage newspaper on October 14th of this year in which he/she describles the ill fated escapade.

However, this letter is, of course, in response to the original plans to build an entirely new theatre and the author concludes by pointing out that it would make more sense for the Royal Opera to utilise the more than adequate facilities of the Palace Theatre rather than build an entirely new theatre. Good plan me thinks; a sentiment I presume the Royal Opera House share based on this current change of plan.

So, I return to my original thoughts when the news first broke of the Royal Opera House’s intention to set up a nothern base in Manchester.  What effect will this have on the current market for established opera and ballet in the area? Will Opera North and Birmingham Royal Ballet cease to visit the Lowry in Salford or is there room for an increase in opera and ballet performances in Manchester? This concern is shared by Robert Beale of Manchester Evening News in his report of the story and also is discussed in this mornings Guardian.

What will become of the programming for the Palace Theatre which, in recent years, has scored huge success as a venue for the largest touring musicals playing extended runs? Will this sort of programming continue around the performances of the Royal Opera and Ballet?  Could the current Opera House be utilised in this manner?  It currently performs reasonably well as a general touring theatre and has a large seating capacity but is its stage large and well equipped enough for the largest and best touring shows?  And what of its name?  If the Royal Opera House is to set up camp at the Palace Theatre effectively turning it into an opera house surely it would make sense to rebrand the current Opera House under a new name so as to avoid confusion?

And lastly and again reported in the Guardian., good news to hear that if this plan comes to fruition the Palace Theatre will be set to benefit from a massive refurbishment.  This could the ideal opportunity to vastly improve the look of the Palace Theatre.  It’s a stunning venue on the inside but this is not reflected on the outside which is clad in 60’s style tiles and looks very much like a large public lavatory.  Not the impression of style and class normally associated with the Royal Opera House.

As yet I can’t decide whether this is a harebrained scheme destined for disaster or potentially one of the best things to happen to the Manchester arts scene since the Lowry opened in 2000. Either way I await further details with baited breath.

-Malcolm Wallace

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