The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-16
these are twenty-five feet wide and eighty-fve feet


deep.
In the rear of these stores is building new thea
tre to be named the Phoenix Theatre or the Metro
politan Opera House. This is the same dimensions
as the old Metropolitan Hall, 100 by l5O feet and
when completed will be the largest establishment
Of the kind in the country The rear of the theatre
is where was the stage of the Metropolitan Hail. and
the stage OF the establishment Is in the place Of
the old entrance reversing the former and the pres
eht building end for end. One of the important fea-
lures OF the new building is the many exits aud
entrances, by which the entire audience assembled
within its walls, in case of fire. be emptied into
the streets at moments warning. The main en-
trance Is from Broadway. One OF the lots adjoining
the Bond street House has been reserved for this.
On the Mercer street side there eight different
doorways for egress, so that q sudden rush from
the theatre would find no check till it reached
the street. The parquette connects with the
frst tier Of boxes similar to that of the Broadway
heatre when first built. The seats OF the parquette
have gradual rise from the stage, and are 80 near
the level Of the stage that every action upon it can
be seen by the entire audience Above the parquette
Will be three tiers Of boxes, each tier fifteen feet
above the other and every tier to be finished and fur
nshed In the neates, strongest and richest STYLE On
each side of the stage rise two Of private boxes
in al ten and every one Of them large and having
boxes are on level with ~ parquette and at each
end OF the orchestra seats and large enough to
seat party OF thirty persons. They are intended
for private parties who frequently wish to visit the
theatre and sit by themselves. Here they are &C.
commodated, and have every portion Of the stage
before them.
This theatre, when completed, will seat comforts
bly, three thousand five hundred people and in case
of any great attraction four thousand five hundred
people can be accommodated. The height from
parquette to dome is sixtyfOur feet The stage, in
the country, the width of the drop curtain being
sixty feettwenty feet wider than that Of the Broad
way theatre.
On the second floor, or the first floor over the
-
saloon for dinner parties, suppers, balls refresh
ments. These gorgeous halls will connect with the
second circle of the theatre, and from almost every
portion Of them the stage can be seen. BY this 1t Is
intended that in warm sultry weather, party may,
If they choose, sit at table in the saloon, and,
while enjoying their ice creams, at the same
time witness all that takes place upon the
STAGE The inner wall Of the theatre being on the
second tier wholly arched around the entire circle
opens the stage to view from the rereshment Saloons
as We have just stated. These saloons, it is est-
mated, will be large enough to seat at time about
one thousand persons.
Between the inner and the outer walls of the
theatre is q. lobby thirty feet wide, making
q. grand place for promenade between the
plays and acts, or when one is tired Of the per
formance. The orchestra box makes the entire
circle of the stage in front of the parquette, and
will be large enough to seat one hundred performers,
about five times large the orchestra Of any of
our other theatres.
This theatre is to he painted and decorated by
Giuseppe Guidcini, well known artist both in this
country and Europe. AS Mr.. Trimble has spared no
pains to make the building the first in the land, so
Mr.. Gudicini is resolved to make it surpass every
other in the splendor of its decorations.
The theatre and the stores now being erected
upon these premises will together cost something
over 100000. 1t is intended to have them all
finished by the first of October next and Mr..
Trim bic says the theatre will be ready to open by
the first of September next. At the present time,
one of the stores, have said, is externally COM
pleted, and the others and the theatre have been
raised to the second story, and the work is going
bravely This theatre when completed, bids
fair to be unlike other establishments Of the kind that
building already in full blast, fit only for
a picture gallery or circus, pantomime and rope
dancing, but the Phoenix theatre, while it will an
swer for all these purposes, will in addition to them
be unequalled as home for the drama, opera or
song.
This completes the list of the main improvements
now going up in Broadway. In addition to those
we have enumerated, there are few alterations in
buildings taking place, but of them calculated
to have much effect in changing the appearance Of
this street.