The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-10-30
me following table gives he capacity of the house.

ne shareholders we're originally DESTROYS OF having
5000 IN the house. oat The architects msnAged 70
oserrale 70 oe. sha 0.se mus succesaeo
s~b.htes Of the establishment. But although the
sndnosum sill hold comfortably only ., 400 persons
and several In the state saii 10 hold
yea e Philadelphia Opera House Is much the largest In
the country taxing into consideration the pr 1cely
psrpons Of The obbies and restbnles the numerous
ssarusys ana the grandeur OF the saloons The aim OF
she seems 70 have been 70 produce effect
ther by colossal prop rons thai by ani'h Of minute do
snal yet every par, Of the cdiace 10 solid and
s1antai mons o, The work being oscampcd.u Al a sam
pie may cite the thickness Of the walls which at the
rsof measure three feet OF solid brick
The various tiers supported light iron columns
these IN The amponheatre sto,y beDg terminated by
arches spripg 10 the Other, bearing cor.
moe which carries the ceiling This latter 4 10 tho
tDrm Of double dome-a smalIer being placed above
nc snsre u tbe larger, or under one This ange-
sAcnt made with the dosign OF improving the
ventstion Of the house. The ceiling is CONSTRUCTED
sf wrought iron rbr q immense strength, the
srsee betsctn them alei 10 with wove wire game,
npcn which The plasteriDx y laid II 10 di rdei into
sight eompSnmcns the tour principal containing sieSo.
rsca representations OF MUSIC dancing Tragedy and Co
Eccy painted IN fcsco ara OIL 1, the diagonal paDeis
ere ne -Four Seasons. Tho artisn engaged on these
works Messrs Kazcr AL Schmolze, the latter gen
Neman having charge o. The atzorlcA sublscts. We
snay mention fere Of the ornamental work 10
executec paper mdac, every oornce, scrouw 5rx,
- being IN yooc and carved BY hand.
me prosccnirn decorated win six large Cortuthan
sonnns supporting enaolaiure under The proscssa
ar~h -Four colossal csryar6es IN kDeeiing po4iiio1
ssppor me pedimsns directly over the boses In order
ID idta Of The immense proportions Of these
o. ures 9cended The sca1cdlng from which Messrs.
Esfzer and scbmoize we're painting he ceiling and the
carr stdes tben appesred 70 reacn over Twelve feet ~
% O. oco feet Of timber 10 their construction Viewed
nom parguette thcy seemed alnou lost In the mag
nlsude Of the building. Prom this acsdoldng we
sSsAined an intimate inspection Of The oeuIing me
panels are nearly competed, and viii have .
ere eject when lighted up during performance. Inc
stars ana w give agreeable contrast the under
ceiling hlled the latter "a with prouse ornament
syr s ss sssc @ ss Ra , , "a |
s~s beivssr them. Tbe fronts NJ the tiers sseffy
but not eaboraisy. crnarenied-the architect having
Aroughout M work carefully avoided any redundancy
rive consider The stare tho finest feature In ,ne build.
rs that Of our opera houso i nowaTs 70 be compared
with a. 10 width 70 feet exien1s IRON the curtain 10
the back wall 70 feet; while the proscennm projects IL
et IN iros OF the curtain This latter opens ss feet
sche, sanarc the o. vii be varied g.
sua the Character o the Represent or me sage 10
bet height ADD bepeafn rbe loor Is spsoe -
sepsh, 40 levt lcng by - wide The halpus q operas
snd spectacle will appreciate the val 70 Of this arAnys
msut IN scenic dtpsy. EARTHQUAKES, shIpsrecxs and
such tffects can be vtueed IN anapproachabe mao
ser, unIess =, one or two houses IN Europe. be
cur kew f9fk Academy stsge only fourteen feet The
main Door and pavement .ge floor, nne feet bsp~
ccrsecied seclons and both Of them can be removed
The principal entrance 70 he ,sge - on Locust street,
nc southern en'ranoe n Wes'moreand street. Adjoiu
M th+ former q the sage managers office The door.
vsy IN Vcstmoreand sifeet 10 feet vide ami 1h FEE;
hgh, thus scenery, elephants and c0ar'r be m.
ooUccd directly on the stage from the street sh the
freaiest fariNty large rom u conveniently AZ hand
iD when vii NJ pierc1 a the i0rbna e. AZ re1ared
durirg tne evenings performance Tue zraea room Ia
"a feet BY ~ tei. and beneath j. j. suge room
nearly ,he same The most ample acnosn an 90
exists IN regard 70 dressing rooms mataznes, ward.
snd me taioribg d8 ,srtment oxeaeAing cyery
thing We have yet sea. Waler tlrgets a,d cash
hsetns are distributed THO ighoat and tha prima
doDra'E srstep'e cct ians a bsthrocm with all ne ne
fssssry nxiufef, thus rivlng L@z Sfangst Crrts
y "A R1's omrc. ioe ampest Opportunity f1r
eeck fsrt az ihe sisgc bs painers gatfy ~ et Ylg
~ AZ ieet ell W. W skyAghe from Shove sni Al la
tsr "a y Iss caepenters chop hre prpg room nearly
~. ssme size We may ~ web meuNUa here 10 me
scene renter whom found a. be ithors, Nr Rae
sou smith ~ pnia0cfphia he was 'on en- lnmndse
e.Eysas B0r lvst "a hesht, REPRESENTING saarse on