The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-17
hkE'S OPERA HOUSE.
Progress Of the Work-Full Details and
Description Of the Building What
It to Be When ccmpleted-Style
of It's Decorations-It Interior
and Exterior-Facts, Figures
aud Dimensions.

IT'S gratifying indication Of the steady vigorous
Erowth OF attic that managerial enterprise and
ssai keep adequate pace the growing taste for
higher purer ideal among the
psirons OF The modern drama The drama during The
past twenty years, with some exceptions. has made
satisfactory and ennobng progress towards better and
elevated standard; and with this progress the
demand for dramatic temples suited TO the growing SEN
ilnent Of the age has advanced also. The result 10
apparent In the magnificent edi6ces which have been
ssces,y dedicated TO the Muse In parts Of the
country, some Of them even rvang the palaces Of the
ORIENT in grandeur Of decoration, Of detail
and georgeousness OF finish. The rationale OF this 10
obvious The civilzing tendencies Of the age aGsc,
society all It's relations and the age advances the
sases Of the people become fAstioous. The
that demands revival Of the legitimate in era-
and the hmner's art demands likewise . higher
standard Of dramatic art and better theatres than
heretofore been the fashion. Finished cultivated
acting In lae atmosphere OF uudecoratcd theatre
would be equfl TO placing kngly feas, paupers
nut or an elegant sword in . clumsy sheath.
Some thought Of this kind have passed through
che mind OF Mr. N Pike OF Cincinnati whom no con-
Guided TO erect the elegant and costly uptown sdce
now very nearly completed Tho enterprise is purely
en- individual one. He has called to aid mono OF tho
joint stock manipuators who arc common nowadays,
but relying upon his large and extended practical
peuence, his great energy and perseverance, and bis
immense captal-report makes him worth fully three
milons-hs has gone to work zeaously and fearlessy
70 complete a magnIncsn, viii long rebound
70 his credit
Looming grandly up high above all other buildings
The avenue marble pie Of gigantic size and handsome
proportions, stands the building which destined 10
occupy conspicuous position among the popular ,bea,
sfca edinees Of New York The establishment located
the west side OF Eighth avenue commencing at tho
OF twenty third and occupying nearly half
the block northery. The frontage Eighth avenue Ia
1l2 feet north from the Of twenty third street. and
The frontage Twenty 100 feet west from
tho OF the The ground plan OF irregular
formation, the opera house being built ween Tho two
streets an not directly Ia Of the building The
extreme depth, west from ghth avenue a25 feet CIV.
ng lot OF ground In round figures OF about 1lo By 27s
BESIDES additional lot Twenty fourth street OF 10
by SIS Deep running back to the westerly end
the north boundary Of the principal lot, and making
Lhe aggregate fully 1900 superficial feet. The
sornsf building y oor Stories high and constructed
ornamental iron work The foundations are deep an
bread and the main walls are severa. feet thick and
pat marble STRUCTURE is q combination Of the Italian
Ind Connthian orders. over the PRINCIPAL entrance
Eighth avenue rises magnificent Corinthian portio,
importing Two marble figures representing Music and
Comedy. Above these. and standing from
ne third story, arc the statues OF shasspesro
md Mozart in bas-relief. aud slrmsnnling all,
n the summit OF the edince. stands an elegantly
Apollo being the central figure and vde and Erato ap
earring on either Side These feautures, added to the
aasr one 4 the aness i in .he city ,s'''
The interior OF tho bu diug merits fully rinute .
description Is the exterior. The na smsnt door is .
60xe0 feet and will b. devoted the purposes OF
! restaurant and nttod up. in style suited 10 the
md; md; ss:A foo, Upon u: @
ss.as: u Tisa.S ::.sss. On The J. second ssss
md ball room purposss occupying an area
yalercs and orchestra stand whole ornamcnled By
columns. spsndres and other devices Of elaborte
Ibis grand haii. one Eighth and one on
twenty third street. each t~enyihree feet wsis. Adj
pom, and above it the fourth door, rosns or
bdse meetings. COMMITTEES rooms, &c This elegant
bince Is eghiyhve feet high aud 10 cd by
attractive and substantially built Mansard roof
The Opera House located between Twentythird and
streets IN the rear OF tho marble struc
ssntTe Of the block r. sluatsd sixty eight feet nom
fweny-lhird stre,i and sixt.aye feel from Twenty
fourth street. rontcg toward Eighth avenue, but Ill
Isst iron lu dimer sions ars:-1s6 fcst deep oy
eighty feet vide. exclusive OF tbs ves,blle the
sastery and connect with the corner building, oh
forty by eighty feet The auditorium, from floor TO
selling seveniy feet high. and divided iu,o par
aue paTqust clrce dress circle and FANNY circle The
building nil accommodate fully Zoo people. Ia
addition 20 tho seats already n.ionsd thsre
oommodass four per-ons sscn, ana sl1 prosoeniuu
soxe.. roony and e'egant sixteen feet wide, twelve
opsrs House arc msSn,scsns The s,yIs Il somexhs,
caprcious and varied, but moro pesry resembles the
Eiizscethan than any other order The aim has bces
evidently 10 harmon everything, Color ornament and
style, 40 that tho effect would be both striking
And satisfactory The walls arc plasssred and
relief The second tier IL onamensec with small
spids and musical devices ana the th~i tier
porting the tiers also handsomely oruamented with
raised ccug wrenhs OF leaves The dress Circle bo,es
The prosceninm Is csrrespondingiy ornamened p.
far OF scalos N imitation Of porrbyry, and are 6aped
with curtains Of white aud blue The decorations Of the
pro-s, ium are very slegan, and elaborate the
face beng covered wh rich and piasinz dcslns and
cd orEamentations Of exquisite design and eaecu
Non Tue ceinng In Covered shh substantial
canvas and upon blue ground escna.ng the
eupois or dons are nine figures representing the ns
nusss 10 IN tinted coors and cued With nj arts
tsie aud KIN by Mr. ,. Ausea. The remainder OF the
ceiling 10 covered with beautiful aud appropriate de-
signs. all OF which the general effect aud har
naoy OF the Interior 0ns 81 the striking feaurcs
sf t.e Opera nove tue dome, which surmounts the
of auditorium aud ~hch through beautifully
nsned Windows admits Sufficient daylight 10 MI all
p.rss Of the building. rns dome is thidy fee, IN
diameter and contains an inner gallery In wbcn are
psced esht tgur-s IN ststuesqus made Of paper mache
vhh ,ne muses. upon the ceiling These figures eaca
eve feet IN neigh. appropriately designed, and each
b-s-irg cluster OF burners. The cupola, which
crowns the dome 70 ocisgouai In form. aiming sky
NJ = sixteen feet In diameter Encrciiny the loser
Porion Of The dome are lines Of sS y. which when
krougt Into reqalston win tend brighten the bs.
sssnt effect OF coorng aud styi of the opera
house apho tered crimson plush. also the
sHinEs OF arsss crcls aud proscenlam boxes The ps
vasln. tipts throughout the auditorium white
god the e.ue ground Of the ceAnx curtains
pro~ssnium boxes Bong the only eptonG IL n bat
justice add that the elaborate decorations OF
interior due entirely 20 the and skin OF r
a. Guielcin. the artist who designed Mr.. Pixies
sipciunau OPEN Hosse The papier marhe ornAmsniAr
lions are the work Of H. Thbauit
me Arrangements Tor illuminating this grand and az
esnslys Interior are most elaborate and liberal
soAe In front Of the proscsnam boxes shetc are tao
large bronze chandeliers each side and extending
edward iron rslng of the second tier are sun
cient pume~r of burners 10 brilliantly ilieIuns Tho
vbos " the pargueue and pafQsere circle. kSsendng
upward from the railing OF sbe third tier. when encr
Giles ths auditorium, Msssn t~enty csnfe!aora
containing i've banners each 10 addition 20 these
~ jss extcnds along the side walls OF che third
tser which, With the burners contained in the dome
sverhead combine convenience for iiumipaticn unsu-
passed In any similar building in too conntry The
llgLf M ~tu fo rnoAa and ma