The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-23
History Of the Buildings Which Have Stood
an the Site.
From the london Obseryer. nee. a.l

from the London Observer, Dec 81
Tho first theatre built tn spot erected by Sir
John vanbrugh. II was raised by thirty persons Of
rank, principally OF the vhig party il We may Judge
by Their inscbing the FIRST stone with the words Little
Whg,n In compliment TO Lady sutherland, celebrated
beauty OF the day. The money subscribed was fl00
each, and the theatre opened April Q, 1905. with an
Italian opera, which far from being successful In
the year l720 OF ESQ 900 raised by subscrip.
ton support the italian opera On June IL 1882 the
accident the opera transferred first TO the little
theatre In the Hay market and Subsequently 10 the
Pantheon In Oxford street, which was licensed TO the
Lord Chamberlain.
During this interval Mr. Taylor the proprietor Of the
old Opera House, exered himself 30 successfully tina.
tho foundation OF the new erection laid by the Duke
OF Buckingham and IA less than year the house
completed The season Of 1871 At the Pantheon was
very unsuccessful 10 the manager Mr. 0'Reily, who
thereby incurred debt TO the amount OF $50 600 On
the new Opera House being completed q general opera
establishments formed. and the direction reposed IN
Ave nobemen on whose refusal 70 act the management
should devove on Taylor. and the debts OF the
Pantheon season were transferred TO the new
concern. The then Lord Chamberlain refused
to grant tho license. but, the Pantheon being
destroyed by FIRE IN tho following season. the Kings
opera commenced The .nsr. nsn.a..nsns soon fsIl
INTO W Taylors bsnas and thus sonpgued an 1903 10
The opera the amount Of fl750o. being seven-sx.
20 rSst FOR ns on rh us
the Kings theatre stood hold lease from the
Crown The audience and stage part being two distinct
annure. These extended the year 1891 Goold
conducted the management til his death, In 1907
and the salary received by her in the season OF
1907 f5 600, and her total profits with concerts &C.
GIG. 700. On Goods death the managem de-
VOWED Taylor, who soon became involved In chan
Gerry suit with Mr. Waters Goods executor No CHANGE
however. took place ill 1873 when the house for
closed BY order OF the Lord Chancellor. In
1914 II was reopened under the management Of Mr..
Waters, who purchased under decree for f35 COO In
the meantime Taylor was prisoner for debt In the
Kings bench.
In 1915 the theatre again put nm for sale and the
whole chased BY Mr. Waters for c7O 49,
who, TO raise the money, mortgaged the opera honss
year 1917 brilliant one for the company included
Madame Fodor and Madame Pasta with Creveli, BeRrer
Naldi, Ambrogetti, &c and "Don Giovanni was first
made known 10 English audience In 1918 the con.
ope and ballet having been announced for repre-
scutson, the company arriving at the doors OF
house unable TO obtain admission, for Mr. Waters
bad Withdrawn TO Calais and the theatre closed.
Ebers, who volunteered as manager and In the hrst
he greatly improved the ballet that tho salaries
OF dancers alone amounted 70 fl0 o00 Az the conciu
OF the OF 1923 the theatre Mr. Be-
nelll; but Mr. Ebsrs afterwards resumed the manage.
ment, which he retained I'LL the close OF 1927 In 1925
tho theatre let 10 Mr. Laporte and NJ Laurent al
the rent OF fs 600. and this . Of great
success IN consequence OF the combined attractions
Of Sontag ana Pasta In s OF the seven years
tha, ,r Ebcrs held the Opera House he lost however,
ga 600.
Tho theatre passed through various hands with nuc-
tus,ing fortunes Till Mr. Lumloy a much TO restore its
popularity m 1892. when he commenced his manage
ment and 1s4f Gas singulnry brilliant season. through
the debut OF JennysLnd In 1861 after short
and for the last Ave the theatre has under
the dfrections OF MI. kapleson II was known the
largest 10 Europe, la Scala at Milan, alone excepted
The exterior was greatly improved bv Mcssra Nash and
Repton In 1918, and thcn surrounded all sides By
. covered colonnads supported by Donc pillars