St. Paul daily globe., 1890-12-30
AN INSIDE GLANCE.
Description Of the Opera Hous
on Inaugural Night.


on Inaugural Night.
The Metropolitan theater was con-
structed with variety of purpose, and
it is conceived that every phase of in
tention was carried out. Safety, beauty
and convenience were the triplicate mo-
tives, and each was secured. There are
practically twenty exits, and the 1000
people who can be comfortably enter
tanned may easily be safely dis
missed, in an emergency, in one
and a half minutes. Beauty is secured,
not by any gaudy display in which
effect is produced at the expense of taste
and durability. but by harmony of color,
whether in decoration or upholstering,
and by the richest and most durable
material that money could produce.
Metal, marble and mosaic. which form
the staples of construction, lend the
beauty which will not in short time
become cheap and tawdry. In the point
of convenience, whether for the patron
in the luxurious chairs or the artist on
the stage, nothing has been omitted and
testimony to the fact was freely given
last night from both sources.
The visitor enters through a spacious
corridor from which lead the Stairways
to the Office building, the elevators and
the foyer entrance. Huge bronze doors,
with beveled plate. admit to the foyer
The latter, in the usual shape, is floored
in mosaic, portion of which is covered
with specially designed Wilton car
pet, which extends over the entire au-
ditorium and balcony. On either hand
bronze stairways lead up the balcony and
down to the retiring and smoking rooms.
The decorations, a prevailing tint of
lions name, is relieved by gilt figures
which enlarge as they reach the cove.
From the foyer full sweep of the au-
ditOrium and stage are obtained
through panels of beveled plate, which
protect the auditorium from draughts
and exclude all sound.
pattern, the gilt work corresponding
with the decorations, and the plush up
holstering of lions name perfectly ac-
cording with the draperies. There are
three tiers of prOscenium boxes on a
side, with three in each tier, besides
three large boxes in the balcony. The
box decorations, draperieS, upholster-
ing, with their ornamental Drass work,
correspond with the remainder of the
auditorium. The decoration, in relief.
in the box panels and about the bal
COMES, is OF Italian Renaissance, In re-
lief work. A departure, though in per-
feet consonance, is seen in the artistic
decoration of the proscenium arch, and
in the elaborate work which adorns the
panels of the sounding board. A feature
of decided beauty and attraction is the
ladies' parlOr, at the rear of the balcony
"a magnificent Withdrawing room, dsc-
GRATED in the same rich style.
In placing the electric lamps, which
are studded everywhere. and appear in
groups on the boxes and about the bal.
cony circle, care was taken to prevent
any observation of the stage; and in the
stage manipulation of the lights, the
desired effects are produced gradually
and without startling abruptions. MOI
| is it out of place to say the light effects
were so carefully studied that they add
| tenfold to the general appearance. and
are radiating without being Extensively
prominent.
The stage. with its complicated ma
| chinerY, the dressing rooms, so different
from the apologies usually found, the
appliances for heating and ventilatine
the auditorium, have all been hitherto
fully described. Every detail seems
perfect, and every piece of machinery
appeared to operate with the ease and
accuracy of a months practice.