The state chronicle., 1893-05-21
THE OPERA HOUSE.
The Interior Decorations are Completed
and are Beautiful.

The Interior Decorations are Completed
and are Beautiful.
There are many visitors to the Opera
House these days, and Mr.. A. F. Page,
the owner, has to answer many questions.
For month deft fingers have piled the
brush on wall and ceiling and the result,
now complete, il most attractive. In
fact no building here is so beautiful in
the matter of interior decoration, since
in the opera house all is hand-work and
not the common kind in which the stem
Gil and not the artist figures. In this
case there was an artist, Mr.. Eugene
d. Monfa!cone, of Baltimore, and Mr..
Page is to be congratulated upon en-
ploying him.
Yesterday the scaffolding was re-
mo. ed and the decorations exposed to
view. a repo1 ter spent an hour in ex-
amining them and found the general
effect highly artistic, graceful and pleas
ing Nothing is garlsh. The tints are
quiet, and where rich colors are used it
Is but sparingly and with correct taste.
The ceiling is the centre Of attraction
and of ornamentation. The style of it's
decoration is classical. 1t is divided into
three panels The central one of these
is in three tints. forming a sort Of sun
burst, with a delicate light at the outer
sweep of the circle, and with border of
flowers, such as roses, morning glories,
&c. The latter fall, as wreaths around
q May pole, in graceful curls. Inter
twined in the second circle of flowers is
ribbon, in the Venetian style, imita-
tion of silk. The effect of this is very
airy and graceful.
In the panel nearest the entrance are
modern musical instruments. the flute,
mandolin, harp, violin, guitar, &C., with
open music books and comic masks, the
painting Of those objects being striking
ly natural. Intertwined among them
are ribbons, also in the Venetian style,
and above them gracefully curls spray
of flowers.
In the panel nearest the stage are
more ancient musical instruments, such
as the Tyre, trumpet, tambourlne, GYM
balls, drums, etc, bordered by comic
masks. Rolls and books of music are
also in this panel, and there is spray
Of flowers.
Between these panels are ornaments
IN "cartoC clio, ID char oscuro Tor light
and shadow, the tint of their back
ground being ali imitation Of old gold.
These ornaments make a proper con-
tratt with the lighter tints of the
panels, which are thus like pictures set
in frame.
Over the proscenium arch the top of
the front of the stage is another car
tocclo ornament also IN char 'oscuro,
with music rolls, horns and triangle
with ribbons intertwined.
The trleze represents the acanthus,
IN conventional forms, with a drapery
IN brown and gold and other tints. The
color of the walls is terra-cotta, re-
lleved by banks of white The front of
the gallery, which is deeply bowed,
represents continuous drspery, pea
cock blue in two shades, the design be-
ing Pompeiian.
Mr.. Nj Monfalcone's work will be found
to be quite out of the common, and is
relief amid the mass of stencil work SO
generally used, to which it is of course,
far superior. All the dainty designs IN
the panels were carefully hand-painted,
and the flowers and the musical lnstru-
ments especially are well orthy of par
tlcular study.
The iron pillars supporting the gal
lery and the two which support the roof
are IN terra-cotta, their capitals being in
sky-blue and gold.
1t will be MOI th or more before the
building is completed. 1t will of course
be ready for the next theatrical season
The main entrance is by means of a
broad and low stairway, on South Sails
bury street. The entrance to the colored
side Of the gallery is on the same street
The stairway to the white side of the
gallery begins on the second floor The
stage entrance is on West Martin street.
The dressing rooms occupy the entire
space under the stage and will have
many convenlences. Access to tie stage
from these is given by two short stair
ways. The stage opening is Of liberal
width and the arrangement of the four
boxes is excellent. The gallery is on a
design quite different from anything in
the State, the pitch or Eslope being very
sharp. This will make one seat as good
as any other, since there is a view from
all. The seats will be SO arranged as to
IN all cases face the stage. The seating
capacity Of the building will be l,2O0.
Many of the opera chairs have arrived.
There will be 200 orchestra chairs in
plush, the remainder having perforated
wood backs and seats There is we'll
arranged toilet room for ladies on the
second floor, at the entrance to the
parquet.
The painting of the woodwork is now
IN progress. The workmen are also
putting finishing touches on the other
parts of the building. 1t is said that
an insurance company and one of the Sc
cret societies will have quarters in the
building, and that printing establish.
ment will occupy the basement. The
sidewalks are to be laid with vitrifed
brick, IN the same manner as the side.
walk at the court house.