page_title: Lai Chun Yuen Opera House
section_title: Current building
hierarchical_section_title: Lai Chun Yuen Opera House / Current building
caption_attribution_description: English: Hotel Rooms
context_page_description: Singapore during the late 1800s was a bustling international city. During this period of colonial Singapore, many Chinese immigrants moved into Singapore due to their own population boom back in China and they were looking for better economic opportunities. The streets were full of activities as the different communities had started to take root in their own settlements. These communities brought to Singapore cultural activities such as operas, circuses, gambling and economic activities such as stock and commodity trading.
  The architectural history of Singapore likewise flourished during this period to accommodate to the increased demand from the ever-growing, cosmopolitan and wealthy population. Buildings were built to provide housing, amenities and entertainment for various classes of elites and workers.
context_section_description: Changes were made to the interior of the building. The small cubicles used for private activities back in the opera days have been converted into hotel rooms, escalators were built for ease of moving between floors and steel structures were installed from ground to ceiling to maintain the building as well as to prevent potential injuries from the old building.
  The biggest change to the hotel is that the stage on the second floor has been torn down and replaced by a sitting area in the hotel for the guests. This was done as the current owner of Lai Chun Yuen felt that he should use the space in the hotel. 
  The hotel has artifacts and paintings from the Chinese opera. However, the artefacts were not from the original Lai Chun Yuen Opera House, but bought and designed by the current hotel owner, Opera House Hotel. There are also information boards all around the hotel educating the guests on Chinese opera. As such, numerous curious guests and passer-by have also approached the manager to enquire on the history of the hotel. Although this is most attention that the opera house would receive – passing curiosity. Despite scholarly and news articles written on it, it is still not widely known or recognised.
  The hotel does not hold opera plays. They used to hold Chinese arts performances but it was hard to recoup the costs due to the high cost of inviting performers and most of the time, people did not appreciate the opera plays. Mediacorp visits the hotel occasionally to film Chinese New Year music videos or shows.
  Kreta Ayer People’s Theatre also commemorated Chinese arts performances since its formation in the 1960s. The theatre is located at the nearby Kreta Ayer Road and numerous shows, including Chinese opera, are played there. Hence, Chinese arts have not been lost in transition.
caption: Hotel Rooms
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