page_title: Royal Wanganui Opera House
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: Royal Wanganui Opera House / Background
caption_attribution_description: English: Whanganui, New Zealand opera house built in the weatherboard style. Photo from March 1967.
context_page_description: The Royal Wanganui Opera House is New Zealand's last Victorian theatre. Located in St Hill Street in central Wanganui, the 110-year-old theatre seats 830 and is the venue for many local, national and international events.
  These include grand opera, operetta, tribute concerts, piano recitals, orchestral concerts, school events, lectures, graduations, fashion shows, dance of all forms, and floral theatre.
  Functions requiring a stage and auditorium style seating can be accommodated. Wedding ceremonies have been performed and the stage can accommodate a reception of up to 80.
  The Opera House has its own ticketing system but maintains a link to TicketDirect Network.
context_section_description: In 1897, Wanganui Borough Councillor F.M. Spurdle proposed that Queen Victoria’s “record reign” should be commemorated by the building of an opera house. The idea was supported by Mayor Alexander Hatrick,  an investigative committee was established and the council agreed to proceed.
  The Wanganui Opera House Company published a prospectus in a local newspaper in March 1897. Of the 5000 £1 shares, 4000 were offered to the public.
  The council announced a competition  to design the opera house, to be sited beside the council chambers in  St Hill St. The  successful architect was to be rewarded with supervision of the job, and a commission of five percent on the total cost, with a second prize of £40 and third prize of £20. The winner, Wellington architect, George Stevenson, was announced in January, 1899. Stevenson died that July, the day on which the foundation stone was laid. A retired Wanganui builder, James Tawse, took over supervision free of charge. The tender of £4597 was awarded to a former employee of his, Swiss-born Nicholas Meuli, who ran his own building company in Wanganui.
caption: The Opera House in 1967, before the paint job.
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