PALACE OF LUXURY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 24, 13 September 1911, Page 6

PALACE OF LUXURY.

LONDON’S MAGNIFICENT NEW / OPERA HOUSE. The London Opera House (says the “Standard”) which is being erected in Kingsway by Mr Oscar Hammerstein is rapidly nearing completion. The building itself is practically finished, and an army, of. 1000 plasterers will take possession. Mr Hammerstein’r venture is being watched with great ! interest on both sides of the Atlantic,' and a number of American Aiillionaircs are chartering an Atlantic liner to bring them to England for the purpose of witnessing the first performance on November 11th. , Mr is takjyig no half pectus he-states that: rGrahd opera can succeed ohly when it presented ‘grand’ in every detail; it must be grand in auditorium and on the .stage; ,gr.a»(J git singers, musicians, 'seeneryj and costumes';' its •'director and its staff must be imbued with the loftic^t ix of purpose. ;lf by any influences, I havewsdjcceeded in what will bo found an inchinparable ensemble; 37 . . To be ffifeessful I must not ; I must interest.” A WONDERFUL THEME. If thoroughness and attention to every rocpiirejnont means success, Mr Hammerstein is going to be cmiently successful. TheffFis a note of completeness about the whole undertaking., TII9 .work is. a wonderful .combination of . -speed and thoroughness. On November - ' Ist last the excavations wore cbmfrienced, and on November 11th next the curtain will rise for the first time in one of the most beautiful theatres in the world. Three hundred men have been employed, and the number of hours worked up till Saturday was 570,000. In creating the foundations 24,000 tons of earth were excavated, and the quantities of material used have been 120 • tons of granite, 2800 tons of sand, 2000 tons of ballast, 1000 tons of breeze for the floors, 3000 tons of Portland stone, 3\ million bricks,, 800 tons of steel, and, up to the present, 1500 tons of cement have been used.

THE INTERIQR ARRANGEMENTS The Opera House, is constructed to .accommodate' 2700 persons, and 43 .boxes are being constructed, including a handsome suite for the use of the King., ;• The .stage measures 90 by I 60 feet, 'and is specially constructed with (a vijfeVr'To magnificent spectacular effects. A fireproof curtain will ho provided, which in case of fire will ho lowered and automatically flooded with water, while on tho stage itself a lantern will he arranged which will open: automatically in case of lire, thus causing a draught to carry away the heat and smoke from the public portion of the house. The ground floor below the street level will he entirely devoted to stalls and boxes, and above the stalls suspended from the circle will be a complete tier of boxes, each with its own retiring room. Two other tiers are arranged on eaeli side of the auditorium. , Above the Silases: will be the grand circle, and rtjjqvo that the lower and upper galleficsi Every seat throughout the house will, be fauteuil. The proscenium arch ’will bo 45 feet by ,30 feet, and somewhat funnel-shaped, to throw out tho sound, The back of the circles and gallery will bo screened off, thus preventing the audience being disturbed by prOmenaders., Tho entrance hall will be GO foci by 30 feet, and surrounded by a peristyle Of Corinthian columns, the special feature of the frontage being the central window, 39 feet in height. Statues illustrative of music and art stand up on the corners, and each end of the building is crowned with large groups of classic statuary. The work is being carried out entirely by British workmen, and only British material is used.