Abby Davidson

Belfast’s iconic Grand Opera House, designed by prolific architect Frank Matcham, first opened in December 1895. Since then, it has become a hub of culture, showing ballets, musicals, pantomimes, and comedy, as well as providing tours and educational events. In 2020, the historic auditorium underwent an extensive £12.2 million restoration, led by an expert restoration team. After being closed down for nearly two years, the much-loved theatre was able to reopen to the public on October 6.

Customer Experience Assistant, Lucy Walton, who has worked at the theatre since before the restoration and is involved in running the theatre’s tours, shared that visitors to the Grand Opera House compared the old décor to “a school canteen” and felt that the auditorium seemed disconnected from the rest of the building. The restoration included a refurbished front entrance and bar, retouches to the ceiling paintings in the auditorium, new carpets and seats, more leg room and accessible seating, and a new lighting and sound desk. According to Lucy, the responses to the refurbishment have been overwhelmingly positive. Audiences have remarked that the theatre now feels “comfortable” and that the new décor is “fantastic”.

As well as a refurbishment of the interiors, the restoration project brings with it a new Heritage Exhibition which tells the story of the Grand Opera House in a visual and interactive manor. Providing a behind-the-scenes insight into the workings of the theatre and showing off the famous faces that have graced the stage, including Laurel and Hardy and Pavarotti, the new exhibition, which will be opening to the public soon, is sure to be a success with history and drama students.

The theatre now feels “comfortable” and the new decor is “fantastic” after refurbishment. (Lucy Walton)

Suzanne Garuda, the interior designer responsible for the refit, described the new interiors as “vivid” and “luscious” with a “dramatic” look that she believes will draw audiences in. She wanted to create a “flow” between the original building and the 2006 extension, creating a connection between the historical and modern parts of the theatre, rather than making the two sections feel like separate buildings. Upon arrival, audiences are now greeted by a sweeping grand staircase. Lucy described the first reactions of visitors to the new staircase by describing how they are “stopping and going ‘wow’” upon seeing the transformation – a statement that speaks for itself.

After reopening on October 6, the theatre welcomed audiences back with a run of much-loved musicals, including Grease and Hairspray the Musical. A series of West End musicals will be playing until the last week of November, when the first post-lockdown pantomime performance will be returning to the famous stage. Dame May McFetty will star in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a show that is expected to bring in an audience of 76,000 throughout its run.

The Covid-19 lockdown has had a big impact on the theatre. The Grand Opera House is a receiving house theatre, meaning it does not produce its own shows, and instead plays shows produced by theatre companies across the country, which rely on a full house to run. This meant the venue could only open when social distancing rules came to an end. Current audiences still need to adhere to some restrictions, such as wearing a mask inside the venue and showing their vaccination documents, but as Lucy put it, “people are going to have a different experience” in a way that is both safe and fun.

The venue has been shortlisted for ‘Best Major Regeneration of an Historic Building or Place – Over £1 Million’ category of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Angel Awards. Cast your vote here.

The Grand Opera House reopens – and they are “glad to be back!”