Among the many ancient monuments of Mumbai, the Royal Opera House is one. You may be surprised to know that this opera house is the only surviving opera house in the country today. This Opera House is located at the Charni Road close to Girgaum Chowpatty in Mumbai city in the state of Maharashtra. The structure of the Opera House was built in the year 1912 but the work started in 1909. As it was built under the British rule, it was named Opera House otherwise it would had some Indian name. In the year 1911, the place was inaugurated by King George V. The structure was not completely ready by 1911 and new additions were continued in the structure till 1915. The structure of Royal Opera House is a blend of Indian and European style of Architecture. The upper part of the building is in the shape of a triangle with intricate carvings. The architects who designed the structure of Opera House were Maurice Bandmann and Jehangir Framji Karaka.Initially many opera as well as live performances were organised here but when cinema got the immense popularity during 1930s this place also modified to screen movies. This place once used to be the prestigious platform to organize fashion shows and screening of films. The building was amended as per the requirements to held movie shows in 1930 because of the popularity of cinemas. It had become a place for elite society of city. Situated in a prime location of Mumbai today, the glory of this once popular structure of city had lost its sheen in the 1980s because with the time many new multiplexes came into existence and the demand for single theater was almost negligible. Due to heavy losses, the Opera House had to be closed in 1993. The last film show screened here was in 1991 while the last fashion show staged here was in 1993 named Kathiawad Fashion Show. The Opera House was then obtained by the royal Gondal family for a period of 999 years on lease. This grand heritage of India is neglected for many decades due to lack of attention. Recently from the year 2008 the restoration drive was initiated by Maharashtra government to restore its heritage monuments and these attempts are still going on. It is being tried by the conservation and restoration team to bring back the original grandeur of this structure back so that it can be brought back to lime light of tourists’ attraction list.To build this stunning structure, Italian marble is used. Three angels were fixed on the top of the triangle pinnacle of the structure. The grand crystal chandelier known as Sans Souci was installed in the Opera House. It was donated by David Sassoon family. This grand piece of decorative lighting was illuminating Sassoon Mansion earlier. The dome of the structure was designed in such a way that it pays tribute to poets, novelists, literati, dramatists, people belonging to art and culture. The inside of the Opera House had orchestra stalls, rows of cane chairs, 26 rows of boxes with couches, a grand stage, etc. Distinct acoustic system was there in the Opera so that everyone can get the clear sound even from a distance.Some of the events held at the Opera House in the past are as under:• Entertainment show by American Magician Raymond• Premiers of bollywood movies• Live performances by
- French production Pathe
- Prithvi Raj Kapoor
- Bal Gandharva
- Dinanath Mangeshkar
- Lata Mangeshkar
• Fashion shows• Public eventsAfter the restoration work completes, the place will come alive with grand performances and cultural events and revive its legacy to be a significant place in the city of Mumbai.RUCHI MAHAJANзайм на карту без отказов круглосуточновзять кредит онлайн