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Opera House, Quay Street, Manchester
Also known as the New Theatre / New Queen's Theatre

Manchester Index

Above - Detail of the auditorium and procenium arch of the Opera House, Manchester in 1980
Photo Courtesy Ted Bottle.

The Opera House on Quay Street, Manchester was built in 1912 by Farquharson, Richardson & Gill and originally opened as the New Theatre. The Theatre became the New Queen’s Theatre in 1915, and didn't actually become the Opera House until 1920.

The Theatre was Manchester's main Touring House until 1979 when it closed and was converted for Bingo use but this lasted for only five years and in 1984 it was bought by the Palace Theatre Trust who had previously saved the Manchester Palace Theatre and live Theatre was reinstated.

Left - Programme for 'Murder in Mayfair' by Ivor Novello, and staring Novello, Fay Compton, and Edna Best, at the Opera House, Manchester in August 1934.

Right - Programme for Prince Littler's 'Glamorous Nights' by Ivor Novello, a transfer from London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane, at the Opera House, Manchester in February 1936.

Above - The auditorium of the Opera House, Manchester in 1980
Photo Courtesy Ted Bottle.

The Opera House has a very large auditorium with two cantilevered balconies, each with a capacity of around 500, but because of their size they have rather restricted sight-lines to the rear. The Theatre's current capacity is 1,920.

Left - The Opera House, Manchester - From a Programme 1934.

Right - Wartime Programme for 'The Love Racket' with Arthur Askey at the Opera House, Manchester in September 1943.