HISTORY OF THE MODELL PAC AT THE LYRIC
OCTOBER 31, 1894 – THE MUSIC HALL (THE ORIGINAL NAME) OPENED WITH THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND NELLIE MELBA PERFORMING HER RENDITION OF HANDEL’S “SWEET BIRD” ARIA.
1896 – ON SUMMER EVENINGS, THE THEATER WAS DECORATED IN BEER GARDEN FASHION AND POLKAS FILLED THE AIR.
1898 – GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH AND AIMEE SEMPLE McPHERSON FOUND CONVERTS IN LYRIC AUDIENCES AS DID COLONEL ROBERT INGERSOLL WHO LECTURED ON “HOW TO REFORM MANKIND.”
1904 – THE METROPOLITAN OPERA BEGINS A LONG RUN OF PRESENTING PERFORMANCES.
1905 – LIGHTWEIGHT BOXING – JOE GANS, THE LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION, FOUGHT MIKE SULLIVAN
1905 – FIRST DEMONSTRATION OF ELECTRIC COOKING IN BALTIMORE
1906 – GUS SCHOENLEIN (KNOWN AS AMERICUS), WRESTLED GEORGE HACKENSCHMIT, THE WORLD’S CHAMPION.
1908 – OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN PRESENTED A SEASON OF OPERA AT THE LYRIC AND PLANNED TO REMODEL THE BUILDING, ENLARGE THE STAGE AREA, AND ADD ANOTHER BALCONY.
1909 – OTTO KAHN, REPRESENTING THE METROPOLITAN OPERA, BOUGHT THE BUILDING AND RENAMED IT THE LYRIC THEATRE.
1916 – BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FOUNDED AND PERFORMNACES HELD IN THE LYRIC UNTIL 1982.
1920 – A GROUP OF MUSIC LOVERS RAISED $250,000 AND PURCHASED THE THEATRE FROM OTTO KAHN.
1921 – A $50,000 RENOVATION ELIMINATED THE “LITTLE LYRIC,” A CHAMBER RECITAL HALL, AND PROCDED AN ENLARGED BALCONY WITH SEATING OF 2,800.
1962 – IN LEO BERANEK’S BOOK “MUSIC, ACOUSTICS AND ARCHITECTURE,” THE LYRIC RECEIVES ACCOLADES FOR ITS SOUND. “OF ALL THE HALLS IN THE UNITED STATES, THIS HALL SOUNDS BEST FROM THE STAGE. TO THE CONDUCTOR, THE ORCHESTRA SOUNDS AS IT SHOULD.”
1965 – BEVERLY SILLS HEADLINES THE BALTIMORE OPERA COMPANY’S PRODUCTION OF DON GIOVANNI (ONE OF HER 3 APPEARANCES)
MARCH 31, 1974 – THE LYRIC’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT FEATURES THE RETURN OF THE BOSTON SYMPHONY. THOMAS PERRY, MANAGER OF THE SYMPHONY SAID, “I’VE ALWAYS BEEN SO GREAT AN ADMIRER OF THE LYRIC, WHICH SEEMS TO ME ONE OF THE FEW HALLS IN THIS COUNTRY NOT ONLY WITH GOOD SOUND, BUT WITH A CERTAIN STYLE AND ATMOSPHERE AND A TRADITION, IF YOU WILL, THAT I HOPE WE CAN PRESERVE.”
APRIL 30, 1978 – ELLA FITZGERALD PERFORMED
APRIL 8, 1980 – THE FINAL PERFORMANCE OF THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA’S LONG RUN IN BALTIMORE
1980 – 1982 – THE FIRST PHASE OF MODERNIZATION OF THE LYRIC INCLUDES A NEW LOBBY, SEATS AND AIR CONDITIONING.
APRIL 21 – MAY 18, 1984 – YUL BRENNER STARS IN THE KING AN I ANOVER OVER 70,000 ATTEND OVER 4 WEEKS
OCTOBER 9 - 13, 1984 – PATTI LABELLE PERFORMS 5 SOLD OUT PERFORMANCES
MARCH 3 – 28, 1987 – THE BROADWAY SHOW CATS PLAYS AND OVER 75,000 ATTEND.
FEBRUARY 12, 1998 – JAMIE FOXX PERFORMS A SOLD OUT SHOW
JULY 5, 2002 – THE SHOW THAT SOLD OUT IN 5 MINUTES – ROBIN WILLIAMS PERFORMS AT THE LYRIC
DECEMBER 8 – 15, 2000 – THE BALTIMORE OPERA COMPANY PRESENTS ITS FIRST WINTER PRODUCTION – HANSEL AND GRETEL
For more than a century, the Lyric Opera House has been one of the City's most lively and important institutions. Now we look forward to ushering in this exciting new chapter in its long and illustrious history.
