A Night At The Opera

This picture is actually from our trip to see Carmen on Thursday, but I thought the interior of Blackpool Grand Theatre was just too good not to be shared. And there is a slightly tenuous connection to today in that I’ve just booked tickets to see the comic Katherine Ryan there next March.
This is a true Frank Matcham designed theatre dating back to 1894. Interestingly, he also designed the Tower Ballroom around the same time, one of his few non theatre designs. It seems that, like many provincial theatres, it fell into disuse and was only rescued and restored to its former glory by a band of dedicated volunteers.
Much like my favourite local theatre, the Lancaster Grand, though as that predates Blackpool by over a century, Matcham’s involvement there was more of a makeover/remodel than a start from scratch. Unfortunately a big fire just before WW1 destroyed much of his work and the subsequent rebuild was in a more restrained Edwardian style. Though looking around Blackpool Grand I can see a few Matcham design elements that do survive in Lancaster - especially around the proscenium arch.
But nothing can detract from the ornate splendour of Blackpool, and I look forward to returning there next year.