Bardavon 1869 Opera House
35 Market Street,
Poughkeepsie,
NY
12601
35 Market Street,
Poughkeepsie,
NY
12601
10 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 34 comments found
Very nice photos.
Here is a May 2009 photo.
1975 Photo
1981 Photo
Here are some February 2002 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/64up4z
This is another photo of the Opera House.
A 1996 view of the Bardavon Theatre in Poughkeepsie.
Here is another photo.
It does. Thanks for the information.
One pronunciation is given at this link. Hope that helps.
Not really, but I am a Shakespeare fan. I was reading Julius Caesar the other day when I saw the posting for the Bardavon, so that made me wonder about the origin of the name. I would be curious to know if it is pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable or the second A.
You must be fascinated with this theater.
In 2003, the Bardavon newsletter stated that the aforementioned mural was commissioned in 1923 and was based on an engraving from “A Midsummer’s Night Dream”:
http://tinyurl.com/5nmkeq
A photo is about all that I would trust from that site.
Here is a 2007 interior photo:
http://tinyurl.com/5772wp
Confirmed by Wikipedia? LOL
Confirmed by Wikipedia:
The Bardavon can seat up to 944.
The name Bardavon is taken from an old mural in the building, long since painted over, entitled The Bard of Avon (a reference to William Shakespeare).
Mark Twain once performed on its stage.
Those who visited the Bardavon as guests of honor include industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (to celebrate the laying of the cornerstone of the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge), as well as former US Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt (both appearing in political rallies at the Bardavon).
Bob Dylan has used the Bardavon for tour rehearsals as well as rehearsals for his 2006 album Modern Times.
How enlightening.
The Bard of Avon would be William Shakespeare. I don’t know if there’s any connection to the Bardavon, however.
my photo from 7/3/06:
View link
This is another photo of the Bardavon Opera House.
There were a great number of “Opera Houses” in the U.S [for the most part,the latter part] during the 19th Century.
These were usually the entertainment centers of a small city. They were mainly a venue for lectures, which were a major form of entertainment. Mark Twain was a regular “Opera House” attraction in many cities, coast to coast. Imagine hearing his wit,coming from his own lips!
A number of these sites have been converted into movie theatres and in the past 15-20 years,local “Performing Arts Centers."
As a rule, these buildings were quite plain in their interior design and devoid of major architectural embellishments. In many of these,boxes[some real,some faux] flanking the proscenium were the sole adornment.
The Bardavon is a good example of one of these, as is the Mahawie Theatre in Great Barrington, Mass.
Here is a 2007 photo.
As the Collingwood Opera House, the Bardavon is listed in the 1897-98 edition of Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide. The seating capacity is given as 1,550. The Mgr. was E.B. Sweet and the theatre was located on the ground floor. It had both gas and electric illumination. The proscenium opening was 40 feet square, and the stage was 32 feet deep. There were 8 members of the house orchestra. Hotels in Poughkeepsie included the Nelson House, the Morgan House and the Troy House. The population was 25,000.
This is a photo of the Bardavon Opera House.
Here is an article with some background:
http://tinyurl.com/yhhutq