Manchester Opera House, Manchester

The Manchester Opera House is found on Quay Street in Manchester city centre, close to grand civic buildings like the Magistrates’ Court and Manchester Town Hall. The building was opened in 1912 and currently hosts musicals, touring theatre productions and ballet recitals. Despite its name, it does not host operatic performances – the main venue for opera in Greater Manchester is The Lowry, in nearby Salford. Nevertheless, Manchester Opera House has gained a reputation as one of the city’s many great concert halls. Together with its sister theatre, the Palace Theatre to the south on Oxford Street, it forms the backbone of Manchester’s theatrical traditions.

The Opera House hosted the European premiere of West Side Story in 1958, and has contributed to the city’s reputation for hosting theatrical firsts. The 1.920 capacity theatre hosted the world premiere of Ghost – The Musical in 2011, and also debuted a musical tribute to a group of local legends – the Take That musical, Never Forget. The Opera House, with its imposing neo classical pillared frontage, is a large, sprawling venue with seven bars surrounding the auditorium itself. The theatre also hosts an annual Christmas pantomime which draws in festive theatre goers from around the North West region.