Performance Information Opera House

The Opera House

Built around the same time as the St James, the Opera House opened on Easter Saturday 1914. The traditional proscenium arch is flanked by two tiers of boxes with the audience seated on 3 levels.

Since 2001, the theatre auditorium and foyers have been been refurbished and the Ground and 1st floors given new seats. Backstage, a manual counterweight flying system with 87 lines was installed in 2005.

It is possible to hire either 2 levels (849 seats) or 3 levels (1,341 seats) of this theatre depending on the size of your expected audience.

Less ornate than the St James, the Opera House is a smaller, more intimate theatre where performers can feel really close to their audience. It's warm and cosy feel is enhanced by the traditional ruby-coloured auditorium.

As the name suggests, the theatre was originally constructed with a raked stage for large operatic productions, but over the years it has also been a successful venue for dance, music, drama and comedy performances.

The building has been classified as a Category I Historic Building by the Historic Places Trust of New Zealand.