Since its commencement in 1852, when it was first built on Anglesea Street to accommodate the National Exhibition, the Cork Opera House has had a glorious history of both culture and design. The structure was disassembled brick by brick to be rehoused on Emmet Place, or as it was known at the time, Nelson Place, as it was planned by the well-known architect Sir John Benson. This gorgeous facility was originally known as the Athenaeum, but it passed by other names throughout the years, including Munster Hall, The Great & Royal Opera House Company, and eventually, Cork City’s famous Cork Opera House in 1877. The facility continued to delight the masses until it was destroyed by fire in December 1955, bringing the building and the people of Cork to their knees in grief over the loss of such a beloved structure.
A modern theatre designed by Scott Tallon Walker was constructed on the same site in 1965 after a ten-year fundraising drive, thanks in large part to the hard work of the people of Cork who dug deep to help rebuild this building. Murray Laoire Architects built a new front of the house in 1993 for “a vision of the building that moves the architecture of Cork City into the twenty-first century.” The main auditorium, two bars, corporate boxes, lobby, café, and shop were all part of the complex when it opened in 2000. The management team has worked tirelessly in recent years to upgrade and consistently improve the building, including new seating, a new café area, new acoustics, sightlines, and, of course, state-of-the-art equipment, among countless other upgrades, all with the needs of the people of Cork as the driving force behind all change.
Today, the Cork Opera House is the leading venue in southern Ireland for the best concerts, comedy, theatre, dance, family entertainment, and, of course, opera. The Opera House, which is located in the heart of Cork City, has been a Cork cultural institution for over 160 years and will continue to present and develop both indigenous and international top-class acts for the people of Cork and beyond. This is a building to be proud of, and one that is pleased to be entirely made of Cork.
