Historic Opera House

[Bert]

Some weeks ago I had the possibility to spend a few hours photographing this Historic Opera House in Connecticut USA. The name Opera House was common in the late 1800, even as the building was mainly used for vaudeville and theater performances. The building was declared a historic site in 1968 and the inside is still waiting to be restored.

All the inside pictures were made in HDR, and some pictures were combined to make panoramas.

Thanks to Bill Hines, you can watch it here: http://www.beechbrook.com/pte/downloadfile.asp?id=2382

[Barry Beckham]

What a great place. You couldn't let something like that get destroyed. I was intrigued with the accordion on the stage, was one of the workman a budding entertainer and practicing in their breaks?

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Very enjoyable. We must try to preserve these memories. ;)/>

Yachtsman1

[morturn]

Excellent sideshow, you have certainly captured the essence of this special historic place. The HDR photography works really well in old and disused building like these.

Its an all too familiar story here in the UK too; we allow some of our most important heritage sites fall in the ruin because their original use is no longer required.

Then when things have gone beyond the point of return, people start shouting, why didn’t ‘someone’ doing something about it.

I am also in the process of trying to save an historic Victorian waterworks too, and have set up a website with some information.

Sandfields Victorian Pumping Station

While the laws around the preservation of historic places may be different in our respective countries, some of the principals I am using here, may also be useful you.

Publicity is the key; building and monuments become invisible because of familiarity, so let people know what this is all about, what is going on, and what you are trying to do.

Thanks again for sharing it with us and good luck!

[Bert]

Barry, Yachtman1 and Morturn,

Thank you for your comments,

Barry the accordion and the drop cloth where brought in by us to dress up the stage a little bit.

Morturn, I looked at your website for the Victorian Pump Station, very well done. There is a same kind of web side for the Opera House: http://www.saveoursterling.org/History.html

As you said if enough people become aware of these buildings and there heritage, there will be pressure to save them

[davegee]

Bert,

High quality images put together nicely.

Bravo,

DG

[Bert]

Dave,

Thanks for your comment.

Bert