The Hastings Municipal Theatre in 1937. Photo / Collection of Hawke's Bay Museums Trust, Ruawharo Tā-ū-rangi, 19358
The Hastings Municipal Theatre in 1937. Photo / Collection of Hawke's Bay Museums Trust, Ruawharo Tā-ū-rangi, 19358
A shock announcement met with widespread disbelief by many, was the closing of the Hawke's Bay Opera House on March 4, 2014, after the Hastings District Council received advice that the theatre building was earthquake prone.
Strengthening the theatre would not come cheaply, and estimates received to meet varying percentagesof the current building code ranged from $6.2 to $14 million.
As this cost was significant, Hastings District Council asked for public submissions in 2015 as to whether the theatre should be re-opened.
More than 3000 submissions were received, with 80 pre cent of them in favour of being strengthened to 70‒75 per cent of the code. Mayor Lawrence Yule said the "public had spoken loudly and clearly".
The building had taken the Bull Brothers only six months to construct, but there was no reinforcing of the building and work continued on finishing touches and additions into early 1916.
The current strengthening and renovations took Gemco Construction and its subcontractors 26 months to complete.
Some confusion surrounded the first opening of the theatre when it was thought that the mayoress, Mrs W Hart, would open the front door at 7pm with a gold key presented by the architect.
A crowd waited patiently for the opening ceremony to be conducted on the doorsteps of the theatre, but this didn't occur. At 7.30pm, the doors opened, and the crowd filed into the theatre.
At 7.45pm, mayor William Hart, popped through the stage curtain and made a short speech including it would have been better for private enterprise to build the theatre, but no one could be found to undertake the project".
The cost of £16,000 (2019: $2.4 million) was considered to be extremely reasonable he said, compared to other theatres being erected around New Zealand.
The Chinese comedic opera of San Toy by the Hastings Amateur Operatic Society was performed at 8pm.
Because World War I was in progress, touring theatre groups and local productions came to an almost standstill.
Hastings Municipal Theatre, however, was equipped with a custom made projectionist box and moving pictures became the main activity in the theatre.
Nearly 16 years after the Hastings Municipal Theatre had opened, on February 3, 1931, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Hawke's Bay.
From some angles the theatre looked like it had escaped damage – but it hadn't.
The backstage was wrecked, but fortunately the other brickwork remained largely intact.
Repairs and strengthening of the theatre by Fletcher Construction took place over the latter part of 1931 and early 1932 and was reopened on February 24, 1932, by showing the film The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931).
Former Hastings City Councillor and deputy mayor, Ron Shakespeare (1917‒2011), recalled in 1986 watching It's in the Bag, a popular television game show being broadcast live from the Hastings Municipal Theatre.
He observed the theatre "looking drab, dirty and grey". This stirred Ron and others to set up the Hastings Municipal Theatre Restoration Trust.
Michael Fowler
By July 1992, restoration work completed by the group included repainting the theatre's interior in rose pink, restoring the lead light windows, replacing the heating system and replacing lighting and chandeliers.
Despite the work done, many, including renown tenor, Patrick Power, during 2000, expressed that they were not happy with the theatre's infrastructure.
An Opera Hawke's Bay spokesman called the theatre "embarrassing", "appalling" and "antiquated".
Acting on the concerns, the now Hastings District Council during 2002 made significant backstage alterations to the theatre, and a gala event was held in November 2002 to celebrate the theatre's reopening.
At this point the name of the theatre was changed to Hawke's Bay Opera House.
Yule believed there was a community mandate to continue to develop the Opera House, and in 2003 began a fundraising drive, and John Buck of Te Mata Estate Winery led this.
Architect for the remodelling, Roger Shand, said in 2006 "It's easy to be enthusiastic about a project which has the community right behind it. I don't know if I have ever experienced anything like it".
The theatre over the next few years was extensively renovated, including a new internal colour scheme. Morgan Brothers did all the construction work.
A plaza was also built with a retractable roof next door to the Opera House.
Prime Minister Helen Clark opened the new renovated and refurbished Hawke's Bay Opera House on March 24, 2006.
Today, the "grand old lady" will once again be opened to start a new period of her life to educate, entertain and inform audiences, and hopefully for at least another 100 years.
The Hawke's Bay Opera House will form part of the 2019 named "Toitoi – Hawke's Bay Arts and Events Centre" which will include the former Municipal buildings, Cushing Foyer and Functions on Hastings (former Plaza).
* Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a contract researcher and writer of Hawke's Bay history.
