Entertainment

Grand Opera House to remain open during three-month spruce-up

The Grand Opera House will undergo exterior works in the coming months but will remain open as usual
The Grand Opera House will undergo exterior works in the coming months but will remain open as usual The Grand Opera House will undergo exterior works in the coming months but will remain open as usual

BELFAST’S Grand Opera House will be enveloped in scaffolding for the next three months while its exterior brickwork is cleaned and its masonry repainted – though the folks at the GOH are keen to point out that it'll be business as usual within.

The Grand Opera House was designed by Frank Matcham, the foremost theatre architect of the Victorian era, opening its doors on December 23 1895. Today it is managed by the Grand Opera House Trust which also oversees the stewardship of the landmark building.

“The Grand Opera House is one of Belfast’s most important buildings, the city’s foremost cultural asset, and the only remaining Victorian theatre in Northern Ireland. The work being carried out over the next three months to the exterior will ensure that the theatre continues to be enjoyed by theatregoers," Ian Wilson, chief executive of the Grand Opera House said.

"The trust is also working on ambitious restoration plans that will see the theatre’s auditorium returned to its former glory in time for the Grand Opera House's 125th anniversary in 2020."