The performance marked a milestone for the downtown Lexington landmark, which opened in 1887.
By the 1970s, the Opera House had fallen into disrepair and faced the threat of being torn down. That’s when a determined group of Lexingtonians came together to save the landmark from the wrecking ball.
Luanne Franklin is a consultant for the Lexington Opera House Fund.
"This building had been condemned and was about to be torn down and luckily a wonderful lady, who we call the angel of the Opera House, Linda Carey, saw it in the newspaper and she was also on the board of the Lexington Center Corporation," Franklin said. "So she gathered some local citizens and philanthropists and they put together an organization we now call the Opera House Fund. That not-for-profit helped raise the money that purchased the property and restore it, renovate it, bring it back to life."
That was 50 years ago. Franklin said the building is steeped in history that you can see in every corner, a gem of period architecture, with a proscenium arch and elegant detailing and restoration work has helped preserve its architectural integrity.
If you missed Bernadette Peters' standing ovation performance, there are two more events scheduled this week. On Wednesday, it’s the Local Arts Spotlight, where local organizations will showcase the impact of the Opera House Fund and on Friday, the Lexington Philharmonic and the Lexington Singers will present a Symphony of Sound. Both performances are at 7:30.
