DeGive's Opera House
Encyclopedia
DeGive's Opera House was Atlanta's main opera venue from 1871 until 1893.
There are varying accounts of its construction. The Atlanta History Center describes how Belgian
consul Laurent DeGive
purchased an unfinished building at the corner of Marietta and Forsyth and hired architect and civil engineer Max Corput
to design the opera house.
Reed's History of Atlanta states that Atlanta's antebellum Masonic Hall was destroyed in a fire in May, 1866. The site stated to be at the corner of Marietta and Broad (not Forsyth), was then purchased, and the firm of Fay & Corput designed the new opera house which was dedicated on February 22, 1871.
The opera house was expanded in 1873-4 to accommodate over 2,000 people.
In 1893, DeGive opened the new, larger DeGive's Grand Opera House, which would later become Loew's Grand Theatre
, at Peachtree
and Forsyth. The original DeGive's Opera House was later occupied by the Columbia Theater and later by the Bijou Theater. The building was demolished in 1921 to make way for the construction of the Palmer Building.
There are varying accounts of its construction. The Atlanta History Center describes how Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
consul Laurent DeGive
Laurent DeGive
Laurent DeGive was the Belgian consul in Atlanta, Georgia in the late 1800s. He arrived in Atlanta in 1859...
purchased an unfinished building at the corner of Marietta and Forsyth and hired architect and civil engineer Max Corput
Max Corput
Max Corput, also documented as Maximilien or Maxwell Van Den Corput , was the architect of Atlanta, Georgia's second Union Station, built in 1871 in Second Empire style....
to design the opera house.
Reed's History of Atlanta states that Atlanta's antebellum Masonic Hall was destroyed in a fire in May, 1866. The site stated to be at the corner of Marietta and Broad (not Forsyth), was then purchased, and the firm of Fay & Corput designed the new opera house which was dedicated on February 22, 1871.
The opera house was expanded in 1873-4 to accommodate over 2,000 people.
In 1893, DeGive opened the new, larger DeGive's Grand Opera House, which would later become Loew's Grand Theatre
Loew's Grand Theatre
Loew's Grand Theater, originally DeGive's Grand Opera House, was a movie theater at the corner of Peachtree and Forsyth Streets in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, at Peachtree
Peachtree Street
Peachtree Street is the main street of Atlanta. The city grew up around the street, and many of its historical and municipal buildings are or were located along it...
and Forsyth. The original DeGive's Opera House was later occupied by the Columbia Theater and later by the Bijou Theater. The building was demolished in 1921 to make way for the construction of the Palmer Building.