Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
Historical Research:
Manila Grand Opera House
Submitted to:
Submitted by:
Vinson P. Serrano
AR 5-5
1
Table of Contents
Title Page
Acknowledgements 3
Bibliography 14
2
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following people for their valuable contribution to
the development of this paper. To Ilona Castro, Kimberly Sebastian, and Joan
Angeles of Manila Grand Opera Hotel for having conducted a successful interview, to
the National Historical Institute for providing me written documents needed for this
study, and to Dionella Marie Francisco for the camera used in taking pictures.
And last but not the least, to Arch. Norma Alarcon for giving me an
opportunity to explore the wonders of Manila through this research. To the Almighty
father, thank you for being a great provider of knowledge and wisdom.
V.P.S
3
Manila Grand Opera House: History and its Greater Glory
Even before the Philippines be known for the famous Cultural Center of the
Philippines and considered as the world-class theater in the country, very long ago
when it was the Manila Grand Opera House, The Clover Theater and Metropolitan
Theater gave limelight to the brightest stars of the 19th century during the American
occupation.
The Manila Grand Opera House, located at the corner of Doroteo Jose St. and
Avenida Rizal St. was once a huge structure of wood and nipa-roofed structure having
a circumference of about one fourth of a mile which was designed for cycling
contests. Avenida Rizal was then called the Entertainment Capital of Manila during
the prewar and postwar years. 1 Documents proved that it was built on the 1890’s
when it was acquired by a foreigner named N.T. Hashim, and was then known as
National Cycle Track. Later then it became the Teatro Nacional where the Russian
Circus and some American theater companies performed in the 1900. Improvements
were imperative and plans were hatched as early as 1901 to redesign and remodel it. 2
In 1902, the theater became Manila Grand Opera House after it was
transformed into an opera house by Italian impresario Balzofiore in time for a visiting
Italian Opera Company. Seats were divided into the palco proscenio for the
dignitaries, butaca or orchestra for most theatergoers, and gallery, the least expensive
section. 3 Also, the Italian Company supervised the installation of its acoustics. At the
time, its acoustical equipments were said to be so sophisticated that even a whisper of
the actors could be heard by the audience. 4
1
T.G. Santos. “Remembering Avenida Rizal”. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2009
2
V.R. de la Torre. Landmarks of Manila 1571- 1930. Manila: Paragon Printing Corporation. 1981
3
T.G. Santos. “Old Manila’s great theaters”. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 10/09/05
4
C.P. Morallos. Once upon a theater: Remembering the great Manila Grand Opera House.
Manila: Boulevardier: Nightlife, Travel and Tours. 2009
.
4
On August 9, 1905, an important political event was held at the theater. This is
when the Chambers of Commerce met in a convention where they endorsed then US
Secretary of War William Howard Taft as a candidate for the US presidential
elections. More than 500 guests attended that assembly which included the popular
Alice Roosevelt, daughter of then US President Theodore Roosevelt.
On the following year, on Oct. 16, 1907, the occasion of the inauguration of
the first Philippine Assembly in which the most important American and Filipino
personages were in attendance and was held on this theater due to its size and
prestige. Present dignitaries were then Governor General James P. Smith, the
members of the Philippine Commission, Justices of the Supreme Court,
representatives of foreign governments, officers of the US Army and Navy,
ecclesiastical dignitaries and provincial and municipal officials of the government. It
is on this event when the first Filipino Bishop of Nueva Caceres delivered the
invocation in the presence of Right Rev. Jose Barlin.
Another political event was held in the theater when a meeting organized by
the American Community in the Philippines passed a resolution banning the display
of the Filipino Flag anywhere and for whatever purpose, an action that the local press
and Filipino nationalists opposed and attacked.
5
When World War II broke out, the theater continued to operate and was used
surreptitiously and cleverly by the Filipino actors as a venue for anti-Japanese
propaganda. Through patriotic songs the anti-Japanese movement was kept alive.
Toribio Teodoro, a shoe magnate and known as the “shoe king of the
Philippines”, lived there when the Japanese seized his house and shoe factory during
World War II. The building was badly damaged by flood and at that time, the
Department of Labor which happened to be a neighbor of the theater caught fire and
its flames spread to the theater razing it to the ground on November 16, 1943. 5 The
theater was reduced to ashes that only the theater basement remained. 6
During the time that performances were at its peak and people highly
patronized theater shows, a rival theater called Clover located at the foot of the
MacArthur Bridge at the corner of Echague Street in Quiapo, opened its doors to the
5
C.P. Morallos. Once upon a theater: Remembering the great Manila Grand Opera House.
Manila: Boulevardier: Nightlife, Travel and Tours. 2009
6
V.R. de la Torre. Landmarks of Manila 1571- 1930. Manila: Paragon Printing Corporation. 1981
6
public. Clover was owned by Spanish-Portuguese impresario Don Jose Zarah. Clover
mainly catered audiences that enjoyed vaudevilles.
The Manila Grand Opera House provided daily entertainment for the masses.
Its main fare was stage shows and movies with an occasional concert, opera and plays
by Lamberto Avellana and Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, among others. 7 Jose A. Estrella, a
famous composer of during the early 1900’s was also part of the Opera House’s
history.
7
T.G. Santos. “Old Manila’s great theaters”. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 10/09/05
7
After the building was abandoned for years, the site where it was currently
situated were erected with a five-star hotel called Manila Grand Opera Hotel, which
derives its name from a much revered bygone institution called the Manila Grand
Opera House.
Manila Grand Opera House was the main venue of theatrical shows and operas
during the 19th century in Manila. Prior to cinema houses and the sprouting of much
high-class shopping centers and cinemas in the Philippines, it is during the golden age
of Manila Grand Opera House that paved the careers of the most reputable actors and
actresses in the country. With the existence and grand capacity of the Opera House, it
is where political meetings such as the grand meeting of the First Philippine
Assembly were held. This historical event eventually led into other most important
happenings in the Philippine politics such as the declaration of Sergio Osmeña as
8
C.P. Morallos. Once upon a theater: Remembering the great Manila Grand Opera House.
Manila: Boulevardier: Nightlife, Travel and Tours. 2009
8
Speaker while Manuel Quezon, as Majority Floor Leader of the Philippine
Assembly. 9 These happenings gave the opportunity for these two significant
politicians in their becoming as Philippine Presidents.
The flourishing days of operas, theaters, dramas were also considered as the
main contribution of this structure in the field of arts and humanities. This Opera
House gave venue to express the artistic prowess of some of the giants of Philippine
theater as mentioned in its history. For the Opera House showcased the best of the
talents not only of the Filipino people but also different performances of Americans,
Spanish, and Russian performers.
The appreciation of art and the political events held on this venue proved that
the Manila Grand Opera House was not just an ordinary Opera House in the 90s. It is
where people gave much importance to the real value of art and humanities, and the
power of politics to recreate the nation towards prosperity. Manila Grand Opera
House is indeed, of cultural, political and national importance.
9
M.C. Guerrero. Kasaysayan, The Story of the Filipino People: Under Stars and Stripes. Hong
Kong: Asia Publishing Company Limited. 1998
9
Manila Grand Opera House Photographs from 1900- 2009 101112
Above: Manila Grand Opera House Façade during its golden years.
Left: A cigarette vendor behind the Manila Grand Opera House’s Historical Marker of the Philippines
Historical Committee.
Right: The comedy “La Raza” played during the eve of Spain’s national holiday honoring its patron
saint, San Santiago, was held at Manila Grand Opera House.
10
M.C. Guerrero. Kasaysayan, The Story of the Filipino People: Under Stars and Stripes. Hong
Kong: Asia Publishing Company Limited. 1998
11
V.R. de la Torre. Landmarks of Manila 1571- 1930. Manila: Paragon Printing Corporation. 1981
12
Personal Photographs of Vinson P. Serrano, taken August 12, 2009
10
Manila Grand Opera House Photographs from 1900- 2009 131415
Above: Closing ceremony of the Flag Rally at the Manila Grand Opera House.
2 Manila Grand
Opera House façade
circa 1920s.
3 US Secretary of War
William Howard Taft
13
M.C. Guerrero. Kasaysayan, The Story of the Filipino People: Under Stars and Stripes. Hong
Kong: Asia Publishing Company Limited. 1998
14
V.R. de la Torre. Landmarks of Manila 1571- 1930. Manila: Paragon Printing Corporation. 1981
15
Personal Photographs of Vinson P. Serrano, taken August 12, 2009
11
Manila Grand Opera House Photographs from 1900- 2009 1617
16
M.C. Guerrero. Kasaysayan, The Story of the Filipino People: Under Stars and Stripes. Hong
Kong: Asia Publishing Company Limited. 1998
17
V.R. de la Torre. Landmarks of Manila 1571- 1930. Manila: Paragon Printing Corporation. 1981
12
Manila Grand Opera House Photographs from 1900- 2009 18
18
Personal Photographs of Vinson P. Serrano, taken August 12, 2009
13
Bibliography
C.P. Morallos. Once upon a theater: Remembering the great Manila Grand
Opera House. Manila: Boulevardier: Nightlife, Travel and Tours. 2009
T.G. Santos. “Old Manila’s great theaters”. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 10/09/05
M.C. Guerrero. Kasaysayan, The Story of the Filipino People: Under Stars and
Stripes. Hong Kong: Asia Publishing Company Limited. 1998
14