The Municipal Opera House that once graced Church Street has a long and storied history. It was opened by Mayor Maurice Cohen on November 12 1905 to great fanfare. Some accounts say that the opening day almost ended in disaster after too many curious attendees chose to visit the upper gallery at once, leading to signs of visible sagging. The facilities were used for a variety of events over the years including as a movie theatre, concert hall, meeting place, events hall, and as a venue for sports, particularly wrestling. It was renovated inside and out in the 1950s after being condemned as unsafe. The work including substantial reinforcement throughout and an extensive remodeling of the exterior. After many further years of useful service, declining usage numbers led to the building being sold in 1992. It was demolished in 1996. Below are just some resources the Ian Matheson City Archives holds about the building - do you have something to share? Get in touch with us at heritage@pncc.govt.nz
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Title page reads, "MANAWATU THEATRE SOCIETY
proudly presents
BARNUM
THE CIRCUS MUSICAL
May 28 - June 6 1987
Palmerston North Opera House
MUSIC BY
CY
COLEMAN
LYRICS BY
MICHAEL
STEWART
BOOK BY
MARK
BRAMBLE
DIRECTED BY
ROBERT RIMMER
MUSICALLY ...
Creator: Manawatu Theatre Society
Date: 1987
The Municipal Opera House of Palmerston North, designed by F J Wilson and built by J Trevor and Sons, was erected in 1904-1905 and opened 12 July 1905. In 1952 it was condemned as unsafe by the Palmerston North City Council and was strengthened an...
Creator: L G West Son & Callendar (architects) for Palmerston North City Council
Place: Corner of Ashley Street and Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: September 1953
Zona Broughton was a well-known Palmerston North dance teacher.
Date: 196X
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 11 April, 1959. "A life size model of a white horse was placed in position over the Opera House this morning. The model was brought to the city from Hastings by members...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: 380 Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: April 11, 1959
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 29 April 1958, page 9: "Neither boxer finds his target during this exchange between Billy Leckie (left) and Brian Bennett in a lightweight contest at the Palmerston Nort...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: April 29, 1958
Born in Wales in 1886, 'Skipper' Walter William Francis travelled the world for a number of years talking about his feat of swimming the Bristol Channel in 1912, and screening the film of this and other sporting achievements. He was described as a...
Creator: Unknown
Place: Palmerston North
Date: 1913
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 23 August 1960 "There was no lack of competitors to take part in the Selwyn Toogood show held in the Opera House last night, but a few short questions sent all but four ...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: August 23, 1960
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 1 October, 1959. "The first New Zealand Seventh-day Adventist laymen's congress was opened in the Opera House last night by the Deputy-Mayor (Cr. D. T. Spring). The con...
Creator: Manawatū Evening Standard
Place: 380 Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: October 1, 1959
This is the programme for the Thirty-Second Annual Festival of the Manawatū Competitions Society, which was held in the Opera House, Repertory and All Saints' Halls between 9 and 14 May 1955. The competition categories included elocution (speech a...
Creator: Manawatū Competitions Society
Date: May 1955
This is the programme for the Thirty-Third Annual Festival of the Manawatū Competitions Society, which was held in the Opera House, Concert Chamber and All Saints' Hall between 7 and 12 May 1956. The competition categories included speech and dram...
Creator: Manawatū Competitions Society
Date: May 1956
This is the programme for the Twenty-Eighth Annual Festival of the Manawatū Competitions Society, which was held in the Opera House, Municipal Hall and St. Andrew's Hall between 7 and 12 May 1951. The competition categories included speech and dra...
Creator: Manawatū Competitions Society
Date: May 1951
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 26 June 1958, page 6: "The popular ring referee Mr. A. Jenkins intervenes during one incident on the ropes at last night's wrestling match at the Opera House between Oll...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: June 26, 1958
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 05 August 1961 "Three of the Royal Academy graduands from the Broadway School of Dancing in graceful pose at the rehearsal of "Les Sylphides" to be performed in the Palm...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Palmerston North
Date: August 5, 1961
"The Precious Years", by Winton Davis and Leslie Verry, was written for the 60th Jubilee of the city of Palmerston North in November 1937. The play was presented at the Opera House and the script is held at the Palmerston North Public Library. The...
Creator: Unknown
Place: Palmerston North
Date: 1937
"Deidre Tarrant Dance Theatre tour with - La Boutique Fantasque - Baroque Suite - Jazz Spectrum - Transcendenatal Freedom - to the music of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Visits Palmerston North Opera House. Book at Collinson & Cunninghame. $1.20 & ...
Creator: Deidre Tarrant Dance Theatre
Place: Palmerston North
Date: circa 1970 to circa 1980
This is the programme for the Twenty-Fourth Annual Festival of the Manawatū Competitions Society, which was held in the Opera House, Municipal Hall and St. Andrew's Hall between 12 May and 17 May 1947. The competition categories included elocution...
Creator: Manawatū Competitions Society
Date: May 1947
This is the programme for the Twenty-Seventh Annual Festival of the Manawatū Competitions Society, which was held in the Opera House, Municipal Hall and St. Andrew's Hall between 8 and 13 May 1950. The competition categories included elocution (sp...
Creator: Manawatū Competitions Society
Date: May 1950
Jean Hardie participated in the annual festivals of the Manawatū Competitions Society between c.1940 and 1946 and frequently won awards. During the Eighteenth Annual Festival, which took place at the Opera House and Empire Hall between 19 and 24 M...
Creator: Manawatū Competitions Society
Date: 1941
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 15 December 1960 "The former Minister of Education and former member of Parliament for Palmerston North (Mr. Skoglund) speaking at the breaking-up ceremony of the Palmer...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: December 15, 1960
The “Outsville” was the trade-in furniture section of Maple Furnishings Co at 179 Church Street, next to the Opera House (partially seen to the right). The building was demolished 22 December 1970. Originally 2 shops, the shop on the right was ini...
Creator: Unknown
Place: Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: 1960
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 11 August 1960 "Palmerston North secondary schoolboys this morning assisted other helpers in erecting seating, lighting and floral decorations at the Opera House in prep...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Church Street, Palmerston North
A scene from "Dear Octopus" by Dodie Smith. Directed by Linsay Buick-Constable, the play was performed by the Manawatū Repertory Society at the Palmerston North Opera House on July 19-22, 1952. The play marked the society's 21st birthday and was t...
Creator: Unknown
Place: Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: July 19, 1952 to July 22, 1952
Geoffrey Watchorn is in the second row, sitting seventh from the right next to the first of the women. See the rest of the Watchorn Collection for more information on his sporting career. This picture was taken in front of the Municipal Opera Hous...
Creator: Unknown
Place: Unknown
Date: 1951
A scene from "Dear Octopus" by Dodie Smith. Directed by Linsay Buick-Constable, the play was performed by the Manawatū Repertory Society at the Palmerston North Opera House on July 19-22, 1952. The play marked the society's 21st birthday and was t...
Creator: Unknown
Place: Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: July 19, 1952 to July 22, 1952
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 02 July 1958, page 10: "Some of the delegates from a wide area who are attending the sheep farmers' conference which is being held in the Opera House."
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: 382 Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: July 2, 1958
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 1 November 1978 “Rowling in top form at opening” Labour leader Bill Rowling opened his general election campaign at Palmerston North’s Opera House with a rousing speech ...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Palmerston North
Date: November 1, 1978
Local historians weekly "Back Issues" article in the Manawatū Standard. In 1926, international ballet dancer Anna Pavlova toured New Zealand. She performed at the Palmerston North Opera House on 11 June 1926.
Creator: Russell Poole
Place: Palmerston North
Date: September 9, 2023
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 22 September 1960 "The Belles of St. Roslyn in the kindergarten talent evening at the Palmerston North opera house performing one of their cleverly written songs of jumb...
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Church Street, Palmerston North
Date: September 22, 1960
This image was taken for a story that ran in The Manawatu Evening Standard on 17 January, 1959. "A scene from "Ladies Night In a Turkish Bath," to be staged in the Palmerston North Opera House on January 27, 28 and 29."
Creator: Manawatu Evening Standard
Place: Palmerston North
Date: January 17, 1959
The programme for a dance performance which included a ballet recounting the story of Cinderella and performances of Irish and Highland dancing by the Thistle Caledonian Society. After two performances at the Municipal Opera House in Palmerston No...
Creator: Palmerston North Dance Association
Date: September 1979