I've always found the Spring Gaden Rd/Barrington St. intersection to be an interesting one with all the history in the nearby buildings. I had these few images of the Academy of Music/Majestic Theatre that I thought I'd throw up along with some interesting quotes about opening day from this article written in 1949 by Phyllis R. Blakeley.
If you have some time to kill it's actually a pretty interesting read describing the history of music/theatre in Halifax and includes the names of popular bands and plays of the time. I sometimes enjoy reading these older publications where the author describes buildings in present tense but to us they've long been gone. Also, the opening of new venues/buildings seemed celebrated and revered in older days. Buildings go up and entertainment comes to us so easily these days with the internet, Netflix, Youtube, etc. that sometimes I think it's not appreciated the same way it used to be.
Anyway, do you think bands had groupies in the 1800's?.....some saucy damsels from the docks to canoodle the night away 'till the late hour of 11:40pm? Haha ;-).
Link to paper:
https://dalspace.library.dal.ca/bits...pdf?sequence=1
QUOTES:
"The first theatre in Halifax was opened in 1789, five years before the first theatre in Boston and fifteen years before a theatre was established in Montreal. This was the Grand Theatre on Argyle Street where H.R.H. Prince Edward attended many plays".
The Academy of Music - undated
The Majestic Theatre - Exterior - May 27, 1929
Source: NS Archives - Both images taken with the camera on my phone of the image on their monitor
"In 1869 many citizens considered it absolutely ridiculous that Halifax with a population of nearly 30,000 should not have "a respectable looking" Theatre or Concert Hall".
The Majestic Theatre - Entrance & Main Floor as seen from the stage - June 28th, 1929
The Majestic Theatre - Main Stage as seen from the balcony - June 28th, 1929
Source: Taken with the camera on my phone of the image on their monitor
"Designed by A.M. Jackson, an English architect, the Academy was constructed of brick faced with stucco, by S. M. Brookfield on Barrington street at the foot of Spring Garden Road, where the Capitol Theatre stands today. The building, site and furnishings cost about $100,000. The Academy of Music opened on Tuesday, 9 January, 1877 with a Grand Opening Concert by one hundred and fifty singing members of the Halifax Philharmonic Union under the direction of C.H. Porter, assisted by the Rudolfson Quartette of Boston and the Boston Philharmonic Club of Instrumentalists. The fine weather, the splendid programme and curiosity combined to fill the hall, although it was the most expensive enter-tainment yet offered in Halifax, at a dollar and a half for a reserved seat. The parquette circle in the shape of a horseshoe, which was greatly favored by many patrons, was later replaced by seats and boxes. The top gallery was known as "gods' pit" or "the gods." The large, brilliant and fashionable audience marveled at the beauties of the interior, admired the handsome frescoed ceiling and gasped at the flood of radiance when the light was turned on in the huge chandelier. The Academy was lighted by electricity, one of the first public buildings in Halifax to be lit in this way, which caused many to compo.re the spectacle to Alladin's Palace. All rejoiced in the impression of lightness and airiness, the promptness and civility of the ushers, and enjoyed the concert immensely, especially the rendering of Haydn's "The Heavens are telling the Glory of God" by the Union, and "Heaven hath shed a tear" by the tenor of the Rudolfson Quartette".
In regards to a play called Clouds: ".....some objected because the play did not end 'till the late hour of ll:40 p.m". ;-)
The Captiol Theatre - 1945
Source: NS Archives -
https://novascotia.ca/archives/EastC...es.asp?ID=4490
The hall was later renamed to The Majestic Theatre in 1918 and finally demolished in 1929 to make way for the Capitol Theatre. Completed in 1930 the Capitol was demolished in 1974 (but not without a fight as the “Save the Capitol Society” was created in an attempt to preserve the building) to make way for the Maritime Centre currently onsite. It was completed in 1977 but in 1988 had an additional 7 floors added.