Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House expected to open doors in 2018
After lighting up the Divine Lorraine last year, developer Eric Blumenfeld has set his sights on the long-shuttered Metropolitan Opera House at Broad and Poplar. Updates about the property have been trickling in since last November, but Philly.com is now reporting that the renovations have a budget of $45 million and an expected completion date of late 2018.
We’ve been following the Met news since the revival efforts were first reported in the fall. There was the pop-up Jazz Lives Philadelphia concert marking the start of the project, the announcement that Live Nation would be jumping on board, and news that the building, constructed in 1908 by Oscar Hammerstein I (grandfather of renowned musical lyricist Oscar II), would be rehabilitated with a 1930s art deco facade.
The acts that will fill the space will cover a more contemporary spectrum, though. Philly.com suggests the 3,500 capacity venue, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, could welcome comedians like Kevin Hart and R&B superstars like Mary J Blige, adding that Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, along with a few of his band mates, are investors.
For glimpses inside the Met in its recent state, watch Hidden City Philadelphia’s video below. Stay tuned for updates about the project.