No phantom in the Opera

Nearly 23 years after the last public event — Kathiawad fashion show — was held within its premises, the Royal Opera House will open its shutters this year. Its been undergoing a much-talked about revamp since 2013. Several hurdles and setbacks later, the team — headed by noted conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah — has finally finished work on the exteriors of the Indo-Edwardian styled structure. Now, the team is turning its attention to the interiors, in a bid to bring the once iconic building back into the thick of the city’s cultural scene.

The only surviving opera house in India, the Royal Opera House was built in the early 20th century as a grand Baroque structure with opulent interiors and façade. It served as an opera house and later, a cinema hall, after which it was shut down for over 20 years as it became economically unviable. Abha Narain Lambah, who is helming the restoration work of Opera House, told us, “Of all the monuments and structures I have restored, this was the most severely beaten up ‘structurally’. Inadequate maintenance, the monsoons and constant leakages took a toll on the building. We went to the Heritage Conservation Committee in 2009 and they told us to conduct the structural repairs of the building first since it was very weak. We completed the structural repairs in 2011 and then again applied for the restoration but since the tenure of the previous committee had expired and there was no Heritage Committee for over six months, there was a delay in the permissions.”

While work on the structural stability is complete, the interiors of the 500-seat theatre are currently being restored — a task the team hopes to complete by October. However, films will not be screened in the new and improved building; instead, live performances will find a home here. “The Royal Opera House has played a major role in the context of the city’s fascinating history of theatre and cinema. It shut down as people stopped visiting historic cinema halls because they no longer wanted to watch movies in heritage buildings but preferred air-conditioned multiplexes,” says Abha, putting the Opera House’s closure into context.

Opera House was structurally among the “most endangered” buildings in the world and was also on the watch list in the 2012 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund. “When we first saw the structure, the steel beams were completely corroded with gaping holes and the structure was very weak,” Abha says, of the Opera House’s condition before her team started work. “We were fortunately able to find the same steel girders that our suppliers had salvaged from an old structure. We are going to maintain the same vintage feel and restore the traditional originality of the structure by maintaining the authenticity.”

To keep up with the times a multi-disciplinary team of experts is working on the historic structure. “Over 50 to 60 workers worked for two years round-the-clock to conduct the structural repairs. We now have a multi-disciplinary team of interior restoration advisors, theatre consultants, sound and acoustic experts and technicians. We want the building to stay historic and at the same time, match up to the latest technologies,” Abha says.

Archival images of the Opera House, text and research material have been the guiding lights in the team’s restoration efforts. Black and white photos from a catalogue in 1912, when the Art Deco theatre with baroque architecture, was opened for the first time, proved invaluable. Staying true to its original spirit has been paramount for the restoration team.

Says Abha, “We are working on reviving the bygone era. Stepping into the restored Opera House will be like entering the 1911 era — but with far better audio and cooler air conditioning! The air ducts won’t be visible though. The stage lights, sight lines, and the green rooms are our focus. Those green rooms hosted the likes of Prithviraj Kapoor and Bal Gandharva and need a special mention. We are also adding comfortable seats.” Currently Owned by the Maharaj of Gondal Project Duration: 2009-2012 Structural Conservation & Façade Restoration; Interior Restoration 2013-onwards