The Past is Present T h e R e b i rt h o f M i s s i s s i p p i ’ s Grand Opera House by Amanda Brandon
A treasured Southern landmark has returned to Meridian, Miss., with the recent restoration of the 1889 Marks Rothenberg Grand Opera House and Department Store. The Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts now encompasses the grandeur that set turn-of-the 20th Century Meridian apart. The first season of the new Riley Center (opened in 2006) drew 24,000 patrons from all over the South back to this old railroad city, to experience its rich arts heritage.
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I
n the
ing to Meridian. The shows consistently attracted visitors from a 100-mile plus radius. Performances by singer/songwriters Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Guy Clark and Joe Ely in February 007, sold out to 1,800 people. Over half those in attendance traveled more than 100 miles. Seven out of the 10 last shows of the season sold out.
1980s, a piece
of the siding was
removed
– unveiling
the original windows, brick and mortar.
First-Class Programming The Riley Center formed partnerships with the nation’s elite arts organizations to present first-class programming during the first season. The Riley Center was one of only three performing arts center in the country inducted into the Kennedy Center Partners in Education, with Meridian and Lauderdale County (Miss.) schools. Riley Center officials partnered with the Lincoln Center to bring in jazz programming for adult and educational performances earlier this year. The center was also selected as a national kick-off location for the Smithsonian Institute’s traveling exhibit, New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music.
This discovery gave the Meridian community a push to begin a campaign to save the
Grand
Opera House and refurbish the Marks Rothenberg building.
Grand History In the late 1800s, Meridian was on the verge of becoming a cosmopolitan city with its location on the train route from New Orleans to Chicago. Half-brothers I. Marks and Levi Rothenberg saw the potential of the city, and built the Grand Opera House and the Marks Rothenberg department store in the center of downtown. Interested in expanding Meridian’s arts and cultural appeal, the brothers saw this theatre and store project as a wise investment. The Grand Opera House was named for the program guides of the time period. This was also a designation given to theatres that met certain architectural standards. The name “Grand Opera House” can be misleading to modern folks. More than operas were held in the theatre. The grand theatre was home to some of 30
the most popular traveling shows of the time, which included vaudeville shows, minstrels and even some of the first silent movies. Curtains Closed With the introduction of the “new” motion picture theaters and a lack of interest in the live theatres, the Marks Rothenberg families had to close the Grand Opera House doors in 1927. The structure was tied up in lawsuits for decades, so the theatre portion of the building remained closed for more than half a century (it was used as a department store warehouse for decades). The department store stayed in operation under various owners and concepts until 1990. During the 1960s, the outside of the Marks Rothenberg building was covered with metal siding in order to “modernize” it.
Y’ALL • THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE
In the 1980s, a piece of the siding was removed – unveiling the original windows, brick and mortar. This discovery gave the Meridian community a push to begin a campaign to save the Grand Opera House and refurbish the Marks Rothenberg building. Renaissance Begins For the next two decades, support for the project grew among community leaders. In January 2000, the Riley Foundation gave a $10 million contribution to restore the Marks Rothenberg building. A stipulation of the grant was that Mississippi State University own and operate the center. A campaign for donations from local, state and federal agencies commenced with the Riley grant. A total of $25 million was raised and funneled into the restoration project. Formal planning began
in 2002, and by the spring of 2003, the renovation was in full force. When the renovation project began, historic preservationists found the theatre mostly intact. Some of their findings included exquisite woodwork, wainscoting, remnants of over 60 different wall coverings and the original lambrequin hanging above the stage. Opening Night The 140,000-square-foot MSU Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts opened in the fall of 2006 with a fully restored theatre and over 30,000 feet of conference center space. The first full season of 33 performing arts shows, which included blues, folk, jazz, gospel and bluegrass musical performances alongside dance, theatre, comedy and world cultural shows, ended in May 2007, with right at 24,000 patrons travel-
Rave Reviews The center has received accolades from numerous publications for its first year. A radio and TV series produced by Mississippi Public Broadcasting inside the center will air throughout Mississippi this year. Headlining its achievements was winning the Mississippi Tourism Association’s “Tourism Achievement of the Year (2007).” Performer Hal Holbrook described the Riley Center as “one of the top two theatres” he has ever performed in. Other celebrities including Wynton Marsalis, Kathy Mattea, Bo Diddley, Sandi Patty and many others gave the center rave reviews by describing it as a “true gem” with “enviable acoustics” and “astonishing beauty.” Future Plans Penny Kemp, marketing director for the Riley Center, shares some exciting changes that are on the horizon with the 2007-08 season, opening Sept. 8 with a performance by country music star Trisha Yearwood. One of the biggest changes for this season is the move to more weekend performances. “Twenty-eight of the 32 per-
formances will be presented on a weekend day, versus 20 of 33 falling on a weekend day in the first season. This bodes very well for our ability to attract even more tourists in for weekend shows,” Kemps says. Another change is the emphasis on more educational performances and special offerings, such as residency programs and workshops for college students and members of the public. “This provides more opportunities for the center to create connections throughout the community, and to reach this area’s young people through the arts,” explains Kemp. Second Season The 2007-08 lineup includes a presentation of silent short films, an ensemble of gypsy jazz musicians and a six-show run of a dinner theater featuring a New York-based cast. Emerging artists are also a showcase of the upcoming season. Family programming and world cultural shows round out the schedule. Dennis Sankovich, executive director of the Riley Center, says the aim of the selected performances is to “showcase the amazing qualities of our theater – from the extraordinary acoustics to the rich, intimate environment.” “You’ll find everything from a fullystaged Gilbert and Sullivan opera and a full symphony orchestra performing with two choirs, to performances by the powerhouse duo of Chick Corea and Bela Fleck, to an all-strings trio, Time for Three,” Sankovich says. “All of this serves to create a one-of-a-kind experience that sticks with people well after they leave. We feel it’s important to offer people in our area access to artists and art forms that perhaps, they are not familiar with or haven’t had the opportunity to experience in a market our size. This holds true for our students, as well as our adult patrons. It is all about exposing a broad community of people to quality performances that are both entertaining and inspiring.” Ticket Information Season packages are now on–sale for the 2007-08 season. Individual show tickets go on sale Aug. 13. For more information on the MSU Riley Center, visit ww. msurileycenter.com, or call 601-6962200. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2007 • Y’ALL
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