Story: Opera and musical theatre

Comic opera programme

Comic opera programme

This programme, for an 1892 performance of The old guard (Planquette’s Les voltigeurs du 32ieme) at the Theatre Royal in Christchurch, illustrates audience members watching a performance from the boxes that were on each side of the stage in a traditional opera house. Light and comic opera was as popular as 'grand' opera in 19th-century New Zealand.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: Eph-B-OPERA-1892-01-front

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Lindis Taylor, 'Opera and musical theatre - Light opera and musical theatre', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/ephemera/41872/comic-opera-programme (accessed 24 April 2024)

Story by Lindis Taylor, published 22 Oct 2014