There are two Boston theaters that have been known as the Boston Opera House. The first was an all-purpose opera house that opened in 1909 and was demolished in 1958. The second was a former movie palace, which was operated by the Opera Company of Boston from 1980 to 1991. There was major damage while the theater was closed, but it was completely renovated before opening in 2004 again. When you visit with your Boston car hire, you can see a performance here.

The original opera house

The first Boston Opera House was built in 1909 on Huntington Avenue in Boston. It was small, but a venue for many of the local opera companies as well as the Metropolitan Opera. During the Great Depression and World War II, the Opera House fell into disuse and disrepair. In 1957, it was declared unsafe and scheduled for demolition. Unfortunately, it was demolished, so you will not be able to see this venue with your Boston car hire.

Explore the current opera house

The current opera house was fashioned from the former B.F. Keith Memorial Theater, a movie and vaudeville theater on Wellington Street. The theater first opened in 1928 as a vaudeville theater, but converted to showing films through the 1950s. In the 1970s, the theater was closed. The Opera Company of Boston took over in 1980 and it was renamed the Boston Opera House. It closed in 1991 due to financial difficulty. While it was closed, the building suffered extensive damage due to water as well as the electrical system. There was so much damage, that even the company's costumes, which were collected for decades, were damaged.

Rebirth

Mayor Thomas Menino and Senator Edward Kennedy helped to get the theater National Landmark Status. After negotiations, Clear Channel Company agreed to renovate the theater. On July 16, 2004, the doors once again opened with the Broadway production of the Lion King. When you visit with your Boston car hire, you can see what is playing on stage during your visit. It is also home to the Boston Ballet's annual production of the Nutcracker between Thanksgiving and New Year.

Other cultural venues

The Boston Center for the Arts is a non-profit visual and performing arts complex that you can find in the South End neighbourhood with your Boston car hire. This is home to several performance and rehearsal spaces, restaurants, a gallery, the headquarters for the Boston Ballet, the Community Music Center of Boston, and several other arts organizations.