Royal Opera House of Mumbai: A visit to remember

With greedy eyes I have often seen the Royal Opera House of Mumbai from outside and wondered how it would be like from the inside. On one summer evening, I decide to go inside. I reach the Opera House to watch the famous play ‘A Streetcar named Desire’ written by Tennessee Williams. I have booked my tickets from Book My Show and reserved a seat in the Dress Circle.

The history behind the Royal Opera House

The idea of constructing the Opera House was headed by Maurice Bandmann, an American who was popular in the art scene of British Calcutta and Jehangir Framji Karaka, a Parsi businessman. The Opera House, also known as the Royal Opera House, was inaugurated by King George V in 1911 in British Bombay. Initially the place was only used to host operas, but later Bollywood movies were also screened here.

In 1952, the Opera House was taken on a 999-years lease by Maharaja Bhojraj Singh of Gondal in Gujarat. According to me what this means is that, since British Bombay followed Pagdi System, the land is owned by municipality of the town but the structure belongs to the Maharaja. Since the 1980s, with the intrusion of video recorders and cable TV, the place fell out of favour. In 1993 the Opera House hosted a fashion show, its last public event, and then operations were shut.

Since the Opera House is considered a Grade II Heritage Structure, redevelopment which involves tearing down the old building to make a new one is not permissible. Hence the building was restored by joint efforts of the government and the royal family from Gondal who owns it. Abha Narayan Lamba, the conservation architect who also restored the BMC building, the Sassoon Library and many such places, was appointed. Work went on from 2008 to 2016 and the Opera House, restored in its original glory, was reopened in October 2016.

Chandeliers at Royal Opera House Mumbai contributed by Sassoon family

Art and architecture of the Opera House

The Royal Opera House is an important landmark in the Charni Road area of Mumbai. Like a crown on the head of the Opera House sits the sculpture of four cherubs made of Porbunder limestone and Carara marble. Etched on the wall below them is a scene where musicians are holding cellos and violins. It is styled in the Greco-Roman pattern. I finally step inside.

It just gets grander.

The entrance lobby is styled in white and gold with occasional wood panelling. The chandeliers catch the eye; I learn they were contributed by the influential Sassoon family of Bombay. Murals are painted on the wood panelling. The entrance to the dress circle is flanked by two white marble statues and a dome. The dome has paintings of famous people of the music world.

It is a place so beautiful that you would like to just sit there forever!

The auditorium is primarily decked in red and gold—a baroque decor. While watching the play, when an actor stands in the side balcony, I realize the magnificent balconies now serve as a part of the stage. In the past these were used as seating areas as well. The ceiling of the auditorium is designed like the horn of a gramophone to give the best acoustics.

The building was awarded in 2017 with UNESCO Asia Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Someday in future I shall visit the upper floor seating arrangement so that I can experience the Opera House from this perspective.

The play

The play, a Bombay adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire, goes on for 2 hours with a 10-minutes interval. There is no single moment of boredom and I think the actors are phenomenal in their performances. The play is directed by Kashyap Shangari who also plays one of the prime characters.

Food Scene in Opera House

Unfortunately, there is no proper food scene at the Royal Opera House Mumbai. There is only one stall selling veg and non-veg sandwiches and overpriced coffee. I mostly munched on chocolate during the interval. I highly suggest people to visit the Royal Opera House if they get an opportunity. It really is a culturally enriching experience.

The House of Light at Opera House Bombay

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