Summer is nearing the end! That’s right, you read correctly. Come September, the 2004 summer season is finished, and it seems to go by faster and faster with each year!

As usual, many vacationers are asking, what can I do with the meagre amount of time I have left?

The answer lies at 295 Muskoka Road South, Gravenhurst—the Gravenhurst Opera House.

The building has been there for over 103 years now, and is considered by many to be the heart and soul of Gravenhurst. Originally, it was built as a replacement for the Gravenhurst Town Hall, which burnt to the ground in 1897.

The newly built Gravenhurst Town Hall officially opened on March 12^th 1901. The street level was dedicated to municipal affairs, while the upstairs became the Opera Hall. The building was designed by Toronto architect, John Francis Brown, and cost between $10 000 and $15 000 to construct, this translates roughly into between $175,000 and $260,000 today.

Refusing to conform to one architectural style, the Gravenhurst Opera House has been described as Victorian, Gothic Revival, English Vernacular, and French. Rather than building in conformity with merely one architectural style, Brown chose to mould the structure into an eclectic blend of many.

In the 1970’s, the Town Hall portion of the Opera House moved to its current location on Harvie Street, and the Opera House became solely dedicated to the performing arts and social gatherings.

Even if one chooses to avoid the acts performing there, the Opera House alone is worth having a look at.

The verandah, reconstructed in 1996 by Gravenhurst seniors, is completely true to the original. Using only old photographs, every detail was meticulously replicated in the new veranda. According to Keith Pinkney, one of the thirteen seniors to work on the project, during the construction, “we salvaged as much of the original wood as we could,” giving the new front porch an even greater authenticity.

Within the Opera Hall, beautiful pine ceilings arch above, serving not only in aesthetic value but also in acoustic excellence. Two charming antique brass chandeliers, imported all the way from France, hang overhead for all to see. There is not a single bad seat in the house, all are comfortably padded with more than sufficient legroom, and most importantly, all have a clear and unobstructed view of the elevated stage.

Many great performers have graced the stage of the Opera House. As Fred Schulz, Manager of Arts and Culture at the Opera House, suggests, “world class performers always feel at home [at the opera house], and they love the theatre.”

For example, Canadian comedian/actor/writer Ron James, who has worked on several CBC television series such as, “Royal Canadian Air Farce”, “This Hour has 22 Minutes”, and “Made in Canada” has performed at the Opera House. Another would be Tommy Hunter, a country musician, and host of the CBC’s 27-year-long run of the “The Tommy Hunter Show.” In addition, Sylvia Tyson, once half of the Canadian folk music duo, Ian & Sylvia, Canadian Music hall of fame inductee, and more recently, winner of the 4^th annual Estelle Klein Award, has also appeared at the Opera House.

More recently, the Gravenhurst Opera House played host to Canadian singing sensation, Rita MacNeil, out of Big Pond, Cape Breton. She played two sold out shows, on July 6^th and 7^th 2004, both with 330 guests in attendance.

Fortunately for those who have missed these events, there are two more shows yet to be performed at the Opera House.

On August 20^th and 21^st, the songs of country legends Hank Williams and Patsy Cline will be performed by Derek Marshall and Marie Bottrell in Memories of Hank Williams & Patsy Cline.

From August 26^th to August 28^th, audience members will be able to flash back to the big band era of the 1930’s and 1940’s at the last show of the 2004 summer season at the Opera House, The Canadian Tribute to Glenn Miller.

The Gravenhurst Opera House has been in existence now for over 103 years, and fortunately, this heritage landmark has survived. At several times, the Opera House has faced an indefinite future. For instance, in 1993 it was closed for more then a year due to safety reasons! But today, the Opera House is going strong. It’s under competent management; its shows are selling out; and the structure itself is looking as fabulous as it did on that significant opening day on March 12^th 1901.