The issue of constructing a new, modern theater building arose around

1892, when Skarbek's lease timed out. This meant that from now on the

old-fashioned thatre builiding was the charge of the city authorities.

After many discussions, a competition was announced for the best project

of a new building for the theater. A competent panel of judges selected

the winner, architect Zygmunt Gorgolewski, winner of 2nd prize in the

competition of projects for the Berlin Reichstag. Finally the

foundation-laying began in 1896. For this purpose the river-bed of the

Poltva was diverted. Construction was undertaken by the company of Ivan

Levynskyi, electrical equipment was installed by Siemens. The completion

of the new theater building in Lviv opened a new era in the history of

performing arts in the city. The City Theater (also known in various

times as the Opera Theater, the Grand Theater, the Ivan Franko Opera and

Ballet Theater, and now finally as the Solomiya Krushelnytska State

Academic Theater for Opera and Ballet) had its festive opening ceremony

on October 4, 1900. Tadeusz Pawlikowski, the first director of the new

theater, presented a speech. Pawlikowski was invited from Cracow and

offered to form and head a theatrical group. He held the post for six

years, during which time 43 operas, 46 operettas and hundreds of drama

performances were staged. The first show to play at the new premises was

the opera <i>Janek </i>by W. Żełeński with Oleksandr Myshuha and Janina Korolewicz performing the main parts. The opera was directed by Ludwik Solski.