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 Janek by W. Żełeński with Oleksandr Myshuha and Janina Korolewicz performing the main parts. The opera was directed by Ludwik Solski.
Tags:
City theatre, boulevard, buildings of the odd-numbered side of the street, element of Skarbek Theater, lamp-posts, passers-by
