Located at 539 Washington St. in Boston, Massachusetts, the Boston Opera House - also known as the Citizens Bank Opera House - is a performing arts venue. Originally designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb as the B.F. Keith Memorial Theatre, it was a lavish movie theater in the Keith-Albee chain. The building was dedicated to the vaudeville pioneer B.F. Keith and opened on October 29, 1928.
Upon opening, the theater presented first-run films along with live vaudeville. By 1929, it had converted to showing only films and remained a leading movie showcase through the 1950s. During this time, it was known as RKO Keith's. In 1965, the Sack Theaters company acquired the theater and renamed it the Savoy Theater, eventually adding a second smaller cinema in the stage space.
In 1980, the building was renamed the Boston Opera House and became the home of the Opera Company of Boston, acquired and renovated with the help of arts patron Susan Timken. After a decade of productions, the company collapsed in 1991 due to financial troubles, leaving the theater dark and unheated. The building suffered extensive water damage to its electrical system and decorative plaster interior until the former opera company relinquished ownership in 1996.
Mayor Thomas Menino and Senator Edward Kennedy helped the theater achieve landmark status in 1999. Following a $38 million renovation, it reopened on July 16, 2004, with a production of The Lion King. Today, the venue is owned by Boston Opera House Ventures, LLC and serves as the home of the Boston Ballet, hosting its annual production of The Nutcracker since 2005, alongside touring Broadway shows and pop concerts.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
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