Michael Harnett's Colleagues at Metropolitan Opera Club
Michael Harnett's Contact Details
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Metropolitan Opera Club
Michael Harnett's Company Details
On Saturday morning, August 27, 1892, a fire broke out in the nine year old Metropolitan Opera House. The fire destroyed the auditorium and stage, but left relatively unscathed the assembly rooms and foyer. Two men, by the name of Oliver Sumner Teall and Preble Tucker promptly rented the undamaged space from the Metropolitan Opera and installed their newly-formed Vaudeville Club. The two men and their circle of friends had long wanted a supper club for theater-goers similar to those they had experienced while traveling abroad. While the Opera House was being rebuilt, fellow charter member Stanford White designed a suitable interior for the Club complete with miniature stage and boxes. The grand opening of the Vaudeville Club was held on January 10, 1893 with leading members of New York society attending and entertainment was provided by a popular variety of artists of that era.When the opera season resumed in late November 1893, the Vaudeville Club members leased the large Omnibus box holding some fifty-three seats. During the following season members became more interested in the operatic performances in the auditorium than in their own Club Room. In 1895 they became known simply as the Opera Club. In 1899 they formally incorporated as the Metropolitan Opera Club for the purposes of the cultivation of vocal and instrumental music, the encouragement and support of operatic and musical performances, and the promotion of social intercourse among its members.