The Dome of the Royal Opera House's Auditorium during the 1997-99 Redevelopment

A major aim of the development of the Royal Opera House was the restoration of the Grade I listed theatre building. Scaffolding was erected in the auditorium so that work could be undertaken on the dome. One-hundred-and-fifty-years’ worth of paint was scraped off and the whole area repaired, repainted and regilded. In this watercolour, Glynn Boyd Harte has created an image that manages to combine the detail of the working methods with an atmosphere of intense theatricality. The shadows at the outer edges of the painting focus attention on the working area, echoing a spotlight on a performer, while the sprinkling of gold dust adds to the magical effect.

Object number ROH/GBH/PAI/01

Back