City Opera House

In the early days of Frederick, before there were performing arts centers, theatrical troupes – repertory companies – traveled from town to town to mount performances in taverns or large private homes. Local amateurs would also get together performances for the public. According to William’s History of Western Maryland, Fredericktowne Theater operated in a room at the home of a Mr. Graff in 1786 - tickets cost 3 shillings ninepence. Records show that a Mr. Durang owned a theater that operated at Stalling’s Tavern, Sign of the Spread Eagle, on June 20, 1809, with tickets priced at 50 cents for a box seat, 25 cents for the gallery.

Stage of the Opera House	City Opera House

Some larger companies performed at the Market House, built in the 200 block of North Market Street in 1769 and used as a combination market house and town hall. On the same evening in 809 noted above, a performance called “Zara” was playing at the Market House. Famous Frederick diarist Jacob Engelbrecht noted other performances here, for example:

"There is a company of tragedians in this town. At the head of which are Messrs. Herbert & Williams. They make their first appearance this night, in the Market House. I don't think they'll catch the devil." - Wednesday, June 5th, 1822

Today on this site stands an 1873 brick building housing a brew pub. This building and its site have a storied past that demonstrates Frederick’s longstanding prominence in the arts.

This building was erected as the City Opera House, owned and operated by the City of Frederick as a source of revenue. This is thought to be the first structure wholly dedicated to the performing arts. It was built “in the rococo style of the General Grant period” as one observer wrote in 1938. At one time it had the largest stage in Maryland, and Frederick was reputed to be the best show town for its size in the country. People traveled from Baltimore, Washington and Pittsburgh by train, it is reported, to see their favorite stars. For more than half a century, this large stage hosted some of the leading performers and productions of the day. The News-Post of May 18, 1924 noted that “’Blossom Time,’ the operetta which took Frederick by storm when it was shown here May 7, opened at Shubert Theatre, New York [with the same cast] for an incredible run . . . This gives local theatre-goers an idea of the class of productions now being presented in this city. . . ”

The facility was ambitious in size and scale. An actor was able to race a horse across the stage in one production, while another saw a locomotive, complete with smoke and steam, pulled across the great stage.

Another popular entertainment at the Opera House was the minstrel show. This is a culturally complex phenomenon that will be treated separately in another section of this site.

The roof of the cupola no longer exists (satellite dishes now occupy the space once held for so long by this distinctive spire). The Dreaming will include a symbolic representation of this landmark, returning it to the streetscape.

Symbol that represents the City Opera House.	Former City Opera House roof.

Content contributed by Marie Erickson.