I would love in Yost (or others) would help me trace an operatic itineary in New York. I would start off with Lincoln Center. The Metropolitan Opera House (opened with Barber´s "Anthony and Cleopatra", but my focus will be Italian opera, in 1966. The builiding was built by an architect called Harrison.
Don´t miss the New York City Opera (the Koch Hall -- I´m relying on memory as I write this, and in a rush, so avoid inadequacies). This opened in 1966, also, with Ginastera´s opera with Domenica (Domingo) as tenor.
Now you´ll need a taxi. The next destination is the OLD building of the Met, which was on Broadway, between 39th and 40th S. It was demolished in 1967. It had opened in 1883 when the ¨nouveau riche" (Vanderbilt, Morgan, Astor, and a few others) built a competition to the Irving Place opera house. This had opened with Fausto by Gounod and Campanini as "prim´uomo" (Salve, demora, casta, e pura") in 1883, as I say.
Next you´ll need to see the Irving Place opera house, which the Met was meant as competition for. This had opened in the 1850s, with Rossini´s "Seminaride". With the competition of the Met, it was forced to close in 1888 (the opera season).
But the Irving Place opera house was meant to replace the Astor Place opera house, which was the tops. But a riot had disgrace it in the 1840s, and the building was razed. A taxi trip to the place is worth the fare, though.
Then you´ll need to locate the very first Italian opera house in New York, when Da Ponte built it in 1833. He had collaborated with Mozart.
Other venues, and othe taxi fares, will include "Studio 54". This was known as Fortunato Gallo Opera House. Built by an Italian immigrant to the States (he died in the 1970s). It housed the San Carlo Opera Company.
While there, pay a visit to the ORIGINAL NYC Opera building, which was on 55th Street, too.
And don´t forget the Manhattan Opera House, on 34th Street. This had been built by Hammestein, and was pretty good. Great names sang there (Tetrazzini, for example). The Met people approached Hammerstein´s son and forced him to sign a document that specified that upon receiving a great sum (of money) he would NOT stage any operas there.
There may be other details I´m missing. But I´ll continue with the research. Etc.
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