The
Opera's New Arrangement New plan for troubled development to be aired March 28 by Jackie Spinner
The Washington Opera is converting a former book-publishing
facility in Northwest Washington into a new $1.2 million
production center with three rehearsal halls, a costume
studio and other functions that had been destined for
a new downtown opera house.
The opera has leased 55,000 square feet of commercial
space a few blocks from the Takoma Park Metro station
in a 44-year-old building owned by Douglas Development
Corp. -- an ironic twist to the dramatic events that
led the opera to scrap plans in 1998 to convert the
old Woodward & Lothrop building into an opera house.
Although the opera company will continue to perform
at the Kennedy Center, virtually all of its production
functions will move to the new facility in the Takoma
Park neighborhood on the D.C.-Maryland border.
"We are thrilled to have this new facility where
we can bring the creative process of making opera altogether
under one roof," Walter Arnheim, executive director
of the Washington Opera, said in a statement. "Bringing
these production functions together and establishing
an education center to interpret them is a terrific
opportunity."
The opera had planned to consolidate the production
functions at the Woodward & Lothrop site at 12th
and F streets NW. Using donated funds, the company paid
$18 million for the former department store at a bankruptcy
auction in 1996, outbidding Douglas Development.
But after renovation estimates climbed to $200 million
(the opera had raised $75 million for the project),
the company was forced to abandon its plans. It sold
the building to Douglas Development last year for $28.2
million and renewed its lease with the Kennedy Center,
which agreed to renovate the opera house where the company
performs. A spokeswoman said yesterday that no date
has been set for those renovations.
In the meantime, the opera's production facilities are
scattered around the region, and the company is expanding
under artistic director Placido Domingo.
Marsha LeBoeuf, costume director for the company, said
the opera simply doesn't have enough rehearsal space
at the Kennedy Center.
"When we run out of the space at the Kennedy Center,
which happens very quickly, we've had to go as far afield
as the Washington Convention Center," LeBoeuf said.
"Each time it got increasingly difficult. The convention
center never worked because they'd drop us as soon as
they'd find someone who could pay top dollar."
LeBoeuf said the opera also has rehearsed at the D.C.
Armory and at Howard University.
As for the Douglas Development connection, LeBoeuf said,
"It really just was a coincidence. It's funny how
it happened."
Norman Jemal, vice president of Douglas Development,
said the opera's new production space is a perfect fit
for the company. Because it was formerly occupied by
a book-publishing business, the 16- to 20-foot-high
ceilings are tall enough to accommodate large production
sets. The floor size is also big enough to divide into
three large rehearsal halls, which was essential for
an opera company performing three shows at once. No
auditorium seats are planned at this time.
"This was an opportunity that really worked well,"
Jemal said.
The opera is leasing about one-third of the 150,000-square-foot
building at 6925 Willow St. NW, which Douglas Development
purchased in 1995 for $1.7 million. Other tenants include
artists and a boutique retailer.
"It's eclectic," Jemal said. "It's almost
a city within a city."
The opera plans to store more than 48,000 costume pieces
such as gowns, shirts, capes, shoes and hats at the
new facility. It also will house the education department,
a music library, coaching rooms and offices for the
artistic staff at the new location.
"The exciting part of the location of the center
is that dress rehearsals for the opera can be seen by
the community," said D.C. Council member Charlene
Drew Jarvis (D-Ward 4). "It provides an exciting
opportunity to connect the community to the world of
opera. This is the same kind of connection that we've
been fortunate to get by the Shakespeare Theater's summer
schedule at Carter Baron."
