The Wieting Opera House was a performance hall in Syracuse, New York, that hosted operas, films, and other performances from 1852 to 1930. Initially built by John Wieting in 1852 as Wieting Hall, the building burnt down in 1856. He rebuilt it that year, and in 1870 renovated the hall into an opera house. Towards the end of the 19th century, the opera house was a major theater in the Eastern United States, and held test performances of shows that were bound for performance on Broadway in New York City. The opera house burnt down in 1881 and 1896, and was rebuilt both times, the second time by Wieting's wife, Mary Elizabeth Wieting. The opera house began showing movies in the early 20th century, and closed in 1930, when it was replaced with a parking garage.
The block in Syracuse on which the Wieting Opera House was located, near Clinton Square, was initially a hardware store, shoe store, and "granite hall", a performance hall. The block burnt in 1849[1][2] or 1851, and was rebuilt shortly afterwards, as a large building with a hall on top[2] by Charles A. Wheaton and Horace Wheaton. Their hall was the city's first to have a gallery.[3]
The building was purchased by John Wieting[2] in 1850.[4] Wieting, who had made a fortune in lecturing, felt that Syracuse did not have a public hall that was proportionally large enough for the city.[5] He either funded improvements[2] or the building of a new hall in 1852.[6] The hall was opened on December 16, 1852.[7] Wieting had plans to develop his building further, but before he could,[3] it burnt down on January 5, 1856.[6][5] The fire almost razed the whole building; just the left wall was left standing.[7] Firefighters who responded were unable to contain the fire at first as the water they were attempting to use froze.[1] The damages were estimated at $200,000. No notable performances had been held in the hall at that point.[3]
Wieting oversaw the building of the second Wieting Hall in its place. Construction was completed in around 100 days and the hall opened on December 9, 1856.[7][2][3] The hall was one story above the street and had an entrance on Salina Street, while the stage was to the west. A gallery went from the stage around the hall. Seating was first interlocked wooden chairs, but these were later replaced with "opera chairs".[8] This hall became known for hosting various speakers. It held lectures from figures including Charles Dickens, Thurlow Weed, Dean Richmond, John Kelly, Charles Sumner, Henry Ward Beecher, Roscoe Conkling, Horace Greeley,[1][9] Ralph Waldo Emerson, Buffalo Bill,[10] Peter Cagger, Wendell Phillips, Samuel J. Tilden, Henry Jarvis Raymond, Stephen A. Douglas, John Albion Andrew, John Brough, Edwin D. Morgan, Roscoe Conkling, John Sherman, Gerrit Smith, William Lloyd Garrison, Hannibal Hamlin, Samuel Joseph May, Chester A. Arthur, John Van Buren, Horatio Seymour, and Anna Elizabeth Dickinson.[11]
The hall also held performances, with singers such as Adelina Patti, Christina Nilsson, and Euphrosyne Parepa-Rosa.[1] Others who performed include Edwin Booth,[12] Edwin Forrest,[13] Joseph K. Emmett, Charlotte Cushman, Harrigan and Hart, Ellen Terry, Lillian Russell, Sarah Bernhardt,[1] Fanny Janauschek, John McCullough, Lawrence Barrett, Joseph Jefferson,[11] and Henry Irving.[14] During the 1860s, Wieting Hall hosted many minstrel shows by performers including Lew Benedict, Primrose and West, and Charles, Daniel and Gus Frohman.[3]