Cutler Majestic Theatre
219 Tremont Street
Boston MA 02116
Phone: 617-824-8000
Fax: 617-824-3209
Description:
The Cutler Majestic Theatre was built for opera, one of three facilities Eben Dyer Jordan commissioned to house his favorite art form. (The others are Jordan Hall at New England Conservatory, designed for concert opera, and the 1909 Boston Opera House on Huntington Street, designed for grand opera and demolished in 1957.) The sound is exceptional, and the view is unobstructed from all seats because it is the first Boston theater engineered without pillars and such obstructions to visibility and sound. It's "love" of opera singers remains evident today as fans of Opera Boston, Teatro Lirico d'Europa, and the New England Conservatory productions know the Majestic is the only theater in Boston that houses opera productions today.
It was engineered to support sophisticated stage effects and was the first in Boston designed for electric light. We love restoring its original appearance, but we also take pains to constantly upgrade technical systems to 21st century standards.
Its architectural importance earned the Majestic a place in both the Massachusetts and National Registers of Historic Places, and status as a Boston Historic Landmark. It is located in the historic Boston Theatre District and Piano Row, both of which are Landmark districts.
According to the Boston Landmarks Commission’s enabling statute, a Landmark is "a physical feature or improvement which in whole or part has historical, social, cultural, architectural or aesthetic significance to the city and the commonwealth, the New England Region or the nation."
To achieve such standing requires a grueling process. A petition must be filed, a study completed, and public hearings held. Then 2/3 of the Commission must agree that the designation is appropriate, and the designation must be approved by the Mayor and the City Counci.