Detroit Opera House Restorer Dr. David Di Chiera passed away at 83.

Sadly Dr. David Di Chiero, who founded Michigan Opera Theatre, and saved the Capitol Theatre from certain death passed away on Tuesday at 83 of pancreatic cancer.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/21/o...iera-dead.html

In April the major Detroit dailies announced that Dr. Di Chiera had pancreatic cancer, so the announcement this week is of no surprise.

Dr. Di Chiera founded Michigan Opera Theatre in 1971, and in the 1990s built a world class Opera House for the organization. The Capitol Theatre [[formerly Grand Circus Theatre).... was long ago given up for dead by theatre buffs... it was considered too far gone. But Dr. Di Chiera's vision and a strong detemination, and the support of Detroit's elite [[including Ford Motor Company's Jacques Nasser's now ex-wife Jennifer Nasser), Dr. Di Chiera had the foresight to transfer a derlilect theater into a world class Opera House. $42 million was spent on replacing 90%+ of the ornate plaster and a new 7,800 sq. ft. opera size stage house. Also a further $22 million was spent for the massive Opera House Garage, which [[located near stadia, an arena and other theatres) will help keep the opera house afloat for many years to come.

It's the vision of people like Dr. Di Chiera [[and Chuck Forbes & Dan Gilbert) that see the value in Detroit's historic fabric of buildings that will continue to attracts people to downtown Detroit.

R.I.P. Dr. Di Chiera.... :[[

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODXZsamv2UM

The funeral was held Friday at the Detroit Opera House. Dr. Di Chiera was survived by his ex-wife and their 2 daughters.

A great man who did great things for Detroit by saving the Capitol Theater and guiding the development of the Michigan Opera Theater in downtown Detroit--an early downtown revival when the now revived Wurlitzer, Broderick Tower and Madison Theater buildings on Broadway were all abandoned and in ruins.

He was also an accomplished artist, scoring an operatic version of Cyrano de Bergerac.

Great soul, God rest it. Didn't know he did that much to preserve history.

In 1991 Luciano Pavarotti was visiting Detroit for a concert at Joe Louis Arena. After the concert Dr. Di Chiera asked Luciano if he would come with him to check out the old derelict Grand Circus [[Capitol) Theatre that he was thinking about transforming into a grand opera house. Here are Dr. Di Chiera's recollection of that visit....

“I was looking at the house itself, and the shape of it. I remember bringing Pavarotti here … and asked him to see this theater that I was thinking of transforming into an opera house. Now, I had to be very careful because he is a very big man. … He started walking to the stage and I said, ‘No, no, no! Luciano, you don’t want to go onto the stage.’ It was so dangerous, he would have just fallen right into the basement. But I said, ‘Let’s go here to the side.’ So he looks and looks at the whole house, and I asked, ‘What do you think? Would you give a few notes?’ And he let loose with something and goes, ‘Yeah … you know, David, I like this sound … this acoustic. You finish it, I’ll come and open it for you.’ ”

5 years late, on April 21, 1996, Pavarotti returned [[along with Dame Joan Sutherland) to christen the Detroit Opera House as "open for business"....

One last thing... and this is a secret... [[shhhhhh!). Dan Gilbert and the Detroit Opera House folks are talking about a possible tower addition to the Detroit Opera House.... 40% of the block that the Opera House is located on is just a parking lot. There may be a highrise residential tower in the near future to replace that parking lot....

https://www.google.com/maps/place/De...!4d-83.0488032

The Detroit Opera House needs additional circulation space during intermissions, and for weddings... and a tall addition may do double duty as a continuation of the DOH's Grand Foyer, and a residential tower above it....

DOH Grand Foyer...

I'm sorry the world has lost DiChiera and Pavarotti too for
that matter.

Do need to go check out the Detroit Opera Theatre sooner
rather than later. Have never been there. Glad that there
are before and after pics - that it survived - and was
carefully rehabbed and can be enjoyed now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gistok

In 1991 Luciano Pavarotti was visiting Detroit for a concert at Joe Louis Arena. After the concert Dr. Di Chiera asked Luciano if he would come with him to check out the old derelict Grand Circus [[Capitol) Theatre that he was thinking about transforming into a grand opera house. Here are Dr. Di Chiera's recollection of that visit....snip...

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Gistok, can you or someone else post the story of the creation of Michigan Opera Theatre [[MOT)? I've always thought of MOT as Dr. D's creation from not much more than his determination. This also is a major Detroit story that I've only heard parts of.

Also, the Pavorati - Capitol Theatre visit must also have a backstory? Why did Dr. D take him there? How did Dr. D even realize what a great building it was? [[This was post-Fox, right? -- so I guess the cat was out of the bag a bit.). How did he connect with the owner's of the Capitol [[Grand Circus)? How about the story of David Grossman and his concerts there pre-MOT?

There's a lot of history here that remains untold.

I attended the opening of the Opera House on April 21, 1996. Still have the program somewhere..I also purchased one of the bricks out front which allowed us to engrave our initials/ thoughts..It was an incredible afternoon, most people formally dressed. Seeing Pavarotti sing along with Dame Sutherland raising their champagne glasses to the audience standing in a huge ovation and the building was a memory never to be forgotten. I remember my partner saying upon exiting the performance that “ I only wish Detroit someday could fix this terrible area around it..We will probably never live to see it “. Look at the area now. Miracles do happen. Thanks Dr. D. , you made it so... R.I.P.

Somewhere in the mid to late 80's, there were plays held in the decrepit Capitol Theatre to raise money for the new Opera House. The place was heavily water damaged, visqueen hanging everywhere to stop and divert leaks, and no seats. They recommended bringing lawn chairs. Seating was on the main floor only, and libation was sold out of big coolers. I "recall" only 2 restrooms open. It was quite the adventure, and big fun. The plays drew good sized, eclectic crowds. I also had the chance to take a few plaster lessons, learning to make ornamental reproductions of moldings, shelves, etc., you see in the Opera House from the gentleman who was in charge of restoring all that. Another cool experience.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gistok

One last thing... and this is a secret... [[shhhhhh!). Dan Gilbert and the Detroit Opera House folks are talking about a possible tower addition to the Detroit Opera House.... 40% of the block that the Opera House is located on is just a parking lot. There may be a highrise residential tower in the near future to replace that parking lot....

https://www.google.com/maps/place/De...!4d-83.0488032

The Detroit Opera House needs additional circulation space during intermissions, and for weddings... and a tall addition may do double duty as a continuation of the DOH's Grand Foyer, and a residential tower above it....

DOH Grand Foyer...

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First, much respect for Dr. David DiChiera. He was a great Detroit ambassador. He will be missed. Second, a residential tower would be ideal for that parking lot. A pedestrian bridge from the tower to the parking garage would make that a win-win development. No reason why there shouldn't be a structure directly next to the Detroit Opera House on the Broadway side to sure up the street wall. I truly hope the residential tower happens.

There is an estate sale this weekend. Many of the items will benefit the David DiChiera artistic fund...

http://www.aomestatesales.com/aomcalendar.html