"Big picture: What’s the vibe of the place, what’s it like? In 1857, Verdi’s Il trovatore was the first performance at the newly-opened Academy of Music, officially making it the oldest opera house in the country still being used for its original purpose. (And giving it a National Historic Landmark designation.) Nowadays, though, the grandiose building — located on a stretch of Broad Street dubbed the “Avenue of the Arts” for its density of performing arts centers—stages more than opera. Besides Opera Philadelphia , the venue is also home to the Philadelphia Ballet (the company’s annual production of the Nutcracker is a favorite), and hosts touring Broadway shows, comedy shows, and a slew of other performances. Modeled after Milan’s La Scala, the building is a dazzling jewel of a space. Walking through its arched doorways is like stepping back to a time when going to the theater was an event. Inside, the American Baroque Revival design features gold columns, elaborate murals, carvings, and sculptures, and a dramatic crimson curtain, all situated under an opulent, 5,000 pound crystal chandelier. What kinds of events can we see here? Not only can you see boundary-pushing performances from Opera Philadelphia and ballets like Cinderella and George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, but the Academy is also home to most of the touring Broadway shows (this season they include Six, Come from Away, and Les Miserables.) Other performances—comedians, traveling Disney shows, and even game shows like Nickelodeon’s Double Dare and Wheel of Fortune—are also on the roster. How are the seats? The open horseshoe auditorium design means that most of the seats have solid sight-lines, and in 2018, the Academy kicked off a renovation which made red velvet seats a bit roomier. Good for kids? I didn’t bring my kids to the opera (there’s no rule saying I couldn’t, but I felt like I’d enjoy the avant-garde performance a bit more if they weren’t asking for cotton candy.) They have, however, been to more kid-friendly shows, like the Nutcracker, and plenty of kids attend the Disney and Broadway shows that come through (e.g. the Lion King.) Anything in particular that makes this place special, from the programming to a unique feature it has? Whether it’s an opera, ballet, or Broadway show, the performances here are always top-notch productions staged by world-class talent. But it also feels like a bonus to get to sit in such a historic, opulent theater—one where Susan B. Anthony stood giving a speech about women’s suffrage, Peter Tchaikovsky conducted music from The Nutcracker, and the Philadelphia Orchestra recorded music for Disney’s Fantasia. If we’re going to be in town, what—and who—do you think this is best for? Both performing arts and history lovers should make it a point to snag tickets to something—anything—when they visit. Stop at nearby Tria Cafe a few blocks east for a bite to eat before or after a show." - Regan Stephens
