Opera House Back Stage Tour, Boston, Massachusetts

During the summer of 2023, the Citizens Bank Opera House gave backstage tours on certain days during the summer. The facility was closed to the public, so no plays, ballets, or other events were performed. The Opera House had a facelift and was open to a number of contractors. The photo above is what you see when you walk in. Below is the view when you turn around.

Citizens Bank Opera House,

539 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111

Phone: (617) 259-3400

https://www.citizensbankoperahouse.com/

A showing of upcoming plays. I am familiar with this theater because my husband and I often went to plays, and for two years I've been a subscriber to the Boston Ballet.

Six photos of beautiful chandeliers and one worker.

Contract employee doing some deep cleaning.

Old telephone booths, now used as pump rooms.

Glad this was for Staff Only.

We walked to the third floor and were able to see several men working on the stage. There are 2,677 seats in the theater.

Lower level, more work.

VIP Lounge, above and below.

Through this hallway, we were able to see posters of the many plays done here, all autographed.

Much to our surprise the working crew left for the day, so we were treated to the stage. All ten of us were very happy. We just kept looking at everything, even tho we didn't know what the things were.

I was wondering what she was looking at, then I looked up. Lots and lots of lights.

2

Waiting for the show.

I saw this last year.

Box office.

The last ballet was in October, and my next ballet to see is Cinderella.

Well-known Brattle Street Bookstore on West Street, Boston, Massachusetts

 

9 West St, Boston, MA 02111

Phone: (617) 542-0210

Website:  https://www.brattlebookshop.com/

I haven't gone upstairs, but will in a few months, then I  will post the new photos.

I recognized the owner, Ken Gloss. With permission, he allowed me to take his picture. I recognized him from his many appearances on the PBS show, Antiques Roadshow.

From the website https://www.brattlebookshop.com/  then click on about the site gives an impressive history of the Book Store and family. "The Brattle Book Shop, founded in the Cornhill section of Boston in 1825, has been in the hands of the Gloss Family since 1949. Over the years George and his son Kenneth built this shop into one of the largest antiquarian bookshops in the country.

Housed in a three-story building in the heart of Downtown Boston, The Brattle Book Shop carries an impressive stock of over 250,000 books, maps, prints, postcards, and ephemeral items in all subjects. In addition to its general used and out-of-print stock, The Brattle Book Shop also maintains an inventory of first editions, collectibles and fine leather bindings in its rare book room.

Ken Gloss is the current proprietor of The Brattle Book Shop. He is a past President of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America’s New England Chapter. Ken Gloss appraises books and librarians for Harvard, Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern, Simmons, Suffolk, Tufts, Babson, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, the FBI and others. He lectures on the antiquarian book field to library groups, historical societies, and other book-interested groups throughout the New England area."

I saw the movie The Holdovers on opening week because I knew there were a lot of location shots in Massachusetts, especially Boston. I knew nothing about the story. I came across the above photo online (no idea of credit), but it shows perfectly where this was filmed. Now I can report that Paul Giamatti (on the left) won the Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy award for The Holdovers Golden Globe Awards show last night (Jan. 7, 2024). Dominic Sessa is on the right.

The below photos were taken on Tremont St., which is one block away from the bookstore. If I am early for the ballet (a 1/2 block away), I often go to the Boston Common Visitors Center or sit in the Common to enjoy the sites.