Original façade of the Savoy Theatre, 1881
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Address | Savoy Court, Strand London, WC2 |
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Coordinates | 51°30′37″N 0°07′16″W / 51.510139°N 0.121°W |
Public transit |
Charing Cross; Embankment Charing Cross |
Owner | Ambassador Theatre Group |
Operator | Ambassador Theatre Group |
Type | West End theatre |
Capacity | c. 1,150 on 3 levels |
Production | Dreamgirls |
Construction | |
Opened | 10 October 1881 |
Rebuilt |
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Architect | C. J. Phipps |
Website | |
Official website |
The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre opened on 10 October 1881 and was built by Richard D'Oyly Carte on the site of the old Savoy Palace as a showcase for the popular series of comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan, which became known as the Savoy operas as a result.
The theatre was the first public building in the world to be lit entirely by electricity. For many years, the Savoy Theatre was the home of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, which continued to be run by the Carte family for over a century. Richard's son Rupert D'Oyly Carte rebuilt and modernised the theatre in 1929, and it was rebuilt again in 1993 following a fire. It is a Grade II* listed building.
In addition to The Mikado and other famous Gilbert and Sullivan premières, the theatre has hosted such premières as the first public performance in England of Oscar Wilde's Salome (1931) and Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit (1941). In recent years it has presented opera, Shakespeare and other non-musical plays, and musicals.
The House of Savoy was the ruling family of Savoy descended from Humbert I, Count of Sabaudia (or "Maurienne"), who became count in 1032. The name Sabaudia evolved into "Savoy" (or "Savoie"). Count Peter (or Piers or Piero) of Savoy (d. 1268) was the maternal uncle of Eleanor of Provence, queen-consort of Henry III of England, and came with her to London.