Sydney Cheney, engineer at Royal Opera House, London

Feb. 29 Oldest Employee Of The Royal Opera House is the Resident Engineer, Sydney Cheney, who has been at Covent Garden for 35 years. Anniversary year for the Opera House Covent Garden is both 100 and 150 years old: The original opera house, built in 1732 by John Rich burned down in 1808. After an interval of three months the Prince of Wales laid the foundation stone of the second theatre, which still exists in the basement of the third opera house to be built in Covent Garden. The second House was itself burned down in March 1856 at the close of a masquerade ball, during the playing of the National Anthem. The present theatre was opened on 15 May 1853 amid worldwide acclaim of its luxurious accommodation and facilities. Thus, 1958 is the 150th birthday of the foundation stone laying of the second House and the the 100th anniversary of the opening of the present opera house. Gala performances are being arranged where members of the royal family will, as they always have, lend the distinction of their presence. The third Opera House to stand on the site in Covent Garden, next to London's main fruit and vegetable market has a long and varied history which looked dangerously near ending when, during the war the theatre was leased for use as a dance hall. In 1944 the lease was taken over by Boosey and Hawkes, the music publishers, and the Covent Garden Trust was formed to make it the National Home of Opera and Ballet. The Covent Garden Opera Company was formed and gave its first performance in 1947. When the lease again expired, the Ministry of Works took a 41 years lease and the Trust was re-formed as the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Ltd. a non-profit making company. It is the intention of the Adminstration of the theatre to keep it open throughout the year for Opera and ballet. This policy has been followed and although finances have periodically given cause for worry, there is no question of the national Home of Opera being in danger of continuing its valuable contribution to national life

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100th 150th 1732 1808 1853 1856 Acclaim Accommodation Adminstration Although Amid Anthem Arranged Basement Boosey Burned Cause Cheney Continuing Contribution Covent Dangerously Distinction Employee Ending Exists Expired Facilities Finances Followed Formed Hawkes Intention Interval Itself Lease Leased Leases Lend Looked Luxurious Masquerade Non-profit Oldest Performances Periodically Presence Publishers Question Re-formed Resident Throughout Thus Valuable Varied Vegetable Worldwide Worry

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