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The first Theatre Royal, Covent Garden was built by actor-manager John Rich, designed by the architect Edward Shepherd, and opened on 7 December 1732. It operated under the auspices of letters patent initially granted to Sir William Davenant, as one of only two recognised play houses in London.
It was mainly a playhouse, but music and dance were also performed there. George Frederic Handel wrote a number of operas and oratorios for this theatre, as well as bequeathing his organ to it. In 1791, Thomas Harris took over the management of the theatre and redesigned its interior several times before the building was accidentally burnt down in September 1808. A new theatre was constructed and opened in September 1809, under the joint management of Harris and John Kemble, designed by Robert Smirke.
The Theatres Act of 1843 ended the Theatre Royal's monopoly on drama production. In 1847, it became the Royal Italian Opera when the conductor Michael Costa, along with a number of singers including Giuseppe and Fanny Persiani, and Giulia Grisi, left the Italian Opera at the Queen's Theatre, Haymarket, to establish a rival company. The building was redesigned as an Italian opera house and the Royal Italian Opera was opened. In 1856 the theatre again burnt down. A new theatre was designed by E M Barry, with a glass and iron arcade - the Floral Hall. It opened in May 1858, and its popularity grew, despite the poor access to the auditorium, which meant that the audience took so long to find their seats that the final act of the first performance was cancelled. The Italian Opera ceased in 1892, and the theatre became the Royal Opera House. The building underwent a number of alterations. In 1899, the Conservatory bar was added to the terrace above the portico, and later the stage was remodelled by Edwin O Sachs. Profits declined however, such that during World War 1, the building was used as a warehouse. In 1919, it was sold to the family company of Sir Thomas Beecham, interest revived and the Royal Opera House Company renovated the building in 1933, however the declaration of World War 2 had an adverse effect. During this period, no opera was staged, instead the building was lease to Mecca Cafes Ltd, who converted it for use as a ballroom, which proved very popular.
After the War, the music publishers Boosey and Hawkes acquired the lease of the building. Funding was secured from the Arts Council of Great Britain for the establishment of resident companies - the Covent Garden Opera Company, the Sadler's Wells Ballet Company under the direction of Ninette de Valois. The ballet company obtained its royal charter in 1956, and the opera company in 1968. The Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet remained as a company of the ROH performing at various theatres, until 1991, when it became the Royal Birmingham Ballet.
The building continued to undergo modification, in 1953, the floor was relayed and the angle altered, in 1964 the amphitheatre and gallery were combined into one space, and an extension was built in 1982. Major development undertaken in 1996, with the addition of a new wing along Russell St, and major development of the theatre and site was undertaken between 1996-1999
In 1980, the freehold of the building passed to the Government for the Royal Opera House Covent Garden Ltd, which is the parent company of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the ROH.