Thalian Hall and Cameron Art Museum Debut Replica of 1858 Stage Curtain

Thalian Hall welcomes the public to enjoy a unique artistic showcase on our Annual Community Day (Saturday, April 25th 11am-2pm) – the unveiling of a new replica theatre curtain, designed in the image of the original curtain which was unveiled at Thalian Hall's opening night on October 12, 1858.

Thalian Hall and Cameron Art Museum partnered together for the conservation of the original curtain, the oldest theatre curtain in America, that is currently on display in the Thalian Hall old lobby. This curtain was used on the main stage from 1858-1904, removed, lost, restored, rehung, extended to fit the proscenium and photographed in 1947, then lost, found, and restored again as an artifact. Now, for the first time in almost 100 years, a working replica of artist William Russell Smith's hand-painted curtain will be unveiled on the main stage.

The original curtain and the replica were on view as part of Raise the Curtain (February 6 to July 10, 2016) at Cameron Art Museum. Both curtains were fully accessible to the public in the museum's Hughes Gallery, with art conservation on the original as local artists painted the full-scale replica next to it. The working replica curtain was designed and created using similar methods utilized by William Russell Smith. The artist Virginia Wright Frierson served as lead painter. Anne Brennan was the project director and assisted with painting, along with John Sharkey, a longstanding decorative painter for Thalian Hall. Rand Enlow was a consultant on the project.

Through the tireless efforts of artists, historians, curators, conservators, theatre preservationists, and volunteers – Thalian Hall's main stage will look just as it did on opening night October 12, 1858.

Famed scenic artist and painter William Russell Smith (1812-1896) designed and painted the original stage curtain titled “Ceremonial Voyage to an Aegean Temple.” The scene depicts a sea voyage to the Grecian isles, featuring a temple to Apollo where an oracle would be consulted prior to the Olympic Games. Smith completed this large scenic curtain with a pulley system in his Philadelphia studio. Smith was also commissioned to paint a scenic curtain for the Philadelphia Academy of Music which opened in 1857. Few of these original painted curtains still exist, making the original – an artifact far too delicate to use – a rare American theatre relic.

ABOUT THALIAN HALL

Thalian Hall, est. 1858, is one of America's most prized historic theatres and the only surviving theatre designed by the lauded 19th century architect, John Montague Trimble. Designated as the #1 historic theatre in the nation by Architectural Digest, Thalian Hall's ornate theatre is proud to be the crown jewel of the Carolina coast. The historic structure is the cultural center of Wilmington, NC, spanning three centuries. Presently, Thalian Hall hosts over 700 events per year including the Main Attractions Series, world-class touring artists, and is the home of many local robust theatre, music, dance, and film organizations raising top talent of the American South. With a commitment to presenting world-class performances, Thalian Hall continues to enrich the region with diverse programming that celebrates the performing arts. For more information, visit ThalianHall.org.

ABOUT CAMERON ART MUSEUM

Cameron Art Museum provides a cultural gathering place that enriches the lives of museum visitors and the community through high-quality exhibitions, lifelong learning in the arts, dynamic public programs, and stewardship and interpretation of the collection. CAM's four core values: commitment to community, to lifelong learning in the arts, to support of artists, and to collecting, preserving, documenting and interpreting a permanent collection of art. The museum has been a collecting institution since inception, with approximately 4,000 objects in the permanent collection, with a primary and growing focus on modern art. The collection includes work by artists of national and international significance, used in changing thematic exhibitions, loan exhibitions, and for educational purposes. Cameron Art Museum is a non-profit fully reliant on the generosity of its donors.