To spot the Academy of Music in front of you, look for a grand, pinkish three-story building boasting tall white columns and ornate windows, with a bold red “ACADEMY” sign standing out on the right.
Here you are, standing right in front of the Academy of Music-looking just about as dramatic as the building itself! Imagine it’s 1905, and the doors swing open to a night alive with anticipation. The soft golden glow spills from the entrance, and you’re met with the Beaux Arts elegance of the interior, all high ceilings and intricate neoclassical details. In those days, the proudest names of Europe and America took to the stage here: famed pianist Ignace Paderewski’s fingers flew across the keys, world-renowned ballerina Anna Pavlova danced with grace, and the legendary Sarah Bernhardt’s voice carried to the rafters. And, of course, actors like DeWolf Hopper brought more than a touch of humor-good thing the ghosts of this old theater love a good laugh! It nearly faded into history, but in 2008, a generous grant helped rescue it, so laughter, drama, and music could echo here once more. Since its listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, the Academy has survived to share countless stories-kind of like a theater version of “the show must go on.”
