Savoy Theatre opens, first public building fully lit by electricity (1880–1881)

Richard D'Oyly Carte opened the Savoy Theatre in London on 10 October 1881, a state-of-the-art venue designed for his productions. Joseph Swan supplied incandescent bulbs, making it the first public building lit entirely by electricity, though the stage initially relied on gas until December 1881. The site, formerly the Savoy Palace, was purchased by Carte in 1880.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Carte purchased the freehold of the site, known as Beaufort Buildings, in early 1880 for £11,000. The property had sat empty after a fire in 1864 destroyed the Savoy Palace, leaving only stone walls and the chapel. Carte intended to build a theatre specifically for his Gilbert and Sullivan productions, initially considering the name Beaufort Theatre before announcing the Savoy name in 1881.

Electrical Installation. Joseph Swan, an independent developer of the incandescent bulb, supplied approximately 1,200 lamps for the theatre. These were powered by a 120-horsepower generator located on open land near the building. Swan personally supervised the installation in December 1880. The first generator proved insufficient for the entire structure, resulting in gas lighting on the stage until 28 December 1881.

Opening Production. The theatre opened with Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera Patience, which transferred from the Opera Comique on 10 October 1881. Patience had been running since April 1881 and was a significant success, usurping Pinafore's position as the longest-running piece in the series while holding the second-longest run in musical theatre history to that date. The opening night was described in The Times on 11 October 1881.

People involved

Sources

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