This seating plan for the French Opera House appears in a copy of the libretto of Charles Gounod's opera Mireille. The elaborately decorated theater seated 2078, including 500 unreserved seats in the fourth balcony. At the time, the theater was the largest in the United States. In 1919, just before the fire that destroyed it, tickets could be had for from 28 cents to $1.65 for matinees and 55 cents to $3.30 for evening performances.
Of course, my folks never had the
idea they wanted a musician in the family. They always had it in their minds that a
musician was a tramp, trying to duck work, with the exception of the French opera
house players which they patronized. As a matter of fact, I, myself, was inspired to play
piano by going to a recital at the French opera house.