The Majestic, Singapore
| The Majestic | |
|---|---|
大华戏院 | |
.jpg) The Majestic in October 2018 | |
.svg)  Location in Singapore | |
| Former names |
|
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Commercial |
| Classification | M |
| Location | Chinatown, Singapore |
| Address | 80 Eu Tong Sen Street, Singapore 059810 |
| Country | Singapore |
| Coordinates | 1°17′05″N 103°50′35″E / 1.284722°N 103.843167°E |
| Current tenants | Shaw Organisation (former) The Majestic Film Company (former) |
| Named for | The Majestic Film Company |
| Construction started | 1927 |
| Completed | 1928 |
| Owner | Eu Tong Sen (former) Cathay Realty |
| Landlord | Eu Tong Sen (former) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
The Majestic (Chinese: 大华戏院; pinyin: Dàhuá xìyuàn) is a historic building on Eu Tong Sen Street in Chinatown, Singapore next to Chinatown MRT station. Located between the People's Park Complex and Yue Hwa Building, it was known as Majestic Theatre, which was a Cantonese opera house.[1]
History
Early history
In 1927, Eu Tong Sen, a tin mining and rubber magnate, built a Cantonese opera house for his wife who was a Cantonese opera fan.[2] The theatre was Initially known as Tien Yien Moh Toi Theatre (天演舞台).[2] Eu also formed an opera troupe for her, and bought the street on which the theatre sat, naming it Eu Tong Sen Street.
The building was designed by
The theatre was a venue for Cantonese opera until 1938, when it was converted into a cinema. The Shaw Brothers rented the place, renamed it the Queen's Theatre, and used it to screen the latest Cantonese blockbuster films.[2]
During the Japanese occupation of Singapore in World War II, the theatre was renamed Tai Hwa Opera House when the Imperial Japanese Army took control of it.[2] It was used to screen Japanese propaganda films.[2]
Post-war years
Shortly after the Japanese occupation ended in 1945, the Shaw Brothers' lease over the theatre also ended in September the same year. It was then tenanted to The Majestic Film Company, which gave the theatre its current name.
In 1956,
In 1983, the Cathay Organisation became the sole
Redevelopment
In the early 2000s, the Majestic Theatre was
In July 2007, Cathay Realty, the real estate subsidiary of the Cathay Organisation, put The Majestic up for sale at an estimated S$43 million.
Architecture
The Majestic is one of the prominent landmarks in Chinatown, and the theatre was once the grandest building there. The building is a mixture of Western and Chinese architectural styles.
The facade of the theatre is decorated with
References
- ^ "Singapore Infopedia: Majestic Theatre". National Library Board. Archived from the original on 4 July 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
- ^ a b c d e "The Majestic". www.roots.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
