Civic Opera House

For more than half a century, the Civic Opera House in Chicago has offered locals and visitors to Chicago the opportunity to experience the majesty of opera in an elegant, state-of-the-art facility. Make time in your Chicago travel to witness the splendor of a performance at the Civic Opera House and relax in style only a half mile away at the historic Silversmith Hotel & Suites, a luxury boutique hotel.

For the finest in downtown Chicago hotels, unwind in elegantly-decorated guest rooms or spacious suites featuring deluxe bedding and high speed internet access for your comfort and convenience. When you wake refreshed, enjoy a hot cup of in-room coffee and head to the lobby for a delicious breakfast or lunch before catching an early matinee at the Opera House.

Enter the massive, bronze doors of the Civic Opera House and marvel at the dazzling Austrian crystal chandelier, 40-foot high Roman columns and intricately stenciled ceiling greeting guests with shimmering opulence. The Civic Opera House, designed with a blend of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, is the vision of Samuel Insull, a Chicago billionaire who desired a proper home for the Chicago Civic Opera. To achieve his vision, he demanded five requisites: safety, excellent sight lines, comfortable seating, gracious surroundings and premium acoustics.

After just 22 months of planning and construction, Insull’s dream was realized on November 4, 1929, six days after the stock market crash. Since opening, the Civic Opera House has become a widely-recognized Chicago landmark with its distinct shape and its enormous size – an entire city block! The building is shaped much like a throne with a 35-story office tower and two 22-story wings facing the Chicago River between Washington and Madison Streets.

Through time, the 3,563 seat theater has been home to several opera companies before being bought by the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1954. Painstakingly restored from 1993-1996, you will look in amazement at elaborate, hand-painted gold wall panels and stunning ceiling as you wait in delicious anticipation for the majestic curtains to rise, revealing a vividly colorful extravaganza for the senses. In addition to operas, this facility has hosted orchestral, dance, vocal concerts and can also be rented out for private functions.