Lincoln's death, after being shot by John Wilkes Booth.

The Death-Bed of President Lincoln

Lincoln's death, after being shot by John Wilkes Booth.

Actor in Elizabethian costume.

Actor

Actor in Elizabethian costume.

View of the amphitheatre at Pompeii.

Amphitheatre

View of the amphitheatre at Pompeii.

A Greek Theater, Athens.

Greek Theatre

A Greek Theater, Athens.

"Theatrum, a theatre. The Athenians before the time of Aeschylus had only a wooden scaffolding on which their dramas were performed. Such a wooden theatre was only erected for the time of the Dionysiac festivals, and was afterwards pulled down. The first drama that Aeschylus brought upon the stage was performed upon such a wooden scaffold, and it is recorded as a singular and ominous coincidence that on that occasion (500 b.c.) the scaffolding broke down. To prevent the recurrence of such an accident, the building of a stone theatre was forthwith commenced on the south-eastern descent of the Acropolis, in the Lenaea; for it should be observed, that throughout Greece theatres were always built upon eminences, or on the sloping side of a hill." &mdash Smith; 1873

Theatrum

"Theatrum, a theatre. The Athenians before the time of Aeschylus had only a wooden scaffolding on which…

"The Theater of Dionysus (Restoration)" — Morey, 1903

Dionysus

"The Theater of Dionysus (Restoration)" — Morey, 1903

"Masks used in Tragedy" — Morey, 1903

Tragedy Mask

"Masks used in Tragedy" — Morey, 1903

Musical leader and composer, born in Washington, D. C., in 1854. He developed remarkable talent for music in early life, being noted as a performer in theater orchestras when only twelve years of age.

John Sousa

Musical leader and composer, born in Washington, D. C., in 1854. He developed remarkable talent for…

This illustration shows the costumes that were worn during the ruling of King William III and Queen Mary II.

William III Costumes

This illustration shows the costumes that were worn during the ruling of King William III and Queen…

A medium sized greek theater.

Epidauros Theater

A medium sized greek theater.

Lincolns assassination at Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth.

Lincoln Assassination

Lincolns assassination at Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth.

Mark Twain illustrating an Italian newspaper as saying a cop in a theater of opera in Wallace, Indiana, had willed to expel a spectator which continued to smoke in spite of the prohibition, who, spalleggiato by his friends, manifold revolver shots.

The Revolveration in Theatre

Mark Twain illustrating an Italian newspaper as saying a cop in a theater of opera in Wallace, Indiana,…

General George Henry Thomas, one of the principal Union commanders in the Western Theater.

General George Henry Thomas

General George Henry Thomas, one of the principal Union commanders in the Western Theater.

English actress.

Ellen Alicia Terry

English actress.

The theater of Athens where Greek drama was born.

Theater of Athens

The theater of Athens where Greek drama was born.

The Union Label for theatrical stage employees.

Theater Union Label

The Union Label for theatrical stage employees.

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology and zoology.

Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on…

The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 18-20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in south-central Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign. The battle was the most significant Union defeat in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.

Battle of Chickamauga

The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 18-20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in south-central…

Samuel Ryan Curtis (February 3, 1805 - December 26, 1866) was an American military officer, most famous for his role in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War.

Samuel Ryan Curtis

Samuel Ryan Curtis (February 3, 1805 - December 26, 1866) was an American military officer, most famous…

An illustration of Castle Garden, known today as Castle Clinton or Fort Clinton. Castle Clinton or Fort Clinton was once a circular sandstone fort now located in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan, New York City, in the United States. It subsequently became a beer garden, a theater, the first immigration station (predating Ellis Island), a very popular public aquarium, and finally a national monument.

Castle Garden

An illustration of Castle Garden, known today as Castle Clinton or Fort Clinton. Castle Clinton or Fort…

An illustration of the interior of Castle Garden, known today as Castle Clinton or Fort Clinton. Castle Clinton or Fort Clinton was once a circular sandstone fort now located in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan, New York City, in the United States. It subsequently became a beer garden, a theater, the first immigration station (predating Ellis Island), a very popular public aquarium, and finally a national monument.

Castle Garden (Interior)

An illustration of the interior of Castle Garden, known today as Castle Clinton or Fort Clinton. Castle…

An illustration of Bowery Theater, a playhouse in the Bowery neighborhood of New York City. Although it was founded by rich families to compete with the upscale Park Theater, the Bowery saw its most successful period under the populist, pro-American management of Thomas Hamblin in the 1830s and 1840s. By the 1850s, the theater came to cater to immigrant groups such as the Irish, Germans, and Chinese. It burnt down 5 times in 17 years, a fire in 1929 destroying it for good. Although the theater's name changed several times (Thalia Theater, Fay's Bowery Theater, etc.), it was generally referred to as the "Bowery Theater".

Bowery Theater

An illustration of Bowery Theater, a playhouse in the Bowery neighborhood of New York City. Although…

Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his fourteen comic operas produced in collaboration with the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan, of which the most famous include H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and one of the most frequently performed works in the history of musical theater, The Mikado.

Sir William Gilbert

Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist,…

George Henry Thomas (July 31, 1816 – March 28, 1870) was a career United States Army officer and a Union General during the American Civil War, one of the principal commanders in the Western Theater. Thomas served in the Mexican-American War and later chose to remain with the United States Army for the Civil War, despite his heritage as a Virginian.

George Henry Thomas

George Henry Thomas (July 31, 1816 – March 28, 1870) was a career United States Army officer and…

A diagram of the box occupied by President Lincoln in the Ford Theater when he was assassinated.

Diagram of Box Occupied by President Lincoln in Theatre

A diagram of the box occupied by President Lincoln in the Ford Theater when he was assassinated.

Ford's Theatre, where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

Ford's Theatre

Ford's Theatre, where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River. The Union Army of the Tennessee under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant gained control of the river by capturing this stronghold and defeating Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton's forces stationed there.

Vicksburg during the Civil War

The Vicksburg Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American…

The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro (in the South, simply the Battle of Murfreesboro), was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863 as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.

Battle of Murfreesboro

The Battle of Stones River or Second Battle of Murfreesboro (in the South, simply the Battle of Murfreesboro),…

James Brewerton Ricketts (June 21, 1817 – September 22, 1887) was a career officer in the United States Army, serving as a general in the Eastern Theater during the American Civil War.

James Brewerton Ricketts

James Brewerton Ricketts (June 21, 1817 – September 22, 1887) was a career officer in the United…

Felix Kirk Zollicoffer (May 19, 1812 – January 19, 1862) was a newspaperman, three-term United States Congressman from Tennessee, officer in the United States Army, and a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War. He led the first Confederate invasion of neutral Kentucky and was killed in action at the Battle of Mill Springs, the first Confederate general to perish in the Western Theater.

Felix Kirk Zollicoffer

Felix Kirk Zollicoffer (May 19, 1812 – January 19, 1862) was a newspaperman, three-term United States…

O, orchestra; L, logeion; P, paraskenai; SK, skene; ST, stoa.

Plan of Greek Theatre

O, orchestra; L, logeion; P, paraskenai; SK, skene; ST, stoa.

The theatres were originally built on a very large scale to accommodate the large number of people on stage, as well as the large number of people in the audience, up to fourteen thousand. Mathematics played a large role in the construction of these theatres, as their designers had to able to create acoustics in them such that the actors' voices could be heard throughout the theatre, including the very top row of seats.

Ground Plan of the Theatre at Iassus

The theatres were originally built on a very large scale to accommodate the large number of people on…

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the south slope of the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in 161 AD by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was originally a steep-sloped amphitheater with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof, and was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000.

Ground Plan of the Theatre of Herodes Atticus

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the south slope of the Acropolis…

The Late French Grotesque Mask, found in the Theater de Bellecour in Lyons, France. The design was used on keystones, consoles, spouts, handles, shields, capitals, panels and carved furniture.

Late French Grotesque

The Late French Grotesque Mask, found in the Theater de Bellecour in Lyons, France. The design was used…

The modern French antefix is found in the theater of Celestines in Lyons, France by Architect Renaud. This design is found on the lower roof line in front of the imbrices (overlapping roof tiles).

Modern French Antefix

The modern French antefix is found in the theater of Celestines in Lyons, France by Architect Renaud.…

"Section of the Church of S. Constantia at Rome. The simplest desctiptions of this kind of building are the baptistries, for which the ancient Thermæ furnished models. They generally have a circular or octagonal ground plan, a main space covered with a round or polygonal dome, and a circular passage separated therefrom by pillars in the same way that the side aisles are separated from the main aisle in basilicas. Sometimes they were without this passage, and only had galleries running round the interior like boxes in a theater. These buildings were generally constructed in the vicinity of cathedrals.

Santa Costanza

"Section of the Church of S. Constantia at Rome. The simplest desctiptions of this kind of building…

The modern spanrail panel is a found in the Vaudeville theater in Paris, France.

Modern Spanrail Panel

The modern spanrail panel is a found in the Vaudeville theater in Paris, France.

A divider illustrated with theater masks and vines.

Theater Mask Divider

A divider illustrated with theater masks and vines.

General James Longstreet (1821 - 1904) was a famous Confederate general of the American Civil War and principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee. General Longstreet was called "Old War Horse" by General Robert E. Lee.

General James Longstreet

General James Longstreet (1821 - 1904) was a famous Confederate general of the American Civil War and…

The Battle of Ball's Bluff is also known as the Battle of Harrison's Island or the Battle of Leesburg, which was fought on October 21, 1861, in Loudon County, Virginia. It was the second largest battle of the Eastern Theater in 1861. In the center of the sketch is Colonel Edward Dickinson Baker who was killed during the battle.

Battle of Ball's Bluff

The Battle of Ball's Bluff is also known as the Battle of Harrison's Island or the Battle of Leesburg,…

The Battle of Ball's Bluff is also known as the Battle of Harrison's Island or the Battle of Leesburg, which was fought on October 21, 1861, in Loudon County, Virginia. It was the second largest battle of the Eastern Theater in 1861.

Battle of Ball's Bluff

The Battle of Ball's Bluff is also known as the Battle of Harrison's Island or the Battle of Leesburg,…

An illustration of masks and a saxophone.

Theater Masks & Saxophone

An illustration of masks and a saxophone.

An illustration of the theater of Dionysus at Athens.

Theater of Dionysus

An illustration of the theater of Dionysus at Athens.

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology and zoology.

Statue of Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on…

This drawing represents the interior of Her Majesty's Theater of England.

Interior of Her Majesty's Theatre

This drawing represents the interior of Her Majesty's Theater of England.

The Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra de Paris or Opéra Garnier, but more commonly as the Paris Opéra, is a 2,200-seat opera house on the Place de l'Opéra in Paris, France. A grand landmark designed by Charles Garnier in the Neo-Baroque style, it is regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time."The newest and most important building is the new Opera House at Paris," this image "presents an external view.The competition which was announced for the plans for this building brought out at the time the most eminent, artistic, and architectural talent of France, and aroused a very general and lively interest in the result: inasmuch as an architectural chef-d'œuvre was to be produced, such as Paris did not possess before, and one in which the architecture of the present day was to make the utmost possible effect to build a theatre, which in every respect should be worthy of the metropolis of the world, and should thanks to the almost unlimited means at disposal, be the most perfect of its kind."

View of the Opera House in Paris

The Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra de Paris or Opéra Garnier, but more commonly as the Paris…

The Theater of Vitruvius was a Roman Theater, named after Roman writer, architect and engineer Vitruvius Marcus Pollio.

Theater of Vitruvius

The Theater of Vitruvius was a Roman Theater, named after Roman writer, architect and engineer Vitruvius…

"The Berlin school, whose founder was Schinkel, the architect of the noble Berlin Theatre, and of the Museum, which is noteworthy for its magnificent façade, exhibited a decided inclination towards Grecian architecture, and strove to attain a certain purity of form, and delicacy and elegance in details, which where for the most part carried out in the Grecian style. He had to contend against a deficiency in building material. Owing to want of building-stone, the mouldings, and indeed all the architectural details, were unavoidably carried out in stucco; nor was this all, but in order to give the same durability, they were made to project as little as possible. Consequently this architectural style, with the exception of some few public buildings, seemed flat and wanting in power, especially in the case of private dwelling-houses, and frequently presented the appearance of pasteboard-work, or cabinet-work, rather than of a structural edifice. This facility also which stucco afforded for enriching the façade, caused more attention to be paid to decoration than it was entitled to, for ornament should always be kept in subservience to the main and constructive architectural forms."The Konzerthaus Berlin (once called the Schauspielhaus Berlin) is a concert hall situated on the Gendarmenmarkt square in the central Mitte district of Berlin. Since 1994 it has been the seat of the German orchestra Konzerthausorchester Berlin.The building's predecessor, the National-Theater in the Friedrichstadt suburb, was destroyed by fire in 1817. It had been designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans and inaugurated on January 1, 1802. The hall was redesigned by Karl Friedrich Schinkel between 1818 and 1821, and the new inauguration of the Königliches Schauspielhaus on June 18, 1821 featured the acclaimed premiere of Carl Maria von Weber's opera Der Freischütz. Other works that have premiered at the theatre include Undine by E. T. A. Hoffmann in 1816 and Penthesilea by Heinrich von Kleist in 1876.After World War I the Schauspielhaus reopened under the name of Preußisches Staatstheater Berlin in October 1919. Under the direction of Leopold Jessner it soon became one of the leading theatres of the Weimar Republic, a tradtion ambivalently continued by his successor Gustav Gründgens after the Nazi takeover in 1933, including his famous staging of Goethe's Faust and the premiere of Gerhart Hauptmann's tragedy Iphigenie in Delphi in 1941.Severely damaged by Allied bombing and the Battle of Berlin the building has been rebuilt from 1977 on and reopened as the concert hall of the Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester in 1984. The exterior, including many of the sculptures of composers by Christian Friedrich Tieck and Balthasar Jacob Rathgeber, is a faithful reconstruction of Schinkel's designs, while the interior was adapted in a Neoclassical style meeting the conditions of the altered use. The great hall is equipped with a notable four-manual pipe organ including 74 stops and 5811 pipes.

Theatre at Berlin

"The Berlin school, whose founder was Schinkel, the architect of the noble Berlin Theatre, and of the…

"In Dresden, owing to the method of instruction in the technical schools, as well as to the influence of the buildings, as, for instance, those by Zwinger, and the new theatre by Semper, the Renaissance style is the one preferred by the architects who have been there educated."The Semperoper is the opera house of the Saxon State Opera Dresden (German: Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden) and the concert hall of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden in Dresden, Germany. It was first built in 1841, by architect Gottfried Semper.The building style itself is debated among many, as it has features that appear in the Early Renaissance style, Baroque and even features Corinthian style pillars typical of classical Greece (classical revival). Perhaps the most suitable label for this style would be Eclecticism; where influences from many styles are used- a practice most common during this period.It had to be rebuilt after a fire destroyed it in 1869. The citizenry demanded that Gottfried Semper do the reconstruction, even though he was in exile at the time because of his activities in the May Uprising in Dresden in 1849. So the architect had his son Manfred Semper complete the second opera house with his father's plans. This second one was constructed in Neo-Renaissance style in 1878. During construction, performances were held at the Gewerbehausall, which opened in 1870.The building is considered to be a prime example of "Dresden-Baroque" architecture. It is situated on the Theater Square in central Dresden on the bank of the Elbe River. On top of the portal there is a Panther quadriga with a statue of Dionysos. The interior was created by such famous architects of the time as Johannes Schilling. Monuments on the portal depict famous artists such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller, William Shakespeare, Sophocles, Molière and Euripides. The building also features work by Ernst Rietschel and Ernst Julius Hähnel.In the pre-war years, the building premiered many of the works of Richard Strauss.During the last weeks of World War II in 1945 the building was destroyed again - this time by Allied bombing and the subsequent fire storms. Exactly 40 years later, on February 13, 1985 the opera was rebuilt almost the same as it was before the war. It reopened with the same opera that was performed last before the destruction in 1945: Weber's Der Freischütz.During the flood of the Elbe in 2002 the building suffered heavy water damage. With substantial help from around the world, it reopened in December 2002.Today, most operas are accompanied by the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden.

Theatre at Dresden

"In Dresden, owing to the method of instruction in the technical schools, as well as to the influence…

Opera glasses, also known as theater binoculars or Galilean binoculars, they are compact, low power optical magnification devices, usually used at performance events, whose name is derived from traditional use at opera performances. Magnification power below 5x is usually desired in these circumstances in order to minimize image shake and maintain a large enough field of view. A magnification of 3x is normally recommended. The design of many modern opera glasses of the ornamental variety is based on the popular lorgnettes of the nineteenth century

Opera Glass

Opera glasses, also known as theater binoculars or Galilean binoculars, they are compact, low power…

One of the more prominent places people see costumes is in theater, film and on television. In combination with other aspects, theatrical costumes can help actors portray characters' age, gender role, profession, social class, personality, and even information about the historical period/era, geographic location and time of day, as well as the season or weather of the theatrical performance. Often, stylized theatrical costumes can exaggerate some aspect of a character; for example Harlequin and Pantaloon in the Commedia dell'Arte.

Theatrical Costume

One of the more prominent places people see costumes is in theater, film and on television. In combination…

This umbrella may serve dual purposes, it is intended for common household use, and small enough where it may be used as a prop for theatrical purposes.

Theatrical Umbrella

This umbrella may serve dual purposes, it is intended for common household use, and small enough where…

"The next evolution is presented in Euripides. He is less ideal than his predeccesor, but truer to nature. His drama is more of a reality. He takes his stand in the midst of human life as it is. His language is the language of the people. The heroes of his plays are more possible than those of Sophocles. They are redeemed with weaknesses, touched with folly, stained with tears. He has more variety in his action, greater freedom, more surprises and vicissitudes."—Ridpath, 1885

Euripides

"The next evolution is presented in Euripides. He is less ideal than his predeccesor, but truer to nature.…

One of the first Greek amphitheaters, located in the political center of the Elymian people.

Theater of Segesta

One of the first Greek amphitheaters, located in the political center of the Elymian people.

Statue of the Greek dramatist. He is representative of Athenian New Comedy.

Menander

Statue of the Greek dramatist. He is representative of Athenian New Comedy.

One of the earliest open-air theaters in Athens, Greece.

Theater of Dionysus

One of the earliest open-air theaters in Athens, Greece.