‘The jewel in the crown of the Darling Downs’: Curtain call for Empire Theatre restoration project

Toowoomba’s heritage-listed theatre is about to unveil the restoration of their outstanding centrepiece for the first time since The Empire’s grand reopening in 1997.

The Empire Theatre unveils restored house curtain almost 3 decades after the heritage listed building was reopened.

The Empire Theatre will soon unveil their newly restored house curtain at the Queensland Ballet’s Coppélia this Saturday, a performance that is exclusively being performed in Toowoomba and Cairns.

The incredible new curtain stretches 18m wide, 9m tall, weighs 300kg, and used an impressive 370m of fabric to create.

The original 27-year-old gold fringing on the curtain has been restored and reattached to the upgraded piece.

The Empire Theatre general manager Giuliana Bonel said there weren’t many theatres that had been restored the way The Empire has and this project reminded her of how this building was saved 27 years ago.

“It is extraordinary to be able to have a heritage Art Deco theatre restored by local council,” she said.

“There’s something so beautiful about that history, and I can only imagine the amount of memories that have been made and shared in these very venues.

“So all these years on it’s such a treasure to the community and to the wider arts.

“This is a moment that is more than just a technical upgrade, it’s a statement of confidence in live performance in our region from our local council.”

The Empire Theatre unveils restored house curtain almost three decades after the heritage listed building was reopened.

The Empire operations and technical services manager Tim Panitz said beyond the safety considerations of the curtain this project has been a way to honour the heritage of the building and create a long lasting future for Toowoomba’s cultural hub.

“We’re also all about the modern heritage of the building and keeping the history continuing throughout,” he said.

Toowoomba Regional Council cultural services spokeswoman Melissa Taylor said this is a step in maintaining this iconic cultural institution in Toowoomba.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to have such a treasure in our community, and this investment ensures The Empire continues to shine-both as an architectural showpiece and as a vibrant home for the performing arts,” she said.

Originally published as ‘The jewel in the crown of the Darling Downs’: Curtain call for Empire Theatre restoration project