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Academy of Music
Photo courtesy of Virginia Department of Historic Resources
Lynchburg's Academy of Music was built as a vaudeville theater and opera house, one of the few surviving in Virginia. Completed in 1905, it was designed by the local architectural firm of Frye and Chesterman, which embellished Lynchburg with many of its best buildings. The theater burned in 1911, but was rebuilt within its walls under the direction of architect C. K. Howell, with Lynchburg's J. M. B. Lewis as associate. The present facade is a sophisticated essay in the Neoclassical style recalling 18th-century English Palladianism. The elegant interior is enriched with plasterwork decorations and a colorful painted ceiling of clouds, muses and cherubs. In its heyday, the Academy boasted Sarah Bernhardt, Pavlova and Paderewski among its performers. Vacant for some 40 years, the theater has now been restored and returned to its place in the rich cultural life of the city.

The Academy of Music is located at 600 Main St. in Lynchburg. The Academy was preserved by several groups of Trustees, including the current group, The Academy of Music Theatre, Inc., which is committed to reviving performances, holding classes and placing the Academy back in the forefront of contemporary culture. For information about performances, visit the Academy's website or call 434-528-3256. The Academy of Music has also been documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey


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