Proposed Opera House Leicester Square London

It is said that the vacant site in Leicester Square, caused by the fire which destroyed the building once known as Miss Linwood’s gallery, has been secured by Mr Mapleson, the lessee of Her Majesty’s Theatre. In this admirable situation Mr Mapleson intends, it is stated, to erect a magnificent opera house at a cost of about £100,000, and which will, it is hoped, be one of the most perfect buildings of its kind in Europe. Mr Mapleson has selected as his architect Mr E Salomons of Manchester, a gentleman who has recently achieved a very high reputation as a theatrical architect in Liverpool and Manchester, for which towns he designed the New Prince of Wales Theatre and the Prince’s Theatre. [Manchester Guardian 13 November 1866 page 6]

Scheme seemingly not progressed. In 1875 Mapleson began a scheme for an opera house on the Embankment ( architect Fowler), but ran out of money.

Reference           Manchester Guardian 13 November 1866 page 6

Scenery for opening night of Prince of Wales Theatre was supplied by Her Majesty’s Theatre London thus providing a link between Salomons and Mapleson.