Italian Opera House

The Italian Opera House, located on the northwest corner of Leonard and Church streets in today's Tribeca, was built by Venetian-American Lorenzo de Ponte. De Ponte, a former Roman Catholic priest and Mozart's librettist, emigrated to America in the late 1820s. He became the first professor of Italian literature at Columbia University and founded the Italian Opera House in 1833 at the age of 84. Architecturally, it resembled a small White House. 

Despite its historical significance, the venture was short-lived. Prior to their construction, venues like Castle Clinton and Niblo’s Garden hosted opera, but these early opera houses were unsuccessful due to their inability to attract the right audiences.