The Victorian Academy of Music was a theatre in

Bourke Street, Melbourne Bourke Street is one of the main streets in the Melbourne central business district and a core feature of the Hoddle Grid. It was traditionally the entertainment hub of inner-city Melbourne, and is now also a popular tourist destination and tr ...

, built for Samuel Aarons in 1876. It was also advertised as the Bijou Theatre, as if to distinguish it from the larger Theatre Royal and

Opera House An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets. While some venues are constructed specifically for o ...

, then in 1880 the "Academy" title was dropped. In June 1884 it was purchased for £47,000 by

John Alfred Wilson John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

(c. 1832 – 23 September 1915), owner of nearby Academy of Music (later Palace) Hotel and Gaiety Theatre, all on Bourke Street. The first lessee was G. B. W. Lewis, who staged concerts and plays on alternate evenings. Lewis was followed in 1885 by the Majeronis, who had often played in that theatre. Business was slow however, and when Majeroni fell behind in the rent, Wilson transferred the lease to Brough and

Boucicault Dionysius Lardner "Dion" Boucicault (né Boursiquot; 26 December 1820 – 18 September 1890) was an Irish actor and playwright famed for his melodramas. By the later part of the 19th century, Boucicault had become known on both sides of the ...

. The theatre was destroyed by fire on Easter Monday, 1889. A new, larger Bijou Theatre was built on the site, opening in 1890. The new theatre seated around 2,000 across three levels. The Bijou was the scene of

Louis De Rougement Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ( ...

's brief appearance on the Australian stage — no sooner did he start to recount details of his amazing adventures than he was mercilessly howled down by the audience. The theatre was further renovated and altered in 1907. It was demolished in 1934, a few weeks after the

Royal Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

, opposite.

References

{{coord missing, Victoria (Australia) History of Melbourne Former theatres in Melbourne Demolished buildings and structures in Melbourne Buildings and structures demolished in 1934