Ms Ross, of Williams Ross, yesterday viewed progress on the $9.7 million face-lift of the 100-year-old building.
‘‘It's looking great. It's coming together well,'' she said.
It was very exciting to see the foyer opened up for the first time and it was also nice to see the backstage area painted, rather than the peeling paintwork and ‘‘almost mould in the corners'' which was previously there, she said.
When the redevelopment was completed, Ms Ross believed the public would notice what was new but there would also be a sense of familiarity.
Opera House manager Richard McWha said a very exciting programme was being planned for the opening of the building in February next year. That programme would be launched in November.
He was delighted with the number of inquiries received about utilising the building which should make for a very exciting first year.
Ms Ross said it was critical the community supported those shows and performances ‘‘because if they don't support them, they won't come back''.
It was significant the heads of two firms heavily involved in the project - Bill Williams from Williams Ross and theatre design consultant Denis Irving from Marshall Day Entertech - had both died since the start of the project.
It would be one of their final projects and an important project for both of them, Ms Ross said. It was felt that the purchase of two seats in the Opera House, bearing their names might be appropriate.
- The North Otago branch of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust yesterday presented $5000 to the Opera House project.
It was appropriate to signal the branch's support of the community project in a town which was deeply dependent on its heritage, chairwoman Carol Berry said.
