Restored to former glory, The Met opens on North Broad Street

Opera’s glory days in Philadelphia are linked to decades of performance at the Metropolitan Opera House that opened its doors at the beginning of the 20th century.

The grand building in the 800 block of North Broad street was a place for arias, contraltos and bravos. When it couldn’t attract crowds for opera, it became a movie theater, a ballroom, a sports venue, then a church. Monday, after years of disrepair it returns as a music venue under a new name, The Met.

Bob Dylan headlines this 3,500-seat coliseum-style theater with four levels and box seats once coveted by the opera set.

Live Nation regional president Geoff Gordon, who heads the team that will manage The Met, and Morning Edition host Jennifer Lynn walked through it a week before opening night.

Spackling dust was still settling and railings were wet with paint — but there was a light at the end of the construction tunnel for this building with lovely bones.