The Dissatisfaction That's Not Going Away

Ten days after the re-branding of the Hudson Opera House was announced, the new name Henry Hudson Hall became simply Hudson Hall. Eleven days have passed since then, and it doesn't appear that the name Hudson Hall is likely to be altered further or abandoned altogether, but the discontent with the name change among long supporters of the Hudson Opera House has not dissipated. This morning, Byrne Fone, one of the original members of the Hudson Opera House board, shared this statement with Gossips.

Though I have been on record as firmly opposing the Hudson Opera House name change, I also want, as firmly, to say that I agree absolutely with Director Gary Schiro that the controversy over naming should not and must not overshadow the tremendous achievement of returning to use, and to Hudson, what was lost almost half a century ago when the building became in effect derelict.

Gary’s tireless, exemplary and indeed inspired work, in unison with the Board of Directors, has brought to a brilliant completion the project of restoration begun twenty-five years ago in 1992 when a handful of Hudsonians, with no money and little experience with such a potentially gigantic project, nevertheless began to dream and didn’t stop.

Now the Hudson Opera House is no longer a fanciful dream, a fond hope, a distant possibility. It is real.

In surely what is a gracious bow to public sentiment, HOH has happily abandoned their original suggestion that “The Hudson Opera House” should be erased in favor of “Henry Hudson Hall.” Though it has not made everyone happy, they have now again renamed it as Hudson Hall at the Historic Hudson Opera House.

At this time of celebration, perhaps a truly fitting gesture to celebrate this remarkable rebirth would be to agree as graciously with the many who find “Hudson Hall” neither evocative, inspiring, nor unique, recalling as it does, apparently, dozens of other only vaguely known Hudson Halls.

The Hudson Opera House. That says it all.

Let’s keep that name, and that name only, as we raise three cheers for the many who have served as Board members over a quarter of a century, for Gary Schiro, who almost as long has been the guardian of that tradition, and for the dedicated people at the Hudson Opera House who have finally made it happen.

There is only one Hudson Opera House, and Hudson has it. 

COPYRIGHT 2017 CAROLE OSTERINK