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On January 1, 1999, at 12:22 p.m., a fire totally destroyed the New England Marionette Opera. Consumed by the fire were more than 200 handcrafted marionettes, all sets from nine complete operatic productions, all sound, and light and office devices. Only the two large travelling bridges survived the six-hour inferno.

On November 4, 1999, the decision was made to not try to reopen the theatre.

On December 31, 1999, at 11:59 p.m., the New England Marionette Opera was officially closed.

We have, however, decided to leave behind this web site to show visitors the professionalism, the grandeur and the magic that was
The New England Marionette Opera.

The site appears exactly as it did on the day of our last performance, December 20, 1998 with the single exception of one new page devoted to the fire.

You may still contact us at the email link on the site and our guestbook is still open.

To everyone on both sides of the proscenium who was a part of our magnificent seven-year run we say - addio.

Ted Leach
Founder