Milwaukee
Washington Park Emil Blatz Temple of Music
Photo is of Mr. Blatz, 1939, with a cake in the shape of the band shell with the names of stars who have appeared there around the bottom of it.
(from The Milwaukee Journal, July 8, 1988.)
The Emil Blatz Temple of Music, dedicated in 1938, is located in Washington Park. The Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the famous landscape architect of New York’s Central Park. It includes 130 acres with the bandshell located centrally in a natural depression next to a lagoon. The Art Deco style curved bandshell was designed, according to the WI Historical Society, by Milwaukee architect Fitzhugh Scott. The new bandshell replaced a much smaller gazebo style bandstand built about 1896-1897. Emil Blatz, an 80-year old widower with no children and son of Blatz Brewery founder Valentin Blatz, donated the $100,000 funds needed for the new structure. Selzer-Ornst were the contractors. The shell is adorned with Greek muses embossed on the short thick columns on each side of the bandshell while the names of some 45 composers from Puccini, Brahms, Handel, Liszt, Schubert, Sousa, Beethoven, to Mozart are etched on the back of the concrete shell. Permanent seating for an audience of 10,000 was included along with a large pit for musicians. Additionally, there were four private dressing rooms on stage level with two on the ground level.
Statues of the romantic poets Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich von Schiller have overlooked all concert activity since their hillside relocation within the park in 1960.
Most famous of performances was the "Music Under the Stars" concerts, which were often broadcast nationally over both NBC and CBS radio. These lasted over 50 years with crowds of more than 10,000 plus regularly attending. Over the years, the shell has hosted many famous entertainers - Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck Quartet, and Jeanette MacDonald. Barack Obama appeared in 2004.
Over a number of years, not been much had been done to improve and maintain the shell, but in 2005, Harley Davidson, the longstanding motorcycle manufacturing company and nearby neighbor, donated substantial funds for this and in 2006, improvements to the bench seating was scheduled. The Milwaukee County committed to renovating the bandshell with $738,000 in the 2016 budget, including the stage and ventilation system as well as new paint and lights.
"Music Under the Stars"
Historic Post Card by E.C. Kropp Co., Milwaukee, Wis.
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"Music Temple" Historic Post Card by E.C. Kropp Co., Milwaukee, Wis.
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From Milwaukee County Historical Society Facebook: On August 23, 1938 the Blatz Temple of Music was dedicated at Washington Park. A crowd of over 40,000 people attended to hear Jessica Dragonette sing with the Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra. Emil Blatz, son of brewery owner Val Blatz, donated $100,000 to build the bandshell. At the dedication Blatz said, “If this temple of music gives you as much pleasure as it has given me in donating it, I am fully repaid.”
August 23, 1938, the first concert, from Milwaukee County Historical Society Facebook
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August 23, 1938, the first concert, from Milwaukee County Historical Society Facebook
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August 23, 1938, the first concert, Jessica Dragonette and Emil Blatz; from Milwaukee County Historical Society Facebook
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From The Milwaukee Journal, July 8, 1988: Under a beautiful August summer evening in 1938, the exciting opening performance of “Music Under the Stars” was born. It drew a crowd of over 18,000; tickets prices ranged from $0.20 for general admission to $1.00 for box seats. NBC and CBS radio broadcasted parts of the opening concert nationally. For more than 50 years, stars such as Jeanette MacDonald, Lily Pons, Dinah Shore, Mario Lanza, Jan Peerce, Richard Tucker, the Andre Kostelanetz’ Orchestra , and Itzhak Perlman graced the stage and performed on summer evenings. For Milwaukee, now known as a city of summer festivals, this was one of the first summer major entertainment draws. This was all a dream-come-true for Emil Blatz of the Blatz beer brewing family. He so loved listening to Chicago’s Grant Park radio concerts and wanted Milwaukee residents to experience this type of live musical entertainment that he gave $100,000 to have the band shell constructed. Mr. Blatz, elderly at this time, lived to enjoy the next six seasons of the “Music Under the Stars” concerts. |
The Milwaukee Journal, July 8, 1988
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In recent years, some 300 to 1,000 neighbors regularly stream to Washington Park Wednesdays, Saturday evenings to hear local artists and bands play jazz and on Sunday to enjoy blues.
Seating can accommodate up to 8,000. Neighborhood groups and others, such as local radio stations, help cover the costs and there is no charge to attend. In addition to musical programs, the county park has initiated movie nights.
Seating can accommodate up to 8,000. Neighborhood groups and others, such as local radio stations, help cover the costs and there is no charge to attend. In addition to musical programs, the county park has initiated movie nights.
Bobby Tanzil, senior Editor/Writer of On Milwaukee, has written in its online publication of May 21, 2020, an extensive article "Urban spelunking: Washington Park bandshell/Blatz Temple of Music" which relates its history and recent events. Included are fascinating photos (many from the Milwaukee Public Library) of its construction, behind-the-stage architecture of the bandshell, and celebrities who performed on its stage.
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