Saenger Theatre, Concert hall and arts center in Mobile, US

The Saenger Theatre is a 1927 theater on Dauphin Street in Mobile, designed by architect Emile Weil in a continental style meant to resemble European opera houses. Its interior, described as having the motif of a French Renaissance palace, is sea-green with maroon and gold trim; Poseidon is cast above the front entrance, Dionysus sits above the proscenium, and Maenads circle the lounge chandelier. Seating today is 1,921.

Architect Emile Weil designed this entertainment venue, which opened on January 19, 1927, and shaped Mobile's cultural landscape. The building was constructed during the height of American movie palaces and originally served as a cinema and performance space.

The Saenger is the official home of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra and hosts the annual Summer Movie Series, along with concerts, lectures and special events. Its 1927 dedication fell on General Robert E. Lee's 119th birthday, and a representative of the United Daughters of the Confederacy presented a portrait of Lee for the foyer. The interior ornamentation draws on Greek mythology and the coast: Poseidon above the entrance, Dionysus above the proscenium, Maenads around the lounge chandelier and Pan beneath the organ grilles.

The Saenger sits on Dauphin Street in the Lower Dauphin Street Historic District, part of downtown Mobile. Oak View Group runs the theatre for the City of Mobile, so check the programme before travelling. The auditorium holds 1,921 seats, and the opera boxes beneath the organ grilles were removed for sight-lines.

Poseidon is cast above the front entrance, and the interior plasterwork carries Dionysus above the proscenium, Maenads around the lounge chandelier, Pan beneath the organ grilles, and stylized seahorses, shells and fish throughout. The sea-green, maroon and gold scheme and trompe-l'œil ceilings refer to Greek mythology and Mobile's coastal setting.