Hawke's Bay Opera House
Opened in 1915 as the Hastings Municipal Theatre (now the Hawke’s Bay Opera House), the venue’s official records note an opening on 18 October 1915 and recognition as a Category 1 historic place in Hastings,
New Zealand.
A publicly reported investigation took place on 24 January 2009, when an eight-person team from Phoen-X Paranormal Research and Investigation examined the Opera House. Founder, Clint Lawson told Hawke’s Bay Today the group “definitely” believed the building to be haunted. Documented observations from that night included a shadow seen moving along a wall by 3 investigators, and theatre seats found down despite their countersprung design. Investigators also reported tracking a woman’s perfume scent through parts of the building, after checking restroom air fresheners and soaps and confirming they did not match, and noting that no team member was wearing perfume. High electromagnetic-field readings were recorded in a booth associated locally with sightings of a “Lady in Red.”
In September 2020, Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre staged “Stage Fright,” an R16 behind-the-scenes Halloween experience inside the Opera House; news coverage stated guests “may even encounter one of the Opera House’s resident ghost's, the Lady in Red,” reflecting the venue’s ongoing association with that figure.
Also in 2020, a reconstruction feature on the complex again recorded long-standing rumours of paranormal activity at the Opera House, specifically including a “lady in red” said to haunt the building.
109 Hastings Street South
Eastbourne Corner
4122
Hastings
+64 6 871 5289
New Zealand.
A publicly reported investigation took place on 24 January 2009, when an eight-person team from Phoen-X Paranormal Research and Investigation examined the Opera House. Founder, Clint Lawson told Hawke’s Bay Today the group “definitely” believed the building to be haunted. Documented observations from that night included a shadow seen moving along a wall by 3 investigators, and theatre seats found down despite their countersprung design. Investigators also reported tracking a woman’s perfume scent through parts of the building, after checking restroom air fresheners and soaps and confirming they did not match, and noting that no team member was wearing perfume. High electromagnetic-field readings were recorded in a booth associated locally with sightings of a “Lady in Red.”
In September 2020, Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre staged “Stage Fright,” an R16 behind-the-scenes Halloween experience inside the Opera House; news coverage stated guests “may even encounter one of the Opera House’s resident ghost's, the Lady in Red,” reflecting the venue’s ongoing association with that figure.
Also in 2020, a reconstruction feature on the complex again recorded long-standing rumours of paranormal activity at the Opera House, specifically including a “lady in red” said to haunt the building.
109 Hastings Street South
Eastbourne Corner
4122
Hastings
+64 6 871 5289