The blessing by Ngai Tahu's Jason Tipa and Rev Sue McCafferty of the Waitaki North Anglican Parish marked the start of a 10-day festival to celebrate the re-opening of the Opera House after a project taking about 10 months.
The festival features a wide range of events which will demonstrate the versatility of the redeveloped Opera House as a cultural and performing arts centre for the Waitaki district.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton at the blessing said the project marked "a new birth, a new beginning" for one of Oamaru's most prominent historic whitestone buildings.
People started arriving from about 5.30am outside the Opera House, its facade lit by lighting, hidden into the building, which changed from subdued yellows to brights reds and purples.
The computerised lighting will be a permanent feature of the building, its LED bulbs energy efficient.
Most of the front of the building was draped with a filmy curtain, which was dropped for people to walk into the foyer for the blessing, and then to the main auditorium for the official welcome and opening of the building.
