Duntroon School pupil Alice Weir will remember yesterday for the rest of her life.
The 10-year-old year 4 pupil had a 4.30am start to her day to make sure she was in Oamaru by 6am to officially open the Opera House after its $10.3 million redevelopment and restoration.
"I command the Opera House to officially open," Alice an-nounced as she stood on the new stage before about 100 people in the auditorium.
Alice intended to go to school after that momentous task, but she was so tired by the time she should have been sitting in class that she was again tucked up in her bed, sound asleep.
The daughter of Duntroon farmers Kelvin and Debbie Weir, Alice was selected from about 70 pupils at the Anne Harris School of Dance to officially declare the Opera House open.
Alice admitted she was scared when she walked on to the stage, and was shaking.
But she drew on her experience of performing on the same stage late last year in the dance school's recital Sock it to Me, one of a number of "shake-down" events to test the new facilities.
"I chose Alice because I was sure she could deliver the words," Ms Harris said.
Alice, who has been a ballet pupil and is now learning jazz dance, had to memorise the words, which she had no trouble reciting.
The dawn blessing was the start of a 10-day festival of celebration to officially reopen the building.
The front of the Opera House was spectacularly lit by changing coloured lights concealed in the facade.
Most of the facade was covered by a semi-transparent curtain, which was dropped to open the building for people to attend the blessing by Justin Tipa of Ngai Tahu, and the Rev Sue McCafferty, of Waitaki North Anglican Parish.
The blessing in the foyer was followed by a welcome from Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton in the auditorium, with invited guests seated on stage.
After official ceremonies lasting about 40 minutes, visitors toured the building.
"There is a time for everything. This is a time to celebrate what we have waited for," Ms McCafferty said.
Mr Familton described the project as "a new birth, a new beginning" and "a rebirth and revitalisation" for an Opera House that was now "twice blessed" - first when it opened in 1907, and again yesterday.
Opera House director Richard McWha said the project had taken a long time, but now it was time "to give the building back to the people".
Work on the project started in March 2007, and was mostly completed towards the end of last year.
Shakedown performances were staged to test the new facilities, then fitting out was completed for the opening festival.
Rates will be the hot topic of the Great Community Debate in Oamaru tomorrow night.
"We can't keep going at this rate" is the moot for the debate which will feature Local Government Minister and Act New Zealand leader Rodney Hide, Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt, Labour MP Lianne Dalziel, Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin and Waitaki district councillor Jim Hopkins.
The free event is being held as part of the Opera House opening festival.
During the evening, there will be a collection for the victims of the Australian bushfires, following the debate, which begins at 7.30.
