Editing Sheldonian Theatre (section)

==Building==
The building has a prominent eight-sided [[cupola]] in the centre of the roof, which is accessible via a staircase leading to the dome over the main ceiling. The cupola has large windows on all sides, providing views across central Oxford, and is open to visitors.

The theatre is used for music recitals, lectures (such as the annual [[Romanes Lecture]]), conferences, and for various ceremonies held by the University (such as graduation and [[matriculation]]). [[Handel]] conducted the first performance of his third [[oratorio]] ''[[Athalia (oratorio)|Athalia]]'' here in 1733.<ref>{{cite book|last=Smither|first=Howard E.|author-link=Howard E. Smither|title=A History of the Oratorio, Vol. 2: The Oratorio in the Baroque Era|year=1977|publisher=University of North Carolina Press| isbn=9780807812945 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8UvJ1KIAST0C&pg=RA1-PA105}}</ref> Today, the theatre is home to regular performances by local groups, including the [[Oxford Philomusica]] and [[Stornoway (band)|Stornoway]]. The latter was the first pop band to play in the space, joined by the student-led Oxford Millennium Orchestra for its first single launch in 2009, then again to celebrate the launch of its third LP, in 2014.

The building seats between 800 and 1000 people and is on the grounds of part of the [[Bodleian Library]] adjacent to [[Broad Street, Oxford|Broad Street]]. To the left at the front is the [[Clarendon Building]] and to the right is the [[Old Ashmolean Building]]. Behind the Sheldonian is the [[Divinity School, Oxford|Divinity School]].

The theatre is a Grade I [[listed building]] which was first added to the list on the 12th January 1954.<ref>{{Cite web |title=THE SHELDONIAN THEATRE, Non Civil Parish – 1047350 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1047350 |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}}</ref>

The theatre features prominently in [[Max Beerbohm]]'s 1911 novel ''[[Zuleika Dobson]]'' and was used as stand in for [[Harvard]] in the 1980 film ''[[Heaven's Gate (film)|Heaven's Gate]]''.

<gallery widths="200" heights="155">
File:Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford.jpg|South façade
File:Oxford Matriculation 2003.jpg|Interior prior to a matriculation ceremony, 2003
File:Sheldonian Theatre Oxford 2023 03.jpg|North façade from [[Broad Street, Oxford|Broad Street]]
File:Sheldonian Theatre June 2023.jpg|View from the east, behind the Clarendon Building
</gallery>