Newsgroups: rec.music.opera
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2007 6:59 PM
Subject: "The" Wigmore Hall


>> Can someone explain a particular matter of English usage to me? American
>> reviews and comments generally speak of Wigmore Hall, but in England it's
>> inevitably "The Wigmore Hall", although not always capitalized. What's 
>> the
>> basis of the usage.

> I don't think it's a Brit/American thing.  Here in Los Angeles (THE
> Angels) we say "The Hollywood Bowl"  "The Greek Theatre"  "The Dorothy
> Chandler Pavillion".  Even in New York they go to "The Met", but not
> to "The Madison Square Garden" or "The Central Park".
>
> Interesting thread.  Who knows why we say things certain ways.

It just 'takes on'; people hear it, accept it, and so it goes, whether
it's necessarily 'more correct' or not.