The building was modeled after the Concertgebouw concert hall in Amsterdam, and it was inaugurated on October 31, 1894, with a performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Australian opera singer Nellie Melba as the featured soloist.

[5] As the final installment was about to be paid, the Modell's say they were notified by Lyric executives of plans to remove the name, unless the family agreed to continue its contributions.

The name was changed to "The Patricia & Arthur Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric" in 2010, in recognition of a $3.5 million donation over a 10-year period beginning that year by Baltimore Ravens football team owner Art Modell and his wife Patricia Breslin.

1916 saw the founding of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra which presented performances there until 1982, while the building was purchased from Kahn in 1920 and a significant renovation created an enlarged balcony with seating capacity reaching 2,800.

The first public showing of electric cooking in Baltimore took place, as well as hosting speakers like Aimee Semple McPherson, Will Rogers, Richard Byrd, Clarence Darrow, Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh and William Jennings Bryan.

[7] Performers appearing at the Lyric included in April/May 1984 Yul Brynner who starred in The King and I which over 70,000 people attended in four weeks.