Located
on the Nicollet Mall and adjacent to a beautiful public plaza, Orchestra Hall
is an architectural landmark in downtown Minneapolis. The Hall — with its open
glass structure and whimsical blue tubes — was designed to offer concert goers
a warm, welcoming ambiance and acoustical perfection.
Orchestra
Hall was constructed on the site of the former Lyceum Theater, where the
Minnesota Orchestra performed from 1905 to 1930. The Hall was designed by Cyril
Harris and when it opened its doors in 1974, a new era in arts and
entertainment in the Upper Midwest began.
The acoustically-acclaimed
concert hall quickly became a major performance center. Orchestra Hall is
particularly renowned for its acoustics with each design feature carefully
planned to enhance the warmth and richness of sound in the space. Over 100
large cubes form a "falling rock" pattern on the auditorium ceiling. These blocks provide hundreds of surfaces that deflect
sound, making Orchestra Hall among the most acoustically perfect theaters in
the nation. The cubes were added for sound reasons, but have visual
appeal as well. The wood floor and stage allow for better sound vibration, and
the angle of the balconies offers optimal reflection of sound. The exterior of
the building is remarkable for its large, blue ventilation ducts. Their unusual
size was chosen to reduce air velocities and hence noise.
In
actuality, Orchestra Hall consists of two buildings: a rectangular-shaped
auditorium, and a glass and steel supporting structure housing the lobby and
administrative office that is separated from the auditorium by a one-inch gap
to free the concert hall from any outside sound. The result is an acoustically
brilliant space, designed for a superb concert going experience.
Since
Orchestra Hall opened in 1974, as many as 10 million people have passed through
its doors to attend more than 4,000 concerts. The modern look of the Hall, with
its simple lines and glass, brick and steel exterior, offered a marked
departure from the old-world opulence of many concert halls. It was designed to
emphasize the concert experience rather than the building itself. "Part of
the magic is that the building was designed to deformalize concert-going,"
explains architect Hugh Hardy. Orchestra Hall features a ring of open
"tiers" in the concert hall and a series of colorful flying bridges
in the lobby to bring people together.
The
Orchestra Hall lobby opens up to Peavey Plaza, a city-owned park that features
angular waterfalls and a beautiful reflecting pool. Orchestra Hall becomes a
community focal point in the summer, when the Orchestra's summer music festival
spills outdoors onto the Plaza. During the winter, Peavey Plaza is home to a
glittering ice skating rink and an ideal vantage point from which to watch the
Holidazzle Parade in December.
The minimalist auditorium, which seats over 2,500, has a large
main floor with three balconies symmetrically surrounding it. The main floor
seats 1,590 and another
983 can be seated in the balcony tiers. You can hear
from anywhere--but the view from the back rows of the third-tier balcony is not
ideal.
The unique building design, both inside and out, make Orchestra
Hall a fun place to attend a show. The excellent acoustics will satisfy even
the most finicky ear. Orchestra Hall continues to be a truly grand existence in
downtown Minneapolis and a must attend for both locals and visitors alike.
Besides the great symphonic concerts put on by the Minnesota Orchestra, there are also some great pop shows put on by big name artists. Linda Ronstadt, BB King and Lily Tomlin have all played a concert within the acoustically honed walls of Orchestra Hall. If you do go to a symphony, however, don?t forget to watch some great pre-show entertainment in the lobby area, where there is often a quartet or so of musicians putting on a show for lobby milling patrons. Get a cocktail and watch either from a high vantage point on the stairs or from the floor. This entertainment is complimentary for patrons of Orchestra Hall, so get tickets to Orchestra Hall today!
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