In Thursday’s (9/12) StarTribune, Graydon Royce writes about the Minnesota Orchestra Hall’s renovation of its concert hall: “An auditorium long known for its sea of 1970s orange now has seats and balconies in a near-black color called ‘thundercloud.’ A glassy new lobby is twice the size of the original. … But the $50 million, 15-month project, unveiled to the media Thursday, coincides with one of the longest, bitterest labor disputes in the history of American orchestras. … There will not be much music played in the hall until the two sides agree on a new contract. …General Manager Robert Neu said the orchestra will not present any artists in the hall until the contract issues are resolved. This includes the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Bill Cosby, whose dates later this month are being rescheduled, orchestra spokeswoman Gwen Pappas said. … The renovation sought to expand and streamline the lobby, add meeting rooms and open up the building visually to adjacent Peavey Plaza and the downtown Minneapolis skyline. … A key addition is a large glass-enclosed atrium… There already have been a few events, including a graduation ceremony by the University of Phoenix. Neu said he estimates that the new hall will generate about $300,000 in added annual revenue through rentals.”
Posted September 13, 2013
Photo: George Heinrich
