By Jessica Davis, JTNews Correspondent
After more than two years of suspense, 18 months of construction and $127 million, Seattle’s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall opened to enthusiastic crowds. Excited patrons paid $300–$500 a ticket to attend the opening-night celebration on June 28, “The Curtain Rises.”
The gala offered one hour of performances by the Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet. The evening opened with the Pacific Northwest Ballet Company Orchestra, conducted by Gerard Schwarz, performing the world premiere of “Seattle on a Beautiful Day,” composed for the occasion by Northwest native William Bolcom.
Soprano Jane Eaglen performed a rendition of Richard Wagner’s aria, Dich, teure Halle, (“Thou Beloved Hall”). Not long after, tenor Vinson Cole sang Christoph Gluck’s J’ai perdu mon Eurydice.
Pacific Northwest Ballet’s dancers, with conductors Stewart Kershaw and Allan Dameron, performed four excerpts, from “Symphony in C,” “Carmina Burana,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Silver Lining”.
“It was so wonderful to see the scenery going up, instead of sideways,” said principal ballerina Ariana Lallone.
Performances were interspersed with short film commentary from donors, performers, students and building-campaign organizers.
The next day, the doors of the new hall opened to the public for a free six-hour open house. From the lobby to the auditorium to the backstage areas, visitors were encouraged to explore the entire hall. All day, individuals and ensembles entertained those in attendance.
Both days emphasized the partnership of public and private money coming together in support of the hall. The city’s new $127 million performance space was financed with $55 million in public money and $72 million in private donations, including $20 million from Bruce, Craig, John and Keith McCaw, a gift that secured their right to name the hall for their mother, Marion McCaw Garrison. The public share is still about $11 million shy — a shortfall presently covered with a bridge loan that must be repaid with county and state funds over the next several years.
The colorful, five-story performance hall, designed by LMN Architects, has a curving glass façade that dramatically surpasses the look and feel of the old Opera House. Its lobby is three times larger, it has ample restrooms and most importantly, the sightlines and the acoustics have improved. The side walls are now 30 feet closer together with the addition of new side boxes that enrich the sound.
“The acoustics are wonderful,” said Speight Jenkins, general director of the Seattle Opera.
“I think this is a hit in every aspect,” agreed Kent Stowell of the Pacific Northwest Ballet, adding that the acoustics were warm and clear.
With the exception of the ceiling — which was saved for its acoustic properties — the old Opera House has been almost entirely rebuilt.
“It’s hard to realize that the opera house was there,” said Gerard Schwarz, music director of Seattle Symphony. “It feels very intimate and that’s what you want in a theater.”
Seattle Opera and the Seattle Symphony return to McCaw Hall Aug. 2-–24 with a new production of Wagner’s Parsifal. Pacific Northwest Ballet returns with a production of Swan Lake, Sept. 25–Oct. 5. The hall, located on the north side of the Seattle Center, at 321 Mercer St., Seattle, has full access for disabled patrons. For more information about upcoming events at the hall, visit www.seattlecenter.com, www.pnb.org or www.seattleopera.org, or call 206-628-0888.