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Southern California’s Newest Cultural MeccaRenee and Henry Segerstrom Concert HallBy Valerie Summers
The handsome, angular, coco-brown stone entrance to the Orange County Performing Arts Center (OCPAC) plays a distinct counterpoint reflected in the graceful serpentine glass facade of the state of the art Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Situated in Costa Mesa, Orange County, the concert hall, which opened in mid-September, is hosting gala celebrations through the end of the year. Gowned women and tuxedoed gentlemen walked the red carpet to attend opening concerts featuring Placido Domingo and Midori, followed by sumptuous VIP parties. The 2,000 seat Concert Hall is the new home of Orange County’s Pacific Symphony and Pacific Chorale and to concerts and events presented by OPAC and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County.
Founded in 1978, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, under the artistic supervision of Music Director Carl St. Clair, is the largest orchestra formed in the United States in the past 30 years. The symphony provides a rich array of musical programs and outreach including music for every taste. In October, The Orange County Performing Arts Center also celebrates its 20th year with a 17-day Marinsky Theatre Festival kicking off with the North American premiere of the Kirov Opera’s production of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring Cycle). The performances will mark the first time the 600 members of the Kirov Orchestra, Opera, Ballet and Chorus have performed together and individually in this country during a single festival. Another October Grand Opening for the Center is that of the intimate 500-seat Samueli Theater where the incomparable Sheryl Crow performs on opening night. With its own entrance and lobby, the Samueli can be configured as a traditional theater, club style, theater in the round or arranged for seminars and banquets. Founding chairman Henry Segerstrom and his wife Elizabeth have commissioned celebrated sculptor Richard Serra to create a large scale work which will be the centerpiece of an arts plaza connecting OPAC with an art museum scheduled to be built at a future date. With the completion of its new venues, OPAC will become one of the largest multi-venue performing arts complexes in the nation and a cultural landmark for Southern California. For information: Orange County Performing Arts Center Photo credit: Valerie Summers |
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For
culture-minded visitors to Southern California, catching a performance at Orange
County’s spectacular new concert hall is a must.
The
elegant limestone, steel and glass concert hall was designed by Cesar Pelli with
acoustical design by renowned acoustician Russell Johnson of Artec. The
acoustic design features three silver-leafed canopies that form a shimmering
ceiling over the performers and which can be adjusted based on the performance
needs of the concert. The outdoor plaza, designed by Peter Walker & Partners
unites the facilities of the Center which also includes the award-winning South
Coast Repertory. OPAC is a world-class performing arts center dedicated to the
production and presentation of symphonies, ballets, Broadway shows, opera, jazz
and many other special events.