The stage is (nearly) set.
Next month, a brand new, state-of-the-art performance facility opens at the University of Manitoba – the grand finale in the ambitious multi-year Taché Arts Project.
“The curtains are being installed as we speak,” says Mel Braun, Voice Area Head at the Desautels Faculty of Music.
A project decades in the making – Braun first heard rumblings of a new concert hall being built when he joined the faculty in 1987 – the work began in earnest when faculty benefactor and namesake Dr. Marcel Desautels generously gifted $20 million to the university, with half that amount specifically allocated to a premier performance arts space.
"If Marcel had had his way, we would have had a trap,” jokes Braun about the state-of-the-art facility.
Designed by Winnipeg’s Cibinel Architecture and Toronto’s Teeple Architects, the Desautels Concert Hall promises to be a showpiece venue bringing stunning architecture, superior acoustics and optimal sightlines to performances of all sizes and kinds.
Acoustically, the space is “wonderful” according to Braun.
“It has sound clouds that allow for variation and adjustment of the sound.”
The concert shell system features movable towers, pivoting panels and ceiling reflectors designed to create the best acoustic, no matter the size of the ensemble.
The 407-seat venue can accommodate nearly 100 musicians on stage, with the "extra benefit" of moving nearly 50 into the pit for opera, musical theatre or other productions.
“It's going to be amenable to many different kinds of performances,” notes Braun. “We’re thinking a lot of community.”
Local performing arts groups are expected to use the space – the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and Dead of Winter already have booked the venue to launch their respective seasons – but it is, of course, the students who benefit the most.
“This is the thing that is so important for the students: actually having a professional performing space on campus,” explains Braun.
Desautels Concert Hall Grand Opening Concert
On Thursday, September 5, the Desautels Concert Hall opens its doors to an audience for the first time. Featuring multi-JUNO award headliner – and U of M alum – William Prince in a 45-minute set.
The evening also features members of the esteemed faculty including coloratura soprano Tracy Dahl, together with former pupil and fellow soprano Andriana Chuchman and collaborative pianist Laura Loewen, along with The Borealis Piano Trio and the Desautels Jazz Faculty Quintet.
Hosted by Classic 107’s own Simeon Rusnak, tickets to the event sold out in less than 24 hours. Though, there is a chance of winning a pair of tickets through the Classic 107 Ticket Window.