Four Seasons Centre

Last updated

Four Seasons Centre
Toronto - ON - Four Seasons Centre.jpg
Four Seasons Centre seen from University Avenue with sun shades covering its glazed facade
Four Seasons Centre
Address145 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M5H 4G1
Coordinates 43°39′02″N79°23′08″W / 43.65056°N 79.38556°W / 43.65056; -79.38556
OwnerCanadian Opera House Corporation
Type Opera house
Capacity 2,071
Construction
Opened14 June 2006 (2006-06-14)
Architect Diamond+Schmitt
Tenants
Canadian Opera Company
National Ballet of Canada
Website
Four Seasons Centre

The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts is a 2,071-seat theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located at the southeast corner of University Avenue and Queen Street West, across from Osgoode Hall. The land on which it is located was a gift from the Government of Ontario. It is the home of the Canadian Opera Company (COC) and the National Ballet of Canada. [1] The building's modernist design by was created by Canadian firm Diamond Schmitt Architects, headed by Jack Diamond. It was completed in 2006, and the interior design includes an unusual glass staircase. [2]

Contents

History

In the 1980s, the Canadian Opera Company and financier Hal Jackman, president of the Ballet Opera House Corporation, had begun lobbying for a new building to replace the O'Keefe Centre (now known as Meridian Hall). This building had housed the opera company for about 40 years. The company had also previously been housed in the Royal Alexandra Theatre on King Street and the Elgin Theatre on Yonge Street. [3] Earlier in the city's history, the Grand Opera House stood at Bay and Adelaide until it was demolished in 1927.

Bay Street proposal

In 1984, Ontario premier Bill Davis promised that a piece of provincially owned land at Bay Street and Wellesley Street would be the home for the new opera house. The lot was estimated to be worth some CA$75 million. [4]

A design competition was won by the postmodern project of Moshe Safdie. [5] In 1988, the project was approved and the existing stores and government offices on the site were demolished.

After a new Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) provincial government under Bob Rae was elected in 1990, inheriting a large deficit because of a recession, the CA$311 million project was deemed excessively costly. The province was also dealing with the unexpectedly high CA$550 million cost of the SkyDome project. When the opera house corporation refused to modify the design to lower costs, the government withdrew its funding commitment two months after the election. [6] In 1992, the province cancelled the project and the land was sold to developers. Two towers in the "Opera Place I and II" development have been built on Bay Street (1998), but as of June 2011, the rest of the property remained vacant until the Teahouse Condo was completed in 2020.[ needs update ]

University Avenue project

Interior of the Four Seasons Centre Four Seasons Centre.jpg
Interior of the Four Seasons Centre

In 1997, the province allocated a parking lot, which previously housed offices for the Supreme Court of Ontario at Queen and University, for the project. The lot was valued at CA$31 million, and the federal and provincial governments also pledged funding for a new more modest project that would cost about CA$130 million. The original plan called for a 190 m (620 ft) tower of offices and condominiums to be built by Olympia and York which would help fund the project. It would be further supplemented by a CA$20 million donation by Christopher Ondaatje. However, both Olympia and York and Ondaatje developed concerns about the project and withdrew. More importantly, the municipal government of Toronto refused to provide any municipal funding. [7] The project collapsed again in 2000.

In 2002, the opera company under Richard Bradshaw issued an invitation in 2002 for designs. The company had secured a CA$20 million donation from the Four Seasons hotel chain in exchange for perpetual naming rights to the complex. Ten architectural firms submitted proposals and the modernist design by Canadian company Diamond Schmitt Architects, headed by Jack Diamond, was selected.

The complex took three years to construct at an estimated cost of CA$181 million. To provide wheelchair accessibility, elevator access to the concourse level of Osgoode subway station was integrated into the construction of the centre. [8] The centre had its grand opening on 14 June 2006, with regularly scheduled performances commencing on 12 September 2006 with the inaugural production in the new opera house being Richard Wagner's epic tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung). Governor General Michaëlle Jean and other prominent Canadians attended the event. Three complete Ring Cycles were performed in September 2006.

R. Fraser Elliott Hall design

R. Fraser Elliott Hall Four Seasons Centre - R Fraser Elliott Hall.jpg
R. Fraser Elliott Hall

The five-tiered, horseshoe-shaped auditorium was modelled after European opera houses. Collaborating with Diamond Schmitt, New York-based theatre planning and design specialists Fisher Dachs Associates [9] arranged the room's geometry and seating configuration to bring each of the 2,000 seats, including tiered balconies, as close to the stage as possible while maintaining an unobstructed view. [10] [11]

The acoustics were designed by Bob Essert of Sound Space Design [12] and a team that included Aercoustics Engineering, [13] Wilson Ihrig [14] and Engineering Harmonics. [15] The undulating back walls of the venue, which diffuse the sound throughout the auditorium by reflecting the sound waves back to the stage, account for about 90 percent of the audible sound for the audience. To prevent audience members from detecting specific sounds and vibrations including traffic noise, the rumble from the adjacent Line 1 Yonge–University subway line and 501 Queen streetcar line, and even the sirens of the emergency vehicles rushing to the nearby hospitals, the theatre sits on 489 rubber insulating pads. [16] [17]

Other design elements reflect historic performance halls, including the Roman Amphitheatre.

Exterior

The hall was constructed on a limited budget, using contrasting materials. The City Room glass walls, curtain walls held by steel fixtures, look out on University Ave and Queen Street. The east, south and north sides are clad in dark brick. Windows on the north side have a view of Osgoode Hall, but the exterior on that side is unadorned. [18]

On the west is the sidewalk extension City Room, which is transparent and which illuminates the street. The solid, massive eastern facade broken only by horizontal windows, in contrast, blends into its office building and brick surroundings, towards York Street. John Bentley Mays states in his 2006 Canadian Architect article that East wall is "unresponsive to the need of vitality on the street." The southern, Richmond Street facade, also plain brick punctuated by dressing room windows, is opposite the Hilton Hotel. Architect Diamond defends his rather plain design, stating, "You do not make a city out of iconic pieces." [19]

Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre

The Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre in the City Room links Rings 3 and 4. It provides seating for 100 patrons. During the season several concerts per week in a variety of genres are presented here. [20]

Operatic and other production history

Outside of the standard opera repertory, some of the less-often performed, new works, or national premieres performed by the Canadian Opera Company include:

Dancap Productions has also given presentations of musicals at the Four Seasons Centre, including:

See also

Other performing arts venues in the city include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">York University</span> Public university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

York University, also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, and over 375,000 alumni worldwide. It has 11 faculties, including the Lassonde School of Engineering, Schulich School of Business, Osgoode Hall Law School, Glendon College, and 32 research centres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OCAD University</span> Public art university in Toronto, Canada

Ontario College of Art & Design University, commonly known as OCAD University or OCAD U, is a public art university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its main campus is located within Toronto's Grange Park and Entertainment District neighbourhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osgoode Hall Law School</span> Law school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Osgoode Hall Law School, commonly shortened to Osgoode, is the law school of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the Law Commission of Ontario, the Journal of Law and Social Policy, and the Osgoode Hall Law Journal. A variety of LL.M. and Ph.D. degrees in law are available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Opera Company</span> Opera company based in Toronto, Ontario

The Canadian Opera Company (COC) is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and one of the largest producers of opera in North America. The COC performs at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, which was purpose-built for opera and ballet and is shared with the National Ballet of Canada. For forty years until April 2006, the COC had performed at the O'Keefe Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meridian Hall (Toronto)</span> Performing arts venue in Toronto, Ontario

Meridian Hall is a performing arts venue in Toronto, Ontario, and it is the country's largest soft-seat theatre. The facility was constructed for the City of Toronto municipal government and is currently managed by TO Live, an arms-length agency and registered charity created by the city. Located at 1 Front Street East, the venue opened as the O'Keefe Centre on October 1, 1960. From 1996 to 2007, the building was known as the Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts. From 2007 to 2019, it was known as the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. On September 15, 2019, it was re-branded as Meridian Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University Avenue (Toronto)</span> Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

University Avenue is a major north–south road in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Beginning at Front Street West in the south, the thoroughfare heads north to end at College Street just south of Queen's Park. At its north end, the Ontario Legislative Building serves as a prominent terminating vista. Many of Toronto's most important institutions are located along the eight-lane wide street such as Osgoode Hall and other legal institutions, the Four Seasons Centre, major hospitals conducting research and teaching, and landmark office buildings for the commercial sector, notably major financial and insurance industry firms. The portion of University Avenue between Queen Street West and College Street is laid out as a boulevard, with several memorials, statues, gardens, and fountains concentrated in a landscaped median dividing the opposite directions of travel, giving it a ceremonial character. Despite its name, the University of Toronto is not located on University Avenue but instead on neighboring St. George Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Ontario</span> Overview of the music of Ontario

As the Canadian province with the largest population, Ontario has a particularly prominent role in Canadian music. The provincial capital city of Toronto, Canada's largest municipality, is home to much of the English Canadian music industry and many individual musicians, and the most popular destination for musicians from other parts of Canada, besides French-Canadian musicians, looking to advance their careers. Toronto also supports Canadian music as the centre of English language media in Canada. Hamilton, Ottawa, Kingston and Guelph have also been important centres for Canadian music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osgoode station</span> Toronto subway station

Osgoode is a subway station on Line 1 Yonge–University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The station, which opened in 1963, is located under University Avenue where it is crossed by Queen Street West and is named for the nearby Osgoode Hall, which honours William Osgoode, the first chief justice of Upper Canada. Wi-Fi service is available at this station.

Diamond Schmitt Architects is a Canadian architectural firm founded in 1975. It is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The firm was founded by architects Jack Diamond and Donald Schmitt.

Boris Brott, was a Canadian conductor and motivational speaker. He was one of the most internationally recognized Canadian conductors, having conducted on stages around the world, including Carnegie Hall, La Scala, and Covent Garden. He was known for his innovative methods of introducing classical music to new audiences. Over his career, he commissioned, performed, and recorded a wide variety of Canadian works for orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture in Toronto</span> Overview of the culture of Toronto, Canada

Toronto is the largest city in Canada and one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Many immigrant cultures have brought their traditions languages and music to Toronto. Toronto, the capital of the province of Ontario, is a major Canadian city along Lake Ontario's northwestern shore.

Abel Joseph "Jack" Diamond, was a South African-born Canadian architect. Diamond arrived in Canada in 1964 for the University of Toronto. In 1974, he established his architectural practice, A.J. Diamond Architects. This practice evolved into Diamond Schmitt Architects.

<i>Louis Riel</i> (opera) Opera by Harry Somers

Louis Riel is a three-act opera by composer Harry Somers to an English and French libretto by Mavor Moore and Jacques Languirand. Written for the 1967 Canadian Centennial and arguably that country's most famous opera to date, it portrays the titular Métis leader executed in 1885.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Bradshaw (conductor)</span> Musical artist

Richard James Bradshaw was a British opera conductor and the General Director of the Canadian Opera Company (COC) in Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Toronto</span>

The architecture of Toronto is an eclectic combination of architectural styles, ranging from 19th century Georgian architecture to 21st century postmodern architecture and beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts</span>

The St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts is a performing arts theatre complex located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Situated on Front Street one block east of Yonge Street, it was the City of Toronto's official centennial project, commemorating the 1967 Canadian Centennial. It houses two auditoriums, the 868-seat Bluma Appel Theatre and the 499-seat Jane Mallett Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KPMB Architects</span> Canadian architectural firm

KPMB is a Canadian architecture firm founded by Bruce Kuwabara, Thomas Payne, Marianne McKenna, and Shirley Blumberg, in 1987. It is headquartered in Toronto, where the majority of their work is found. Aside from designing buildings, the firm also works in interior design. KPMB Architects was officially renamed from Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects to KPMB Architects on February 12, 2013.

Taylor Hazell Architects Limited is an architectural firm located in Toronto, Ontario.

James Scott Irvine is a Canadian composer, arranger, and tuba player based in Owen Sound, Ontario. An associate of the Canadian Music Centre and a member of the Canadian League of Composers, he has been commissioned to compose works by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Laidlaw Foundation, and the Ontario Arts Council. His works have been recorded on a number of commercial releases, including CDs by Joan Watson, Jack Grunsky, the Canadian Chamber Ensemble, and the Berlin Philharmonic. Most of his compositions are written for concert band and brass instruments.

Michael Levine is a Canadian set designer. He is best known for his work in opera, including the scenic design for the Canadian Opera Company's 2006 production of Wagner's Ring Cycle, directed by Atom Egoyan. Levine has also designed productions for Theatre Passe Muraille, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Vienna State Opera, English National Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Dutch National Opera, Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Opera House, and the National Theatre.

References

  1. ↑ Crabb, Michael (27 November 2016). "Xiao Nan Yu is heart-wrenching in National Ballet's Onegin: review". Toronto Star .
  2. ↑ Kooymans, John; Shafik, Moustafa; Yalles, Halcrow (May 2008). Bos, Freek; Christian Louter; Fred Veer (eds.). Free Span Structural Glass Staircase. Challenging Glass: Conference on Architectural and Structural Applications of Glass, Faculty of Architecture, Delft University of Technology. IOS Press. pp. 77–87. ISBN   978-1-58603-866-3.
  3. ↑ Eatock, Colin (December 2006). "The COC builds its dream home". Queen's Quarterly . 113 (4): 529–537.
  4. ↑ Speirs, Rosemary (20 July 1988). "It's back to Bay St. for ballet-opera house" . Toronto Star . p. A1. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Ballet Opera House". McGill University Library: Moshe Safdie Archive. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  6. ↑ Maychak, Matt (10 November 1990). "Opera house may be dead as province backs out" . Toronto Star . p. A1.
  7. ↑ "Phantoms haunted COC's great vision". Toronto Star . 19 March 2000. p. Entertainment 1. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  8. ↑ "Installation of Elevators at Osgoode Station" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission (Press release). 14 August 2006. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2012.{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ↑ "Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts R. Fraser Elliott Hall; 2006". Fisher Dachs Associates. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  10. ↑ Collins, Janet (21 June 2006). "Sound of Four Seasons". ArchitectureWeek : B1. Archived from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  11. ↑ "Four Seasons Centre Fact Sheet". Canadian Opera Company. Archived from the original on 7 January 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  12. ↑ "Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts". Sound Space Design. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  13. ↑ "Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto". Aercoustics Engineering. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  14. ↑ "Building Isolation". Wilson Ihrig & Associates. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  15. ↑ "Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts". Engineering Harmonics. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  16. ↑ Ashenburg, Katherine (July 2006). "The House That Jack Built". Toronto Life . Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  17. ↑ "Toronto's Four Seasons Centre Achieves Natural Sound with Discreet Meyer Sound System". Meyer Sound. March 2007. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  18. ↑ Rybczynski, Witold (8 October 2013). How Architecture Works: A Humanist's Toolkit. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. pp. 58–. ISBN   978-1-4299-5332-0.
  19. ↑ Mays, John Bentley (September 2006). "The Look of Music: The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts". Canadian Architect. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  20. ↑ "Four Seasons Centre For The Performing Arts". Canadian Opera Company. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.