The Miami-Dade County Commission on Tuesday approved a $255 million contract to build a performing arts center first proposed 21 years ago -- a facility supporters say is needed to make the community a world-class cultural destination.<P> <A HREF="http://www.herald.com/content/today/entertainment/arts/digdocs/074388.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.herald.com/content/today/entertainment/arts/digdocs/074388.htm</A>

'It's the show that counts.' Paul Barker discusses theatre and opera productions, but in the contaxt of the massive re-building programme tha the UK Lottery has financed. His message is forget the bricks and morter look at the productions. ENO at the Coliseum have done well in a building which will have less spent on than most and also remains the best large venue for dance in London.<P> <A HREF="http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/hottx/review.html?in_review_id=346823&in_review_text_id=291274" TARGET=_blank>http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/hottx/review.html<BR>?in_review_id=346823&in_review_text_id=291274</A> <p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited December 28, 2000).]

Thank you, Paul Barker!<P>I don't know how many times I've groaned inwardly when someone says, "You must really enjoy working at __(fill in name of venue here)__."<P>They mean, of course, that the venue is a very pretty structure; what they don't realize is that it may be a beautiful building but a terrible theater.<P>------------------<BR>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<BR>Jeffrey E. Salzberg, Lighting Designer<BR>This Day in Arts History: <A HREF="http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg/arthist.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg/arthist.htm</A><BR>Online portfolio: <A HREF="http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg" TARGET=_blank>http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg</A>

Here is a <B><A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/12/27/DD26382.DTL" TARGET=_blank>SF Chronicle story</A></B> by David Wiegand of new venues in the Bay Area, including a new theater in Danville and a new performance space for ODC/SF.

Grace posted on posted April 21, 2000 about the new Vancouver Dance Centre but apparently it's going to take longer than they thought (not surprising) so it won't be open 'til the late spring of 2001.<P>Salzberg, I know what you mean about the difference between what a venue looks like from the outside in, instead of the inside out. My boyfriend, a composer who does sound design, has tweaked many dubious sound systems across North America and Europe. And when you're in a venue with quality equipment it doesn't doesn't mean anyone there knew how to set it up either, lol.

News of a new theater in Austin:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Arts Center Stage Unveils 'Stunning' Design for the Long Center for The Performing Arts</B><P>AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The eagerly awaited design for the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Center for the Performing Arts was unveiled at a news conference in Austin on Monday, Feb. 12, and was greeted with rave reviews.<P>``In a word, the design is stunning,'' Ben Bentzin, chairman of Arts Center Stage, said. ``Town Lake is Austin's necklace. The Long Center will be the centerpiece jewel of that necklace.''<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010212/tx_arts_ce.html" TARGET=_blank><B>More</B></A>

And of another in Elgin, Illinois:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Gilbane Selected as Construction Manager for Elgin Recreation Center</B><P>ELGIN, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2001--Gilbane Building Company has been chosen by the City of Elgin as construction manager for the new Recreation Center located in what city officials call Elgin's ``civic campus'' - a downtown district encompassing City Hall, the police headquarters, the Hemmens Cultural Center, the Applegate Court building and the Gail Borden Public Library. The facility will be the largest publicly owned recreation center in the United States.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010212/il_gilbane.html" TARGET=_blank><B>More</B></A>

More news on the Long Center in Austin:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation Contributes $10 Million to Arts Center Stage for the Long Center for the Performing Arts</B><P>Nando Media <P>The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation Contributes $10 Million to Arts Center <P>Stage for the Long Center for the Performing Arts<P>The Center's Largest Theater to Be Named the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation Hall <P>AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 13 (Feb 13, 2001 11:33:4 EST) -- In keeping with their passion for community development and their ongoing commitment to invest in their hometown, Michael and Susan Dell last night announced a gift of $10 million from their personal foundation to the Long Center for the Performing Arts.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://www.nandotimes.com/newsroom/prn/archive/data/021301/prn2059.html" TARGET=_blank><B>More</B></A>

From Maryland:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>A Promising Prologue</B> <BR>'Festivals' Jump-Starts U-Md. Arts Center<P>Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post<P>Though a muddy hole you could swim in marked unfinished landscaping, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland opened its gleaming glass doors to the public Friday night. While the $130 million, 17-acre facility will have its official dedication in September, last weekend was cause for a quiet celebration: the first performance in the center's state-of-the-art 200-seat dance theater. The extremely talented Sara Pearson, Patrik Widrig and Company inaugurated the space with an often witty and poignant performance aptly titled "Ordinary Festivals."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23688-2001Feb18.html" TARGET=_blank><B>More</B></A>

From the Vancouver Sun, 03/13/01:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Dance Foundation finally nears its goal</B><P>Volunteers have been at work for 16 years to create dance centre at Davie and Granville set to open in June<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/newsite/entertainment/010313/5091572.html" target="blank"><B>more...</B></a><P>Yes, it has actually taken 16 years to accomplish this, oy vay. <BR>

<B>Polishing Santa Fe</B> <P>Stephen Kinzer in the International Herald Tribune <P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>SANTA FE, New Mexico - As workers chip away decades of accumulated dirt and plaster from the interior of the once-grand Lensic Theater here, they are also putting the finishing touches to this city's emergence as a major arts center.<P>By rights Santa Fe, which has only 70,000 residents and sits in the middle of a desert, should be a sleepy backwater. Instead it has become a magnet that attracts world-class artists, musicians, theater groups and opera singers.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <A HREF="http://www.iht.com:80/articles/17377.htm" TARGET=_blank><B>More...</B></A> <p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited April 20, 2001).]

From the Boston Globe:<P><B>City OK's Opera House renovations</B> <P>By Maureen Dezell, Globe Staff, 4/20/2001 <P><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>An oft-stalled plan to renovate the dangerously dilapidated Opera House got a new charge of energy yesterday.<P><BR>The City of Boston gave the go-ahead to TMG, a division of SFX Entertainment, to begin renovations on the Washington Street theater.<P><BR>TMG holds an option to purchase the 2,400-seat house. But plans to restore and book it with a combination of Broadway shows, music, opera, and dance have been stymied for nearly two years.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/110/living/City_OK_s_Opera_House_renovations+.shtml" TARGET=_blank><B>MORE...</B></A><P>

<B>City OK's Opera House renovations</B> <P>By Maureen Dezell, for the Boston Globe <P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>An oft-stalled plan to renovate the dangerously dilapidated Opera House got a new charge of energy yesterday.<P>The City of Boston gave the go-ahead to TMG, a division of SFX Entertainment, to begin renovations on the Washington Street theater.<P>TMG holds an option to purchase the 2,400-seat house. But plans to restore and book it with a combination of Broadway shows, music, opera, and dance have been stymied for nearly two years.<P>Residents of the nearby Tremont on the Common and Parkside condominium complexes have objected, saying they are concerned about fire and safety hazards, noise, and access to Mason Street.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><BR><A HREF="http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/110/living/City_OK_s_Opera_House_renovations+.shtml" TARGET=_blank><B>More...</B></A>

Back to the original question. <P>When a theater is renovated and all the systems are updated, ther are a lot of kinks that must be worked out before everything starts to run smoothly. It's all a little like a brand new car. I always considered it the "ghost in the machine".<P>The War Memorial Opera House in SF had similar problems to the new Royal when it was re-opened after the eathquake retrofit and renovation. Everything is fine now.

Yes, the Royal also seems to have cracked the problems now and there haven't been any scene shifting difficulties for some time.