An examination of the possible effects of temporary relocation of both Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet performances to the Seattle Center Arena during the period of renovations to the Seattle Opera House:<BR> <A HREF="http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/display?slug=move180&date=20010318&query=Seattle+Opera+House" TARGET=_blank>http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/display?slug=move180&date=20010318&query=Seattle+Opera+House</A>

<BR><font size=1>Architectural model</font size><P>A report from the AP:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Seattle Opera House to Get Facelift</B><P>SEATTLE (AP) - The Seattle Center Opera House is about to undergo a $125 million renovation.<P>Opera director Speight Jenkins released final designs, drawings and models on Wednesday. Work on the new performance center, to be called Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, will begin in January, with completion scheduled for summer 2003<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010608/en/seattle_opera_2.html" TARGET=_blank><B>More</B></A>

And the story behind the gift and the name:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Opera House gets a $20 million gift</B><P>JOHN MARSHALL, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER<P>The four McCaw brothers yesterday donated $20 million to the renovation of the Seattle Opera House, which will be named Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in honor of their mother.<P>The gift from Bruce, Craig, John and Keith McCaw is the largest donation ever to an arts project in the Pacific Northwest.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/classical/oper11.shtml" TARGET=_blank><B>More</B></A>

Here is a preview of the space where ballet and opera performances will be held for the duration of the Opera House renovation. The new hall opens this Saturday, January 12 with Seattle Opera's Madama Butterfly. Pacific Northwest Ballet's first program in the new temporary facility will be Kent Stowell's new "Carmen," scheduled to open on January 31. <P> <A HREF="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/classical/54026_mercer11.shtml" TARGET=_blank>http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/classical/54026_mercer11.shtml</A>

A review of the temporary space from the Seattle Times' music critic, Melinda Bargreen, based on Saturday's opening performance of Madama Butterfly from Seattle Opera:<P> <A HREF="http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=arena14&date=20020114&query=Seattle+Opera" TARGET=_blank>http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=arena14&date=20020114&query=Seattle+Opera</A>

Amusing anecdote for an otherwise difficult day: I just had a call from the Seattle Repertory Theatre (another tenant of Seattle Center's campus, which incorporates PNB's studios, the current "arts arena" performing space for the opera and ballet, other theatre companies, museums, the basketball arena, etc., etc.) apologizing that this evening's performance (for which I have tickets) is cancelled due to a power shutdown. Obviously, coming at 3:00 p.m., this cuts into prime class time at PNB School. The responsible party: construction crews renovating the Opera House (immediately adjacent to the PNB studios and School) hit something they should not have hit. No doubt there will be details and video at 11:00....

ummm...oops?

Be prepared for the same thing happening when renovations for the SFB building are underway...

Yeah, not to mention all the dust and woodchips everywhere.

An update from PNB indicates that only a portion of their building was affected. Unfortunately, it happened to be the portion that contains the box office operation, which put a crimp in ticket sales for the Tango program. Classes and rehearsals went on as scheduled.

An update on construction progress at Marion O. McCaw Hall, by Seattle Times Music Critic Melinda Bargreen:<P> <A HREF="http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=mccaw27&date=20020627" TARGET=_blank>http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vorte x/display?slug=mccaw27&date=20020627</A> <P>------------------<BR><p>[This message has been edited by Francis Timlin (edited June 27, 2002).]

And another by R. M. Campbell in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:<P> <A HREF="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/classical/76380_mccaw28.shtml" TARGET=_blank>http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/classical/76380_mccaw28.shtml</A>

From the front page of the October 10, 2002 Seattle Times -- shortfalls in state and county contributions to the project are necessitating a $27.8 million bridge loan from the city to keep the project on schedule:

http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=mccaw10m&date=20021010

Woops. Francis, Am I right that there will be the larger perfromance hall and a smaller 400 seat seperate performance area? And are you going to buy one of those gold rings in the lobby for $50,000? Anyway, even if a little late, this is going to be a fabulous building!

Yes, there will be a 388-seat lecture hall in the complex. I attended a presentation by the Seattle Center Foundation a few weeks ago. The thrust of the meeting was to encourage those of us in attendance to purchase seats...$1000 minimum in the lecture hall; $1500 minimum in the main auditorium. (Both auditoria have been named for major donors, similar to the Taper auditorium and Nordstrom recital hall at Benaroya.) Here is a link to the Seattle Center Foundation's website:

http://www.seattlecenter.org/MOM1.htm