Development News (Cincinnati: fit in, sales, insuring)

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

I seem to remember reading in the article that the bricked over windows will be restored. I was somewhat puzzled by the reduced seating as well. Seems shortsighted, but I don't really know too much regarding who attends what there now.

The Cincinnati Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Cincinnati Ballet, and Cincinnati Opera are the prime users. The Cincinnati Arts Association supports all of them in addition to a number of presentations at the Aronoff Center. For a few years my wife and I were patron sponsors of the Arts Association.

It was a good time, as we attended many performance ranging from Willie Nelson at Music Hall to others at the Taft Theater and Aronoff. The Willie Nelson performance was interesting as their tour bus was delayed getting into Cincinnati. The performance started about 2 hours late. By that time many people had decided to leave. They same out, did part of their standard repertoire and the curtain closed. Shortly, Willie came back on stage, apologized for their delay, and said anyone willing to stay they would be back out to perform. That was when I realized he is one Hell of a guitar player. He and the ensemble stayed for another two hours and just responded to what the audience requested. One of the best concerts I have ever been to. Never realized the man has the talent he has as a musician.

My biggest concern with this proposal is reducing the number of seats in the Springer Auditorium. If you reduce the income potential to support these artistic endeavours, what are you accomplishing? Anyone who works for a company in Cincinnati has to recognize the arm-twisting which goes on to support what was the Fine Arts Fund, now called ArtsWave. If you are going to twist people's arms to contribute, and believe you me it is arm twisting, you should be at least able to offer them a seat at one of the performances.

[TomJones123]

Thanks for the insight!

[abr7rmj]

Jimmy Hoffa once gave a speech at Music Hall.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

I don't know that I am in favor of the removal of so many seats from Springer Auditorium. I just do not see how enough seats are left to provide a viable income for the entities using it unless ticket prices are raised totally out of the every joe's reach.

I'm puzzled by this as well. With the Taft at 2,500 and P&G at Aronoff at about 2,700 seats, increased capacity gives Music Hall an edge. That's why the ballet performs the Nutcracker at Music Hall, but performs other shows at the Aronoff.

Not sure removing a few hundred seats would impact performances and ticket prices as much, but removing 1,500 sure would.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I'm puzzled by this as well. With the Taft at 2,500 and P&G at Aronoff at about 2,700 seats, increased capacity gives Music Hall an edge. That's why the ballet performs the Nutcracker at Music Hall, but performs other shows at the Aronoff.

Not sure removing a few hundred seats would impact performances and ticket prices as much, but removing 1,500 sure would.

My sentiments exactly. If the members of the Symphony and the Pops feel they are so cramped then consider moving the Ballet and the Opera to another venue and doing away with the orchestra pit at Music Hall. That alone should move the stage quite a few feet forward. The Ballet and the Opera have far fewer performances. Another consideration, why not do Memorial Hall right next door to accomodate the Ballet and the the Opera? I never did quite understand Memorial Hall next door as a very underutilized venue to begin with.

One thing I did not quite understand from the Cincinnati.com pictorial on Music Hall was the concentration on the original pipe organ and all of its carvings. It did not last all that long, having bit the dust in the mid-90s.

Do not cripple Music Hall but restore it to one of the what have been acknowledged great acoustic music halls of the world. And please do not let that magnificant chandelier in the main hall be lost to posterity. If you are going to spend $165 million, at least restore it to its original glory or as close as you can get.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

My sentiments exactly. If the members of the Symphony and the Pops feel they are so cramped then consider moving the Ballet and the Opera to another venue and doing away with the orchestra pit at Music Hall. That alone should move the stage quite a few feet forward. The Ballet and the Opera have far fewer performances. Another consideration, why not do Memorial Hall right next door to accomodate the Ballet and the the Opera?

The ballet wouldn't like that; it performs The Nutcracker at Music Hall, and wants the extra seats vs the Aronoff. Revenue from those dozen or so Nutcracker performances makes up half the ballet's annual revenue, and the show is how the ballet sucks in new subscribers.

[CinciFan]

Hotel, restaurants expected to open at Rookwood Exchange by March 2013

Hotel, restaurants expected to open at Rookwood Exchange by March 2013 - Business Courier

[abr7rmj]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I'm puzzled by this as well. With the Taft at 2,500 and P&G at Aronoff at about 2,700 seats, increased capacity gives Music Hall an edge. That's why the ballet performs the Nutcracker at Music Hall, but performs other shows at the Aronoff.

Not sure removing a few hundred seats would impact performances and ticket prices as much, but removing 1,500 sure would.

Again, I'll point you guys toward the capacities of music halls around the world and I'll ask you to find me a single legitimate one with a capacity matching or exceeding our 3.400-plus.

Our capacity is far too big for a modern concert hall. All you have to do is look at NYC, Boston, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Chicago, LA, Vienna, Paris, Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto, Berlin, Atlanta, Montreal, San Francisco, etc. to see that the proper size of a symphony hall is less than 2,500 capacity, and in most cases it's less than 2,000.

If you think that 3,400-plus is a realistic size, provide evidence that the large capacity works elsewhere.

Perhaps you'd like to look at the CSO's attendance figures and acknowledge that Springer Auditorium rarely sells out at current capacity? Lessen the seating by 1,500 and all of a sudden you create sellouts almost every night and you drive up demand.

Win-win situation.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

Again, I'll point you guys toward the capacities of music halls around the world and I'll ask you to find me a single legitimate one with a capacity matching or exceeding our 3.400-plus

Exactly, and the exact reason why Music Hall should not be downgraded. For the millenium it has been considered one of the best acoustic venues in the world. So why the push to take something unique to Cincinnati and downgrade it? Those who are pushing to retain what is unique to Cincinnati should be up in arms over this. Once lost, it is not easily regained. I for one would like to see the acknowledged acoustical superior and among the largest music venues in the world be preserved as a Cincinnati heritage. I just cannot see why those who advocate the preservation of Cincinnati in every other sense would agree to have this facility reduced to also-ran status.

[rrtechno]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

Perhaps you'd like to look at the CSO's attendance figures and acknowledge that Springer Auditorium rarely sells out at current capacity? Lessen the seating by 1,500 and all of a sudden you create sellouts almost every night and you drive up demand.

Win-win situation.

Just a little curious ... How does reducing supply drive up the demand? It's not quite like bread and milk in the grocery store when there is a snow coming.

Not actually being from the area at this time and having never been in Music Hall, I don't claim to be an expert in the situation, but I have been involved in an auditorium renovation. Anything that changes the original design and construction is going to change the acoustics as well as the ambiance. How close to full is the auditorium in it's current configuration during ANY of the productions there. It sounds like the thought is to remove nearly 45% of the seating. I can tell you that there will have a HUGE impact on the overall experience in that venue. Whether it will be good or bad is not something I will comment on. It will just be major.

I hope the planners carefully consider all the ramifications BEFORE making those changes. Once it is done, it is nearly impossible to return.