The Toronto Centre for the Arts was previously known as the “Ford Centre for the Performing Arts,” and before that, when it opened in 1993 as the “North York Performing Arts Centre.” Designed by Canadian architect Eberhard Zeidler, the Toronto Center for Arts is accessible by major highways, arteries as well as the public transit system.
This gigantic center is home to three theaters – the Main Stage Theatre, the George Weston Recital Hall, and the Studio Theatre.
The Main Stage Theater
The Main Stage Theatre has 1,850 seats, all of which are within 85 feet of the stage. The room is done up in grand tones of gold, pewter, and cream, giving it a look of majestic opulence. The seats are rich red, a color that is further accented by the deep shades of ebony. The acoustics, sound engineering, and décor of the Main Stage Theater make it a truly exceptional experience. If you want to make your experience slightly more intimate and personal, you could opt for the dress-circle and balcony loges along the sides.
George Weston Recital Hall
The George Weston Recital is popularly counted among the best recital halls in Canada. It has often been compared to the Vienna’s Grosser Musikvereinsaal and the Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw which, incidentally, also happen to be the halls on which the George Washington Recital Hall was modeled. There are 1032 seats in this hall, and it opened its doors to the public in 2003 with a performance by the soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.
Here, the background noise is designed as “below the threshold of hearing,” and New York acoustician Russell Johnson has made it possible for the audience to enjoy Beethoven’s 4th movement and an actor’s whisper with the same clarity. Seated on plum colored seats set against a midnight blue background, you can close your eyes and feel the acoustical magic come to life.
Patrons eagerly look forward to the annual concert season that is hosted in this hall, bringing together some of the best international singers and musicians on stage.
Studio Theater
Though the Studio Theater can only seat 200 people at maximum capacity, it is, nonetheless, an ingenious performance area. It’s an extremely versatile space that can accommodate proscenium style drama just as well as cabaret style dinner theatre.
The décor of the Studio Theater is highly contemporary, more so than any of the other rooms in the Center. The mixture of black and steel, with accents of pale blue, and modern chairs makes this a cozy and inspiring room, perfect for small performances.
Whatever kind of entertainment you may favor, from musicals, theatre productions, and the latest Broadway sensations to cabarets, art shows, and orchestras, there could be no other place better than the Toronto Center for the Arts.
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