The new concert hall coming to the University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba will soon have a new concert hall, which the school says is unlike anything else in Winnipeg.
Construction of the new Desautels Concert Hall was officially announced on Wednesday night at a U of M homecoming event.
According to the university, the venue will serve as the finale piece to the Taché Arts project, and will provide, “striking architecture, superior acoustics, optimal sightlines and a configurable stage.”
“It will enable opportunities for new performances to move and inspire us, fostering connections between communities in ways only performance pieces allow,” said Michael Benarroch, the university’s president and vice-chancellor, in a news release.
The 409-seat concert hall will be designed for a range of university and community events.
The venue can be configured in three different ways for the best possible acoustics and sightlines. The university notes that these different configurations will be made possible through moveable towers, panels, sound-absorbing curtains, and ceiling reflectors.
Edward Jurkowski, the dean of the Desautels Faculty of Music, said the venue will be able to accommodate many different musical events, including solo acts, small ensembles, opera productions, and the U of M’s jazz orchestra.
The concert hall will also be connected to new rehearsal spaces so performers can warm up and rehearse before and during events.
“The concert hall will be not just an important feature of the Desautels Faculty of Music and the University of Manitoba, but also a vital contribution to Winnipeg’s musical life,” Jurkowski said.
To date, the funding for the venue has come from several donors, including Marcel Desautels, Dr. Michael F. B. Nesbitt, and Gail Asper.
On Thursday, the university launched the ‘Your Seat Awaits’ campaign to give community members a chance to take part in the project. Anyone who donates $1,000 or more will have the chance to name a seat in the hall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.