In Saturday’s (9/18) Cincinnati Enquirer, Janelle Gelfand writes, “The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra announced Friday that it will take over operations of the Taft Theatre Downtown. The long-term lease agreement with the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, which owns the historic theater on Fifth Street, was reached Thursday night. Although the terms were not made public, the management agreement could be for as much as two decades, an orchestra spokesman confirmed. In addition, the Taft Theatre will be the temporary home of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Pops during their 2012-13 season, while their permanent home, Music Hall, undergoes a $100 million renovation. The orchestra plans to pour $1 million to $3 million in upgrades into the aging Taft, for air conditioning, seating, restroom improvements and other amenities. … The improvements, to include an acoustical shell for orchestra concerts, will benefit not just symphony and Pops patrons, but all audiences attending the array of shows that will continue to be presented on its stage. Under Music and Event Management Inc. (MEMI), the orchestra’s subsidiary, the Taft will host a variety of musical acts, theatrical productions, rock shows and comedians.”
Posted September 20, 2010
