In Sunday’s (3/4) Los Angeles Times, Jay Jones writes, “Myron Martin was in fourth grade when he attended an opera at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in Houston. … The man who was the starry-eyed schoolkid is now at the helm of Vegas’ new Smith Center for the Performing Arts, a repurposed former railroad switchyard where expanses of marble and original artworks provide the backdrop for a varied lineup of theater and concerts. … The building’s showcase is Reynolds Hall, named for Las Vegas’ Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, which pumped $150 million into the project. … The hall’s interior has an almost intimate atmosphere, even though it seats 2,050 patrons. Regardless of where or on which level they’re seated, guests are promised crisp sound, with or without amplification. After a recent rehearsal by the Las Vegas Philharmonic, the man behind its acoustics said the hall had reached a new standard. ‘[We’ve] made this room even more successful than others of its type,’ said Paul Scarborough of design firm Akustiks. The stage is equipped with state-of-the-art sound-enhancing drapes. Because of the low humidity in the Nevada desert, the hall’s furnishings were selected to complement, not deaden, the sound.”
Posted March 6, 2012
