“To hear Ken Lam, the music director for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, describe it, the newly renovated Gaillard Center is almost like a living thing,” writes Dustin Waters in Wednesday’s (10/7) Charleston City Paper (South Carolina). “From the time the Gaillard Center opens its doors with an opening dedication by the city Oct. 9 and grand opening gala Oct. 18, Charleston’s premier concert space … must balance its roles as the home of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and the annual Spoleto Festival, while at the same time serving as a major money-maker for the city and attracting world-class touring acts from all over the country.” The renovation, costing $142 million, replaces the 1968 structure with “an 1,800-seat performance hall with a ballroom, exhibition space, and city offices…. ‘This is a wonderful opportunity for us,’ says Michael Smith, executive director of the symphony…. The 26 weeks reserved for the symphony include performances by the orchestra and joint productions with the Gaillard Center, as well as rehearsals in the main concert hall.” Says Lam, “That first week, with the gala, the acousticians will be there doing fine tuning.… The musicians would say, ‘Oh my goodness, we can hear ourselves and each other.’ ”
Posted October 8, 2015
