“The Richardson Complex is about to shine,” writes Mary Kunz Goldman in last Friday’s (7/28) Buffalo News (NY). “The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is playing a free nighttime concert on the south lawn of the recently renovated architectural masterpiece. Along with the performance, the buildings will light up with extravagant moving images by local lightmapping artists Projex, with artistic direction by Keith Harrington. The concert is called ‘Enlighten.’ BPO Music Director JoAnn Falletta hopes it will live up to its name in more ways than one.… The Richardson Complex has long battled a sinister, and unfair, reputation. It was home for many years to the Buffalo State Hospital for the Insane. Many people see it as a place of tragedy and abuse.… In reality, the hospital was conceived with the best intentions.… What better time to shine a light on the buildings than when the Richardson Complex, anchored by the new Hotel Henry, is seeing a rebirth? … Visuals of fireworks will add color to Handel’s ‘Music for the Royal Fireworks.’ Tchaikovsky’s Waltz from ‘Swan Lake’ accompanies visuals inspired by various patterns of the Richardson buildings. Rachmaninoff and Beethoven also figure in the evening.” The performance took place on Friday, July 28, with more than 12,000 people in attendance, the orchestra reports.
Posted August 2, 2017
Pictured: View from the lawn in front of the National Historic Landmark Richardson Olmsted Campus at the Buffalo Philharmonic’s July 28 “enlighten” concert celebrating the rebirth of the campus, designed by architect H.H. Richardson in 1880.
