Over a decade ago, as the nation grappled with recession, officials from the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts decided to delay the construction of its state-of-the-art Steinmetz Hall. Wednesday, the downtown Orlando arts center’s leaders announced when the long wait would be over.
“This is for everyone,” said philanthropist Margery Pabst Steinmetz of the new venue. “This is for everybody in our diverse community.
Said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer: “We’re finally to the finish line.”
Steinmetz Hall will open Jan. 14 with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and open house, followed by a two-week Grand Celebration of events featuring performances by such big names as Grammy- and Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson; country superstar Lyle Lovett, who plans a patriotic-themed concert; and Grammy-winning R&B musician Leon Bridges.
Much of the programming revolves around a 10-day residency by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, who will be joined at various concerts by principal dancers of London’s Royal Ballet, as well as singers from the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park and the Bethune-Cookman University Concert Chorale.
The grand-opening plans were announced Wednesday at a media event.
“I have to tell you, Margie and I really like this,” said Chuck Steinmetz, grinning broadly as he pointed to the gleaming “Steinmetz Hall” sign overhead. Through their donation, the Steinmetzes gave the new hall its name.
The first tickets for a Steinmetz Hall event went on sale Tuesday when Orlando Ballet announced it would open its production of “Giselle” there on Feb. 10. The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra will accompany the dance performance and also move four of its spring 2022 concerts into the new venue, beginning with a Beethoven program featuring violinist Gil Shaham on March 5.
The hall was envisioned as performance space for Orlando Ballet, the Orlando Philharmonic and Opera Orlando as it is designed for productions using music that is not amplified by microphones. Opera Orlando’s first scheduled performance in Steinmetz Hall comes in April, when it presents Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” also accompanied by the Orlando Philharmonic.
Orlando Ballet, Opera Orlando and the Philharmonic were not mentioned as part of the Steinmetz Hall opening celebration on Wednesday, although orchestra music director Eric Jacobsen will help lead a production titled “Rise and Shine” that will feature more than 250 regional artists. That show will be directed by Cole NeSmith, who runs Creative City Project, the producer of the downtown Immerse festival and other special artistic events.
Designed by architect Barton Myers, the high-tech hall uses special hidden machinery to rearrange its seating configuration and stage setup so it can change its look and functionality for different types of events.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings spoke about how hall and its state-of-the-art technology will influence the global perspective of Orlando, saying the city’s reputation would grow beyond theme parks, sports and the convention center.
“We will be known as one of the greatest communities for arts and cultural attractions with this addition today,” he said.
It was in 2009 when Steinmetz Hall construction was split from the rest of the arts center. A sharp decrease in tourist-tax revenue, a major source of the arts center’s funding, caused the more than $600 million project to be split into two phases. In phase one, the large Walt Disney Theater and smaller Pugh Theater opened in November 2014.
But phase two was delayed year after year with planned openings announced for 2018, 2019, the summer of 2020 and then late 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its shutdown of much in-person entertainment, was behind the latest delays.
At Wednesday’s celebratory event, however, all eyes were on the future — with a smaller, cabaret space called Judson’s still to come in May.
“This project was built by the community,” said Kathy Ramsberger, president & CEO of the Dr. Phillips Center, referring to the more than 14,000 donors to the center and other collaborators, “and now it’s ready for the whole world to experience.”
Tickets for Grand Celebration events are not yet on sale; for more information on Steinmetz Hall programming, go to drphillipscenter.org. Find me on Twitter @matt_on_arts, facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com.
