New Concert Hall Named for Major Gift from Verizon Foundation
October 30, 2000
In recognition of a major contribution from Verizon Foundation, Willard G. Rouse, the Regional Performing Arts Center's Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Stephanie W. Naidoff, RPAC's President, announce the naming of Verizon Hall, the new concert hall, which will be the new home of The Philadelphia Orchestra at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts currently under construction on Broad and Spruce Streets in Philadelphia.
Verizon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications. Verizon's support for the new concert hall project totaling $14.5 million includes an earlier gift of $1.5 million to The Philadelphia Orchestra's New Hall campaign, and a $1.3 million gift of in-kind equipment and services from Verizon Pennsylvania.
"What an inspiration it is to have a major corporation offer such tremendous generosity to a civic arts project like The Kimmel Center," says Naidoff. "We couldn't be more grateful to Verizon for their leadership, and we are thrilled to name our new concert hall in their honor."
Scheduled to open the weekend of December 14 through 16, 2001, Verizon Hall will have 2,500 seats. "We can't wait to perform in this state-of-the-art facility!" commented Joseph Kluger, President of The Philadelphia Orchestra. All seats will have full views of the stage, and 250 seats will be located at the back of the stage facing the conductor. The three-piece acoustic ceiling canopy will be fully adjustable, and full-height reverberation chambers will control and enhance acoustics in the hall based on the type of performance. The hall is shaped to resemble a cello, a design that will contribute to optimum acoustics and visibility.
"This center means so much to our city and to our region," states Daniel J. Whelan, president and CEO of Verizon Pennsylvania. "The Kimmel Center will soon be the premiere gathering place in Philadelphia -- a venue where concertgoers can experience our own world-class orchestra in a hall designed just for it. Verizon Foundation is proud to be a leader of this thrilling new chapter in the history of Philadelphia."
Verizon Pennsylvania, formerly known as Bell Atlantic-Pennsylvania, has a long history of supporting the arts in Philadelphia. Verizon is the national communications company formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE.
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts will join the venerable Academy of Music to become one of the nation's largest performing arts centers. The Rafael Viñoly-designed Kimmel Center, featuring a spectacular glass-vaulted ceiling towering more than 150 feet above street-level, is destined to become a Philadelphia landmark both architecturally as well as a landmark of cultural excellence.
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