The Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall Dedicated
April 23, 2002
Leaders of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and Verizon gathered tonight for an official dedication of Verizon Hall, The Kimmel Center's acoustically advanced, state-of-the-art new concert hall. Several hundred invited guests attended a reception marking the occasion and the concert that followed. Verizon Hall was named in recognition of Verizon Foundation's nearly $15 million gift.
The 2,500-seat Verizon Hall, with its mahogany wood, cello-shaped curves and state-of-the-art acoustics, is the stunning centerpiece of The Kimmel Center. Architect Rafael Viñoly and acoustician Russell Johnson designed the hall specifically for its primary tenant, The Philadelphia Orchestra.
"We are here tonight to thank Verizon for its generous and critical role in making The Kimmel Center dream a reality," said Janice Price, President and CEO of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. "Verizon Foundation's gift was a cornerstone in the Campaign to Build The Kimmel Center. Verizon's leadership demonstrated to the corporate community that this new performing arts center is not only an artistic and cultural treasure but also an important catalyst for economic development in the entire Philadelphia region. Without Verizon, The Kimmel Center may never have been built."
"The Philadelphia Orchestra now resides in a magnificent new home, thanks to the generosity of the Verizon Foundation," said Joseph H. Kluger, President of The Philadelphia Orchestra. "One of the earliest corporate leaders in the campaign, Verizon demonstrated its commitment to the Orchestra's need for a new hall. Verizon is in the business of using technology to bring people together and The Philadelphia Orchestra brings them together through music. We applaud their faith in a new vision of the arts in Philadelphia and we thank them for joining into this partnership to carry music into the future."
"The Kimmel Center is so important to our city and to our region," said Daniel J. Whelan, President and CEO of Verizon Pennsylvania. "It's a world-class performing arts center, a wonderful civic space and an economic engine for the entire area. It's a thrill to see how the public has so thoroughly embraced it in the brief period since opening. Verizon Foundation is proud to be a leader in this exciting new chapter in the history of Philadelphia."
Tuesday's dedication began with a reception in The Kimmel Center's Cadence Restaurant. Following the reception, The Fabulous Philadelphians took the stage in their beautiful new home, delighting the audience with an evening of Gershwin and jazz.
A special presentation during intermission harkened back to The Philadelphia Orchestra's earlier days. Verizon Pennsylvania President Whelan presented The Kimmel Center and The Orchestra with a vintage (circa 1935) 78 RPM recording of J.S. Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" with the legendary Leopold Stokowski conducting The Philadelphia Orchestra. The recording, possibly Stokowski's most famous, is a gift from John Lang, Senior Vice President/Investments with Salomon Smith Barney in New York and a friend of Verizon Chairman Ivan Seidenberg, who has had the recording in his possession since fleeing Berlin.
The presentation concluded with Philadelphia Mayor John Street reading from a tribute recognizing Verizon Foundation's contributions to the City of Philadelphia.
Verizon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications. Verizon's support for The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts totals $14.5 million and 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. Verizon Foundation has also generously supported performances in Verizon Hall during The Kimmel Center's inaugural season.
Verizon Pennsylvania, formerly known as Bell Atlantic-Pennsylvania, has a long history of supporting the arts in Philadelphia. Verizon Communications, one of the world's leading providers of communications services, was formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE.
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