Friday, October 16, 2015

In Southam Hall

Southam Hall is the largest of the four performance spaces within the National Arts Centre, capable of seating over 2300 people. The NAC Orchestra often performs here- the orchestra has a new principal conductor this year, Alexander Shelley, after over fifteen successful years under the violinist/ conductor Pinchas Zukerman. At the end of September, Opera Lyra had the stage for a 1940s era production of The Barber Of Seville, so the set was in place, as were a couple of costumes and props.


A reminder to members of City Daily Photo: the theme day for November is Ephemeral, or short lived.

38 comments:

  1. Those costumes are amazing! Looks like a wonderful place to catch a show.

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  2. An impressive hall: I do not know the new conductor, but Pinchas Zukerman was a world-famous one.

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  3. Impressive-looking place. There's something faintly sinister about those costumes on the dummies...

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  4. Looks like a great building and setting. Lots of memories there, I'll bet.

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  5. You're on a roll with arts topics. I enjoy all arts. I volunteered front of house at our local performing arts center which has an amazing 560 seats!

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  6. Would love to see those costumes in action. Like how you lit them too.

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  7. Love the shots of the empty theater!

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  8. the most I like it is the last photo. I like the loner sitting.

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  9. An impressive hall. Love the last shot!

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  10. I really love your header photo...but I know you'll soon replace it with one featuring the S word.

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  11. @Whisk: thank you!

    @Jackie: thanks!

    @Meradeth: I've attended concerts here... it's quite a setting, and good acoustics.

    @VP: Pinchas really worked wonders for our orchestra, and was such an engaging presence. I'm looking forward to what Alexander does as time goes on.

    @Tex: it is. It's peculiar, for a member of the public, to be out on stage like that.

    @Mike: it's the headless aspect!

    @Linda: and good memories.

    @Red: there are other performance spaces here- I'll be showing them as well. One of them is up above that count in number of seats, the other two are below that count, and each have their own character.

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  12. @Birdman: I did too- the lighting on stage was gradually shifting through the day.

    @Sharon: the wardrobe department does good work!

    @Jose: usually when one comes in here, there are more about!

    @Murcia: thanks. Photographing away from the stage presented its own challenges. I started photographing from the upper balconies, but wasn't happy with the results.

    @Revrunner: thanks!

    @RedPat: strangely that last shot was almost an after thought in terms of adding it to a post.

    @Norma: I hereby pledge not to change my header pic before the first of December.

    @Marleen: I thought so too!

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  13. Love!!!! I love opera so this one was a treat!

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  14. It's a great space. I've never been to an opera.

    Re your comment on Ocala: Those colorful trees are far and few between and don't last long.

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  15. Beautiful place, would love to hear an opera there and would have loved to see a few of the costumes.

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  16. How do you manage to get inside here and get those pictures.

    Are you snugging up to someone special and your not telling us.

    I have heard opera and some I like and some not so good.

    My husband appreciates the Operas. Do you go to hear them William?
    If so what ones do you enjoy.

    .

    Thanks for sharing.

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  17. Very cool! I know an opera singer here in Montreal personally, she and her husband are wonderful people. Her name is Huguette Tourangeau. :) Nice series, William!

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  18. @Ciel: thanks!

    @Lowell: my mother went to operas with great regularity in her younger days.

    @Shelly: thank you!

    @Denise: it was enjoyable to be out and about exploring the place.

    @Carolann: it was an open house, so anyone could come on in. I liked having the opportunity. I've listened to some of them- Germanic ones appeal to me more.

    @Linda: thank you!

    @Cheryl: so did I.

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  19. looks like a wonderful place to see a performance

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  20. Lovely pictures William, the vertical lights make for great composition...

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  21. gorgeous costumes, i want to hear some tunes, some acting, a play or something cool there. i bet the sounds are amazing. ( :

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  22. I do love to see behind the scenes,

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  23. Open houses like this are a nice opportunity. Glad you took advantage of it.

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  24. Very nice space and the costumes are beautiful.
    (Hope you get your anticipated snow this weekend.)

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  25. That is cool. I can smell the make up!

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  26. A glorious, grand performance space. Those costumes look as if they involved many hours of patience.

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  27. I'm really impressed with the new conductor!

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  28. @Tammie: it is!

    @Geoff: they do.

    @Beth: the acoustics in here are good.

    @Mo: I do too. I must have missed the event this year, assuming they held it.

    @Mari: it certainly is.

    @Jack: so was I.

    @Kay: thanks!

    @Cloudia: it's quite a building.

    @Gemma: they would be, yes.

    @EG: thanks!

    @Jennifer: as am I.

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