A modern concert hall in Prague?September 28th, 2007
There is question raising in Prague: Is it necessary to build a large concert hall in Prague? Musicians want it, directors of Prague Spring Festival too. But is it worth it? Is it “reasonable” as say politicians?
Overview of existing halls
Let’s start with the largest one: Kongresové centrum Praha
As you can suspect, it is the largest hall for congresses in Prague. It can welcome up to 2764 listeners, and its scene is enough large to produce large orchestras. It is said that its accoustics is very good (corrected in 2000). It does not have specialized equipment, it is not flexible and really aesthetically repelling. And more especially: this center have no vocation for music!
Obecní dům – Smetanová síň
Achieved in 1912, the “communal house” contains a large hall of 1139 places. This hall was not built to be exclusively a concert hall, but more as a hall where could be held all types of public events. The accoustics is problematic there.
Third by its capacity:The Rudolfinum
Currently Headquarters of the Czech philharmonic, its large concert hall adds up 1100 places (Dvořáková síň). The Rudolfinum is a complex of three concert halls, a gallery and a bar. Many concerts are held in a smaller hall (Suková síň) with a capacity of 220 seats. The accoustics is excellent there and the quality of instruments is remarkable. The main problem is its limited gauge and the absence of modulability. If there were possibilities to make adaptations at the time of the last reconstruction in 1992, this hall is far from the current standards of modernity and remains, despite everything made for improvements, an old concert hall.
Except these ones above, the others halls have lower gauges (about 300-400 places and less), are not equipped and are often not easely accessible or even impossible to find.
Let’s speak about contemporary music: none of these halls are suitable. How is it possible to play Murail or Lindberg in a decoration or accoustics from the end of XIXth century. How to play contemporary music in a hall of 2700 places? If you enter in Prague concert halls, you realize that most of these spaces were not conceived for this purpose, and assume only very badly the role of concert hall.
Why Prague should build a modern concert hall?
While all big europeans cities are building important and modern centers for music, Prague ignores it. Despite several attempts in 1941 and 1996, nothing is planned today to improve the Prague musical life.
If Prague, as wishes its mayor Pavel Bem, is intending to reinforce its position as an European artistic center, it seems then that the construction of a big capacity hall equipped with modern technologies is essential.
Inviting foreign orchestras is also one of the priorities of an important musical center. But this kind of invitation is expensive and is not profitable in halls of small gauge. In order not to slow down the frequentation rise by increasing the tickets prices, it is necessary to increase the number of sold places, which is currently not possible, and many potential spectators cannot get tickets because seats are lacking.
If we compare with the rest of Europe, Prague does not modernize its infrastructures, and for a 1,25 million inhabitants city, a maximum capacity of 1000 seats is a bit too short. Let’s take some examples:
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| Kursaal San Sebastián, Espagne. 2 auditoriums 1800 and 624 seats Donostia-San Sebastián: 183 308 inhabitants. |
Matsumoto Performing Arts center. Matsumoto: 227 579 inhabitants. |
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The new philharmonic hall Paris, France. Concert hall with 2400 places, foyers et rehearsal rooms, offices for several orchestras, galeries, a restaurant, parking … |
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After the new library by Jan Kaplicky which created a surrealistic debate because of its modernity, too “pronounced” according to governmental tastes, it should be time to build a concert hall if Prague does not want to show a cultural delay and lag behind.
Prague today could be an European artistic center, but must look towards the future and not draw on its knowledge and its past. It can take advantage of its tourist assets and find a place for cultural tourism, within the development of musical creation. But, above all, it must show its desires and its dynamism by building an adapted modern center.