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The
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
l Mann
Center for the Performing Arts
Carnegie
Hall
l Saratoga
Performing Arts Center
Academy of Music – The Orchestra's Home
for the Past Century
The Academy of Music opened in 1857 and
is the oldest grand opera house in the United States still
used for its original purpose. Modeled on Italy's famous La
Scala in Milan, the Academy quickly became America's most
prestigious opera house, for a time rivaling New York's competing
offerings. Over the years, in addition to serving the performing
arts community, the Academy has been the site of numerous
graduation ceremonies and also has hosted or participated
in several presidential conventions. Designated a National
Historic Landmark in 1963, the Academy of Music has benefited
from millions of dollars raised by the Restoration Fund for
the Academy of Music for various renovations and restorations
during the past 50 years.
The Academy of Music served as The Philadelphia
Orchestra's main concert hall for more than a century, from
the ensemble's founding in 1900 up to the opening of the brand-new
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in December 2001. The
Orchestra purchased the Academy in 1957, using it for its
own concerts while also renting it out for performances and
concerts by a number of local and visiting organizations.
The resulting busy calendar of events led to ongoing scheduling
conflicts, and helped point out the need within Philadelphia's
arts community for additional performance venues, which could
be alleviated in part by building a new concert hall for the
Orchestra's own schedule (including more than 300 concerts,
rehearsals, and other presentations annually).
Still owned by The Philadelphia Orchestra
Association, the Academy of Music is now operated and managed
by KCI. Together, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
and the Academy of Music serve as the primary performance
venues for a variety of the region's most prominent performing
arts companies. The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
includes two major performance halls: the 2,500-seat Verizon
Hall, built as the new state-of-the-art home of The Philadelphia
Orchestra, and the versatile 650-seat Perelman Theater, built
for dance, theater, chamber music, and smaller scale presentations.
The 2,900-seat Academy of Music will continue as home of major
annual seasons offered by the Pennsylvania Ballet and the
Opera Company of Philadelphia. Other resident companies of
the two facilities include the Philadelphia Chamber Music
Society, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Peter Nero and
the Philly Pops, Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco),
and the American Theater Arts for Youth.
Copyright 2001, 2002 The Philadelphia
Orchestra
Webmaster: tlee@philorch.org
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