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Wiscy
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I've been to the Capitol Theater a couple times and some of the balcony seats are TRULY AWFUL. Very cramped, zero leg room, uncomfortable.
I agree with the writer, preserving the Oscar Mayer and especially the Yost's facade was a joke, and the Overture Center as a whole could have been so much more, much better both outside in and inside.
I do think Overture Hall is great, but I have never been in the upper balcony there.
Ironically, I think the bank building across the street from Overture, on the corner of State St., is a much better looking piece of architecture than Overture Center, and probably a helluva lot cheaper.
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play_on
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You're comparing the Capitol Theater to Mills Hall? Ouch.
You recently had a post about the organ in Overture Hall. I actually prefer the organ in Capitol Theater because of its history and authenticity. Keep in mind, too, that as far as sight lines go the function of the building was also meant for movies, not necessarily stage performances (though that's no excuse for not adjusting things in the redesign process).
Although I never agreed with keeping the Yost facade, it was surely interesting to see how they turned a dreary Oscar Mayer Theater into an intimate venue. The Overture Hall lobby is about as welcoming as an airport terminal, whereas the Capitol Theater lobby sets the stage for a memorable experience. 25 years from now there's a chance we'll see Overture Hall as tired and ordinary. Miller Park, for instance, is already no longer new and cutting edge, yet Wrigley Field remains a destination in itself.
That said, if we had given the architect a truly blank canvas, would we have ended up with a remarkable showpiece? We'll never know of course.
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Audience Member
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I thought the performance was lovely, but agree that I could barely hear the Choral Union througout the Sea Symphony. They are so talented that it was disappointing to hear their voices muffled. The only time you could really fully appreciate them was their a capella parts. I'm a former member of the Choral Union, and I think it was a problem of both balance and acoustics. Professor Taylor has been very careful with these issues in the past. Maybe she was unable to settle these issues in the new venue? I believe they were only able to hold one rehearsal there.
I also found it frustrating that I had to lean forward to see the soloists. They had to extend the stage out to fit the orchestra on it, and that was the problem.
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Jay Rath
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Jake, we are entirely agreed that what they did to the theater is an horrendous bastardization. But since I led the movement to save it, on pages at Isthmus, let me add the obvious point that historic and visual beauty are as important as other aesthetics.
The theater was restored for the Civic Center by Hardy, Holzman and Pfieffer, the design firm that won awards for restoring Radio City Music Hall and the New Amsterdam Theater in New York. They set in place a new acoustical design.
The firm was not even consulted by Overture, whose first idea was to preserve the roof as the interior of a parking ramp! The later solution of walling off the last rows because of perceived acoustic fall-off was insane.
You seem to spend as much space compaining about Overture Hall and it's lobby. I'm sorry the Capitol Theater ushers were snotty and that the air blew too hard on you.
Um ... is that the worst you can say? Yeah, we preservationists are arrogant.
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Davide
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I love the Capitol Theater. I didn't see the UW performances you are talking about, but I would like to spend a few words in support of this beautiful venue. I personally agree with the idea of rebuilding the Capitol Theater as it was. It shows respect for both the city and the community and appreciation for old fashion beauty. Rebuilding around parts of older buildings has been done many times, through history and with great success, and I believe it represents a challenge for an architect more than a limit. Painting is a quite different art! I am actually glad to hear that the Capitol Theater will be use more and more for future Overture performances. I was born in Rome, I've lived in New York, I moved to Madison one year ago and I was very surprised to find something like the Overture Center in a small city like Madison, but I am even more surprised now about the many bad critics I always hear about the Overture Center. A city like Madison should be proud of having such an art center which allows everyone to be exposed to the highest quality of art and entertainment. Nothing is ever perfect, I am sure the Lincoln Center in NYC has its share of problems as well. The question is ..... why are we always so critical of the Overture?
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Nellie
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It is a beautiful space but I simply hated sitting in the front row of the upper balcony area. It scared me half to death and I asked to be moved for the second act of the show I was seeing. That seating (not cheap by the way) should come with a disclaimer sharing how frighteningly steep it is! The usher indicated she had heard the same complaint many times.
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