A ‘Stradivarius of Concert Halls’ Opens in California

Described by the Director of its resident performance company as the “Stradavarius of Concert Halls”, the newly expanded Orange County Performing Arts Center opened last week in Orange County, California, a suburban community best know as the home of Disneyland. Designed by Cesar Pelli, the 250,000 square foot extension, built of limestone, steel and glass, houses a 2000-seat concert hall, a 500-seat theatre and two supplemental performance spaces on three levels. Among the many features of the design are a centrally located atrium that serves all levels and an undulating glass façade. A highly advanced and flexible acoustical system, designed by Artec, allows the building to “tune-itself” for the needs of different performances.