Nestled between the Salt Palace and Temple Square is a small establishment with 24-karat gold glittering on the walls.
This place is known as Abravanel Hall.
Natalie Thorpe, the patrons services manager at Abravanel Hall, said the gold lends to the “fantastic and dynamic” acoustics. She said this feature is just one of the many that contribute to making Abravanel one of Salt Lake’s greatest architectural landmarks.
“People are initially drawn to Abravanel because of the way it looks,” Thorpe said. “The building is right in the heart of Salt Lake and how it was built makes it really eye-catching and stunning.”
The gold leafing covers the banisters and staircases, and the exterior of the construction holds a 54,000 square foot glass curtain. In the lobby is a towering, bright red, glass-blown Dae Chihuly sculpture that spirals and juts with curved pieces.
Cindy Chen, a senior in flute performance and political science, said every time she visits the hall, she’s “overwhelmed, but in a really beautiful way.”
“There’s just so much to take in visually and acoustically,” she said. “It’s almost like a new experience every time I go.”
Inside the hall, each aspect of the building creates acoustic excellence. According to Abravanel’s official website, the hall is rectangular and is structured as a concrete building inside of a brick building with walls built from wood. However, there are no 90 degree angles and all walls and ceilings are curved to keep the sound wrapped within the space.
Sarah Dowdy, a sophomore in vocal performance, appreciates these fine touches.
“When I first went in there, it was so glorious, it was almost dramatic,” she said. “Everything from the chandeliers to the carpets made it seem old fashion and glamorous.”
First opened in 1979 as the Symphony Hall, the name was later changed for Maurice Abravanel, a former conductor of the Utah Symphony. Next season will mark the 75th anniversary of the symphony and Thorpe said there would be many big events leading up to celebration.
Dana Higa, a sophomore in vocal performance, has performed in Abravanel before and said it “was almost like being in a cave.”
“The sound is so big and it reverberates in exactly the right way you need it to when you’re on stage,” Higa said.
Thorpe said one of the symphony’s new initiatives was to have at least 25 percent of the audience be of a younger age group. To accomplish this, the hall started the Upbeat Program, which offers discounted tickets to anyone 30 years old and under, with prices ranging from $10 to $15 on the day of the specific event.
Abravanel also offers a $49 all-access pass to registered students for entrance to any performance for a year. For $25 more, the all-access pass becomes a duet pass, and allows the student and a guest of their choice the same benefits.
This year Abravanel Hall has hosted performances such as “All Star Evening” and “Days of ’47.” Some events planned for later in the season are “A Kurt Bestor Christmas” and a show by comedian Jim Gaffigan.
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