Brno Philharmonic tickets are sold out. A new type of Standing + ticket has been introduced, stressing the need for a new hall with larger auditorium
Brno Philharmonic concerts have been enjoying huge audience interest since New Year. Of twenty performances, the auditorium was sold out ten times, while for other concerts there were just a few free seats. As such, concerts in Besední dům have begun copying Vienna and other musical capitals in selling tickets for Standing +. Not even this step is enough, however. The consensus amongst the musicians, their audience, Philharmonic management and the city of Brno is that this is further proof that Brno really needs a new hall.
The Standing + principle involves the audience member purchasing a standing ticket and if there are any vacant seats before the concert begins, the host can put them there. “We introduced this new concept in our Dreams of France concert in early March. In all three cases, all twenty extra tickets were quickly sold,” says Director of Brno Philharmonic, Marie Kučerová. She says that not even this new concept was able to satisfy the interest of all ticket purchasers.
The Philharmonic sold Standing + tickets for most of the remaining season concerts, which are now all sold out. Interest in the April Starring the Cunning Little Vixen family concert was so great that management decided to add an extra afternoon performance. “We won’t deny that one of the reasons for increased sales is the fact we had to cancel eight series concerts in the Janáček Theatre, which has an auditorium twice as large as that in Besední dům,” says Kučerová.
The planned renovation and closure of the theatre has significantly complicated the upcoming Philharmonic season. “We’re opening it unconventionally in the Cathedral of St Peter and Paul, for one series concert we’re moving to the Stadium on Kounicova street, and we’re going to try the exhibition centre too,” says Orchestra dramaturge, Vítězslav Mikeš, adding that these limitations have had a large impact on the repertoire chosen.
The Brno Philharmonic has lacked space for large symphony orchestra performances for a number of years. Roughly fifty musicians fit on the stage at the orchestra’s home, Besední dům, and as such only chamber pieces can be played there. For this reason, the orchestra has played large pieces in the Janáček Theatre, which unfortunately does not have good acoustics for symphony music and as such the audience do not enjoy the full quality of the sound. Now, with the theatre closing, this option has come to an end. “This once again underscores the urgent need for a hall. We trust that we will be able to get this project to the finish line in the close future. The state, city and Region have signed a memorandum on funding construction. We’re now waiting for the Ministry of Culture to submit it for government approval,” says Mayor of Brno, Petr Vokřál.
Workers are now constructing the first phase of the project near to Besední dům – the underground garages. At the same time, we are preparing the final round selecting the design team of the over-ground part of the building, i.e. a team comprising acoustics specialist, architect and designer. This team will design the concert hall itself, its shape, size, panelling, etc. Two teams qualified from the first tender. The first of these is based around Japanese company Nagata Acoustics, while the second is America’s Ove Arup Partners. “They are world-renowned experts in acoustics. We are happy we have managed to attract these two class acts, and we trust it is a kind of promise that we really are going to build this hall,” says Deputy Mayor of Brno for Culture, Matěj Hollan. If it all goes to plan, builders will complete the first phase next spring and began work linking it to the upper section of the building.
Contact for media:
Kateřina Konečná – PR manager Hall for Brno, 775 426 040, konecna@salprobrno.cz, www.salprobrno.cz
Monika Babincová – PR manager, Brno Philharmonic, 770 100 716, monika.babincova@filharmonie-brno.cz, www.filharmonie-brno.cz