Banner display at Christchurch Town Hall celebrates performing arts

 

 

A beautiful display of banners has gone up in empty and passive spaces around the town hall foyer area, depicting a range of the performing arts hosted at the venue.

 

Executive Director Mike Kelly said the twenty banners celebrate the important role and residency of several performing arts companies. “I hope they will promote awareness of the excellence of their productions.  I think the pageantry and colour of the banners adds vitality to the foyer space, and reflects the level of achievement of Canterbury Opera, Christchurch Symphony, Christchurch City Choir, Showbiz Christchurch and other visiting companies. The banners are a definitive statement about the home of those companies.  We are combining the banner display with other efforts to give additional emphasis to our current support to the resident companies, such as the ONSTAGE publication.”

 

The Christchurch Town Hall, officially opened on 30 September 1972, is the city’s premier performing arts venue. The Auditorium is rated acoustically as one of the best in the world. It has 2584 seats in a large oval theatre with rich ruby-red comfortable tiered seating through to the upper gallery. It has a permanent stage and extensive backstage facilities.  The James Hay Theatre is a permanent stage theatre with 7 metre tall proscenium arch, comfortable tiered seating and upper gallery for 1006 people. The stage has offers a standard 292 sq m that can be extended to 323 sq m.

 

The beautiful and magnificent Rieger Pipe Organ was installed May 1997 after a public fund raising campaign, and has an international audience. Martin Setchell is the honorary organ curator. The Steinway Grand Piano is well used by resident and visiting companies and has been played by some of the world’s most renowned pianists.

 

The resident companies are Canterbury Opera, Christchurch Symphony,     

Christchurch City Choir, Showbiz Christchurch and visiting companies are NZSO and Chamber Music New Zealand.