Phoenix Symphony Hall
The second entry in the series Phoenix Points of Pride was a happy accident. I had free tickets to the Arizona Opera Orfeo ed Euridice. The opera was in Italian and told how “When boy meets girl, everything goes to hell.”.
The opera was at Phoenix Symphony Hall. The hall was built in 1972 and had a major renovation in 2004. The building has 2,387 chairs, with wood bases for to improve the acoustics of the space. There is some monumental art in the space including hand-blown glass chandeliers designed by Robert Weymers of Beverly Hills and fabricated by Barovier & Toso, glassblowers on Murano Island in Venice, Italy. There are four tapestries, 8 feet x 20 feet designed by David Chethlahe Paladin of Prescott and woven of Argentine wool by Teji dos Artisticos in Mexico City.
While at the Opera I thought about HYPA (Houston Young People for the Arts), a group in Houston, Texas that provides
Houston art supporters a unique opportunity to view– and participate in – the burgeoning art landscape without emptying their pockets. From private parties with the artists, discounted tickets & HYPA-tailored events, we give you a survey of the best Houston has to offer.
Membership for HYPA is $20/year. I thought, could something like HYPA work in Phoenix? While young professionals transition from hanging out at college bars, but aren’t yet ready to buy season tickets to the Opera because they aren’t sure they will be interested, could there be a way to sample a number of different cultural organizations, see performing and visual arts, and become part of an arts community in the Phoenix area?
Phoenix Symphony Hall
Tags: Arizona Opera, HYPA, Mesa, Paradise Valley, phoenix, Phoenix Symphony Hall, Professionals, Scottsdale, Tempe, Young