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Welcoming the Hylton Performing Arts Center Date published: 5/20/2010
BY RYAN MARR FROM THE SYDNEY Opera House to Carnegie Hall, great concert halls are more than just a place to house the performing arts--they're also iconic symbols of regional cultural progress. This weekend, Prince William County will commemorate its own brand of cultural progress with the grand opening of the Hylton Performing Arts Center--a nine-story, $46 million architectural wonder that is destined to represent the region's performing arts scene for many years to come. Towering over George Mason University's Prince William campus, the Hylton is just as dazzling from the highway as it is from the inside, boasting a 67-foot copper leaf mural, a three-story sweeping staircase in the main foyer, and a large proscenium theater modeled after 19th-century European opera houses. But, according to Executive Director Jean Kellogg, the Hylton is more than just architectural eye-candy. "Our goal was to build a space that was just as suitable for a first-time performer as a professional," Kellogg said. "It's a beautiful reflection of the community." The act of funding the Hylton's hefty price tag was a fairly accurate reflection of the community as well, with Prince William County, the city of Manassas, the commonwealth of Virginia, George Mason University, and local individuals and corporations in the private sector all chipping in to foot the bill. Citing the success of the similarly-funded Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center--also located on GMU's Prince William campus--as a significant factor in the community's decision to build a state-of-the-art performance facility, Kellogg hopes that the Hylton's success will usher in the development of an arts and entertainment district in the area. University officials are anxious to welcome Fredericksburg-area residents. HALL OF WONDERS Merchant Hall, the Hylton's majestic centerpiece, is likely to be the greatest draw for not only regional development, but audiences as well, boasting a 1.9-second acoustical reverberation time equivalent to Carnegie Hall, 27 private boxes, and three levels of plush seating that rise straight up, rather than outward. The hall's awe-inspiring blend of an exposed pragmatic concrete with an ornate copper finish that decorates the ceiling creates a distinctive feel that audience members aren't likely soon to forget. "We tried to blend the old world with the new to create something both elegant and inviting," Kellogg said.
Read more stories about Fredericksburg Date published: 5/20/2010
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