City Recital Hall

History

City Recital Hall, opened in 1999, is the first specially designed concert venue to be built in the city since the Opera House in 1973.

The venue was initiated by the City of Sydney and was specifically designed for solo recitals, chamber music and the spoken word. The auditorium's 1.8-second reverberation time is attuned for chamber music. The spoken word and amplified music are accommodated by the operation of specially designed acoustic banners. The entire auditorium is supported on rubber bearings to avoid vibration and street sounds and the air conditioning and lighting systems have been treated to minimise external noise.

The Hall was designed in a shoebox shape, based on the classical configuration of 19th-century European concert halls. The design includes gently sloping stalls and two galleries that wrap around both sides and rear of the auditorium. The décor is of grey, gold leaf, light timber panelling and plum-coloured upholstery. The main grand stairway is white marble.

, City Recital Hall has been undergoing a Capital Renewal Project in partnership with the City of Sydney. The renovations encompass the four foyers, including the four bars and cloakroom, the lower ground bathrooms, the dressing and green rooms, and the orchestra room. In addition, the venue's audio system has been upgraded to enable 360-degree spatial sound on all three levels, with the aim of further establishing a place in Sydney's contemporary music scene to complement classical offerings. , partially as a result of renovations, City Recital Hall began offering standing general admission concerts.

Notable events and performances

City Recital Hall has hosted the following companies:

• Australian Brandenburg Orchestra
• Australian Chamber Orchestra
• Australian String Quartet
• Gondwana Voices
• Musica Viva Australia
• Pinchgut Opera
• Selby & Friends
• Sydney Children's Choir
• Sydney Festival
• Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
• Sydney Symphony Orchestra
• Sydney Writers' Festival

A list of some of the more famous musical acts that have performed at City Recital Hall include:

Notes

References

References

1. "City Recital Hall About".
2. (2019-08-21). "City Recital Hall celebrates its twentieth anniversary with a special concert event: We Are Twenty".
3. Office, Archer. "City Recital Hall".
4. (5 December 2023). "d&b Soundscape gives Sydney City Recital Hall a new voice".
5. "d&b Revives Sydney's City Recital Hall".
6. (2023-05-01). "The Pharcyde, Cerrone, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever to Play Sydney's City Recital Hall".
7. (2023-05-05). "The City Recital Hall Has Announced Its June Program Featuring Legends The Pharcyde and Asgeir".