Benaroya Hall

For years, the Seattle Symphony was without a permanent home. And although Benaroya Hall was completed and opened more than 10 years ago, for most local residents,  the novelty of it hasn’t worn off.

First of all, it’s a gorgeous place. Maybe not so gorgeous along Third Avenue, where the food court foyer opens out onto a busy transit stop, but inside is majestic. The two auditoria, the 2000+ seat main S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium and smaller Nordstrom Recital Hall, are beautifully appointment and elegant—exactly what you would expect from a major metropolitan symphony hall. Polished wood, ornate plaster frescoes and luxuriously upholstered seats demand suit trousers or pearls—although, this being Seattle, khakis and sandals do just as well.

All of the beautiful architecture, however, is designed in deference to sightline and maximizing acoustics. Nearly every seat has good stage visibility, and the faceted, heavy walls reflect the long reverberations of sound. The auditoria are also, fascinatingly enough, suspended themselves on rubber pads which absorb street noise (as well as the roaring of the transit tunnels which pass beneath) and protect the hall against west coast quakes.

Benaroya Hall performance schedules change seasonally, and there are special prices available for students and seniors. Tickets are usually available the day of show at the ticket office, on Third Avenue and Union Street.

Soundbridge, located on the second floor, offers musical storytelling, instrument exploration (a musical “petting zoo,” as it’s called), classes and recitals especially for young music lovers (admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children over 5). The City of Seattle offers free public tours held every Tuesday and Friday at noon, and the resident organist holds a free monthly public recital on the  4,490-pipe Watjen concert organ.

HelloSeattle tip: Eat elsewhere. As mentioned, the Hall has a food court. The offerings are fine for a quick bite, but expensive. You'd do better getting a pre- or post-performance meal at a resturant nearby or at the Pike Place Market, which is just a few blocks' walk.

- by Caren Gussoff Sumption, Seattle Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Caren Gussoff Sumption

Caren Gussoff Sumption is a freelance writer and editor from Seattle, WA. She's written for USA Today, the Seattle Times/NW Source, MSN and AOL, and her fiction has been published worldwide. She received her MFA in writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.