Oh wow, the concert venue landscape in Australia has changed quite a bit since I was last living here. Well, I guess that is really to be expected after almost two decades... and it does mean that I'm not only revisiting old favourites, but also finding new venues and old places that have been refurbished or acoustically redesigned completely! And I thought that I would have nothing new to experience on this front...
Anyway, the Melbourne Recital Centre is one of the new ones. It was completed a few years after I had left Australia for Europe... and I had seen many smaller sized ensembles giving concerts there (it is designed for chamber music sized groups) and hearing very good reports about the place. So, I was quite keen to play my first concert there!
On the outside, you have quite an interesting facade to the front... it is tucked behind the main street of the Southbank arts district in Melbourne. So, if you find the main concert hall, it is just beyond and behind... finding a nice niche right next to the Potter Hall and the Melbourne headquarters of the national broadcaster, the ABC.
Coming in from the stage door, we have a nice long flight of stairs leading up to he artist dressing rooms and green rooms. Ah well, a little climb didn't hurt anyone... and it is much better than some of the mazes that I've seen. I can't get lost in this!
This is one of the side of stage holding areas.... where the musicians and performers wait just before getting on stage. Nicely lit up in blue... so we don't shoot up?
Coming out into the hall, we have a beautiful space that has a lovely wood panelling and comfortable seats raking gently upwards. As I've mentioned before, the facing of the side stalls are pretty important if you happen to be seated up there... and these are done in the right way, with the seats facing the stage instead of towards the centre. Something that you neck will thank you for...
Looking out into the audience area, I do note that it does remind me of one of my favourites, the Angel Place Recital Hall in Sydney. On the other hand, I guess there aren't too many other ways that you can lay out the general design of a recital hall! However, the lighting and decor of this hall does give it a much warmer feeling than the Sydney version.
On stage, we have a closer look of the panel designs. Actually, it is quite eye-catching when it is lit up... On stage, the feeling is quite good. You can hear quite clearing across the stage, and the hall gives a warm, buttery sheen to everything... so, more spitting and articulation is required to make sure that we get the "harsher" sounds out as well! On the other hand, all the quietest moments carry well!
So... I do believe that I have found a new favourite to add ot hte list of places where I enjoy playing music! Yay!