RPAC names concert hall

Regional Performing Arts Center names concert hall
For Current in Carmel

2/11/10


The 1,600-seat concert hall currently under construction in Carmel has been named The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts, announced Executive Director, Steven Libman.
 

The name, determined by the Regional Performing Arts Center Foundation, was decided upon after much discussion and research, including the input of focus groups which were conducted with residents living in both Indianapolis and Carmel.
 

“Although a number of options were considered for the name of the concert hall, participants from the focus groups kept coming back to ‘The Palladium’ as the name of choice,” said Libman. “It was important to us to match the name with the architectural magnificence of the building’s design, so that the two are connected. The Palladium seems to speak to everyone because it is consistent with the concert hall’s size and spirit.”
 

The Palladium moniker already has a musical connection, courtesy of performance facilities in Dallas, TX, Hollywood, Calif., St. Petersburg, Fla., and London, England that bear the same name. When The Hollywood Palladium opened its doors in October of 1940, legendary crooner Frank Sinatra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, were the first to grace its stage, performing what would become classic American hits. Coincidentally, many of these same tunes are now a part of the Great American Songbook Collection, which will be housed at The Palladium in Carmel, Ind.
 

And, by sheer coincidence, Michael Feinstein, Artistic Director of the Center for the Performing Arts, appeared at the London Palladium in November of 2009 to perform songs from the Collection.
 

“While the current venues that carry the Palladium name differ in style and types of performances they present, they are all renowned sites with strong traditions in musical excellence,” said Feinstein. “The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts intends to carry on this legacy, attracting a variety of top musical performers from around the world.”
 

The architectural design of The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts was inspired by a villa designed by Andrea Palladio. Built in the 1500's near Vicenza, Italy, the villa, known as "La Rotunda,” remains an architectural icon nearly 500 years later. While not specifically named for the famed architect, The Palladium, nevertheless, represents an important homage to his work.


“We put a great deal of thought into the design of the concert hall, modeling it after Venetian architect Andrea Palladio’s Villa Rotunda, which allows the structure to be pleasing from all sides,” said Mayor of Carmel, Jim Brainard. “It also blends well with the European style of the other buildings under construction in City Center. It was very important that this unique structure also complement the city design already in place in Carmel. It was equally important for the name of the concert hall to complement its stature – a goal I truly believe we have accomplished.”