Description of the attraction
The Queensland Performing Arts Center is part of the Queensland Cultural Center located at the corner of Melbourne and Gray Streets in Birsbane.
The center was designed by local architect Robin Gibson in the mid-1970s after the government officially recognized the need for a new art gallery and performing arts complex in 1972 to complement the existing Queensland Museum and State Library. The Center was inaugurated by HRH The Duke of Kent in 1985.
The site for the construction of the Center was not chosen by chance: for many years there was the Cremorne Theater of great cultural importance - an open-air stage with 1800 seats. The theater was opened on August 5, 1911 with the musical performance "Dandy". The subtropical climate of Brisbane contributed to the fact that the theater was often interrupted by torrential rains, and, finally, in 1917 the theater was closed for the construction of a canopy that was supposed to protect the stage and the audience from bad weather. Until 1929, the theater flourished, vaudeville and comic plays were staged on its stage, which were popular with the public. In 1934, Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer converted the building into a cinema, installing a proscenium, a screen, a new sound system and reducing the number of seats to 1,300, but in 1940 the Cremorne Theater was literally a theater again. During World War II, it was a popular vacation spot for American and Australian military personnel. Many celebrities of that era performed on the stage of the theater. But after the war, the theater's importance in public life in Brisbane began to diminish, and in the mid-1950s the building was already used as office space and a warehouse. In 1954, the theater completely burned down during a fire, it was decided not to restore it. In its place in the mid-1980s, the Queensland Performing Arts Center was built, which consists of several divisions.
The Lyric Theater is the largest part of the Center with 2,000 seats. Here musicians give performances, perform operas and stage ballets. It is a permanent performance venue for the Queensland Opera artists.
The Concert Hall is the second largest division of the Center, it can accommodate 1600 spectators (1800 with the use of additional seats on the balconies). It is the main stage for orchestral performances as well as comedy performances, awards ceremonies and proms. Clay's organ, striking in its size, is also installed here - it consists of 6566 pipes! The Queensland Symphony Orchestra regularly gives concerts on stage.
The Queensland Ballet performs on the stage of the Theater. Built in 1997, it has 850 seats.
Finally, the Cremorne Theater has a capacity of 200 to 300 people, depending on the configuration. This part of the Center is rebuilt as needed: it can turn into a proscenium, a round theater, a concert hall, a cabaret, a cinema or a flat area. The Queensland Theater Company regularly performs here.
