14 November 2007
Maceo Parker Band
School’s In
To see Renzo Piano’s auditorium complex and mix things up a bit, I picked up tickets for this jazz/funk performance of the 31st Roma Jazz Festival. I arrived to find a complex that would not be totally out of place on the Clemson campus; I honestly think they found a way to use the same brick as we do. Completed in 2002, the Parco has hosted a wide variety of shows in its three main halls and wide range of secondary spaces. The complex is situated around an outdoor amphitheater that Piano dubbed the ‘Cavea.’ This is just one of the many spaces that suit a wide range of activities including art exhibitions, conferences, debates and research. This programmatic mixture sounds much better than it looks on the inside; the brick walls continue into the Sala Sinopoli (and probably the others) where they would wreak havoc on the acoustics if it were not for the blinds installed on every surface and the curved ceiling panels. While the space lacks dedicated light and sound booths, the flyspace is generous and the ceiling is set up so rails can be relocated anywhere over the stage or house. It ends up being a decent place to listen to or watch a show, but the circuitous entry to the hall detracts significantly. One even is directed past the backstage door on the way to their seats; I can imagine a lot of circumstances where this would become a problem—especially considering how narrow that hallway is.
No comments:
Post a Comment