Salle Modulable Lucerne

An opera house for the 21st century
LUCERNE FESTIVAL plans to build a pioneering hall for opera, experimental and cham-ber music

At a press conference in Lucerne this morning, Michael Haefliger, Artistic and Executive Director of the LUCERNE FESTIVAL, and its Board, announced the realisation of a dream: the building of the Salle Modulable Lucerne. With financing of CHF 100 million guaranteed by the Lucerne based Rütli Foundation for its construction (excluding the building site and the architectural competition), completion is scheduled for 2011/2012. The Salle Modulable Lucerne will seat around 1,000 people and will be managed by the LUCERNE FESTIVAL, with artistic and operational concepts developed in co-operation with its partners, the Lucerne Theatre and the Canton and Town of Lucerne, and presented in spring 2008.
The next steps will be to find a suitable site with an approximate surface of 10,000m2, and launch an in-ternational architectural competition. The Festival’s existing co-operation with the Lucerne KKL, and its use of its concert halls, will continue unchanged.

Michael Haefliger said: “The Salle Modulable Lucerne will be one of the most innovative and flexible halls to house opera, experimental and chamber music: but it will also be a home for researching and develop-ing interdisciplinary projects. For many years, whilst we have been producing semi-staged operas in our Summer Festival, and commissioning new operatic works, I have thought about how we could possibly overcome the rigid spatial and technical restraints of the traditional opera house. By a happy coincidence, I discussed my thoughts with Pierre Boulez, who told me of his and Patrice Chérau’s original, unrealised proposals for a “salle modulable” to be included in the new building of the Opera Bastille. We decided to develop these plans, and they now form a central part of the concept of the Salle Modulable Lucerne.”

Jürg Reinshagen, President of the Board of the LUCERNE FESTIVAL commented: “In cultural terms, this project represents a quantum leap and will position Lucerne even more at the forefront of international music. The Salle Modulabe will not compete with existing institutions but will complement them.”

Pierre Boulez, composer, conductor and artistic director of the LUCERNE FESTIVAL ACADEMY said: “Today’s opera houses often turn towards tomorrow's possibilities and dream of no longer being restricted by today's traditional architecture characterized by long centuries of performance practice. That architec-ture was tailor-made for an era that is past - no matter how glorious it used to be. Wishing for a flexible hall – a Salle Modulable – is by no means a luxury but a necessity that will liberate us from the restrictions of traditional performance sites. The new hall will fire the imagination of artists and renew the relation ex-isting between the audience and the work. The initiative started here in Lucerne will be an essential and welcome move towards the future.”

Claudio Abbado, founder and conductor of the LUCERNE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA, said: “I am very happy with this project for Lucerne and look forward to working in this innovative hall – it will open up en-tirely new dimensions.”

Dominique Mentha, Director of Lucerne Theatre added: “My team and I are pleased with this wonderful opportunity and great challenge. The new artistic horizons it affords will unquestionably be of international relevance.”

“I am thrilled by this flexible project, which will seamlessly fit into the culture, music, and stage events of Lucerne. Stretching back to mediaeval times, the Easter festivals showed Lucerne to be a town of music and theatre and this age-old tradition will now be continued. Following the KKL, this is another milestone”, said Lucerne Cantonal Councillor Dr. Anton Schwingruber.

Equally pleased is Rosie Bitterli Mucha, head of the Culture and Sports Department of the Town of Lu-cerne: “This is a great opportunity for Lucerne as a town of music.” And we are particularly pleased that the construction of this building will not burden the state”, added two representatives of the Town and Canton of Lucerne.

Creation date : 16/09/2007 @ 00:14
Last update : 22/12/2007 @ 10:26
Category : Planet Abbado
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