Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Concert hall in Downtown Portland, United States.
The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall is a concert venue in downtown Portland, Oregon, housed in an early 20th-century theater building. The Renaissance Revival brick structure features elaborate plaster ceiling work, multiple gilded chandeliers, and nearly 2800 seats spread across several tiers.
The building opened in 1928 as the Paramount Theatre, a cinema and vaudeville venue that screened films and occasionally hosted live acts for several decades. A complete renovation in 1984 transformed the hall into a dedicated concert space, since used by the Oregon Symphony.
The hall serves as the home venue for the Oregon Symphony Orchestra and regularly hosts touring Broadway musicals and ballet companies. Visitors can also attend chamber concerts and spoken-word events that transform the space into different acoustic environments throughout the season.
Access is from SW Broadway Avenue in the city center, a short walk from streetcar stops and several light rail stations. Evening performances often draw large crowds, so arriving early and planning for coat check time is advisable.
A large illuminated Portland sign rises above the entrance, carrying about 6000 individual bulbs that have glowed since the late 1920s. The sign stands roughly 20 meters (65 feet) tall and becomes widely visible in the evening when performances begin.
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