CSUN's Valley Performing Arts Center: Everything That's Wrong With The Valley

The stereotype of Valley residents is that once you drive over the hill, everyone is over the hill — if not numerically, then philosophically. However, since work began on the new Valley Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge, San Fernando Valley residents have had hope that the spectacular new structure could undo a million cultural-wasteland jokes, providing the locals with not only outstanding local shows but a sense of pride.

The building is indeed everything the Valley hoped for: soaring walls of glass enveloping an acoustically tuned, 1,700-seat theater, a smaller theater and a lecture hall and classrooms. The center opens with a gala on Jan. 29, followed by the first season of programming.

Unfortunately, it's at that point — the programming — where the Valley Performing Arts Center's ambitions run aground.

Read More at L.A. Weekly

Comments

  1. Tom and Linda TcimpidisDecember 30, 2010 at 8:53 AM

    We have had season subscriptions to the Taper and Ahmanson downtown for many years. We are also frequent patrons of the Disney Concert Hall.

    It had been our hope that the new CSUN Performing Arts Center would allow us to attend similiar and more diverse fair closer to home. Unfortunately, as pointed out in the article, it does not appear that this is to be based on the performance schedule that was released.

    One can only hope that management will see the limitations of their ways and become more visionary and expansive in 2012...

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 3, 2011 at 5:25 PM

    I could not agree more. What a disappointment when I eagerly opened my season schedule to find nothing that interested me. I'm a frequent patron of Disney Hall. Where's the collaboration with the LA Phil we were promised? A friend of mine with a subscription to one of the classical packages at Disney Hall expressed the same disappointment.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 3, 2011 at 5:27 PM

    Would it kill Dudamel to do one concert there? Maybe, considering how few he actually does at Disney.

    ReplyDelete

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