Prince Andrew Visits The Walt Disney Concert Hall Site

British Royalty Visits Walt Disney Concert Hall Site; Recent Gift Giving Totals More Than $3 Million

His Royal Highness The Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, today visited Walt Disney Concert Hall's construction site as part of his tour of Los Angeles to see the city's revitalization effort and its diverse offerings.

The Prince's visit came in conjunction with the announcement of two new pledges to the project totaling $3.5 million. The additional funding of $2 million from the Adams-Mastrovich Family Foundation, Mary Adams Balmat, is designated for construction and $1.5 million from Geri and Richard Brawerman is for public art at Disney Hall.

"The Walt Disney Concert Hall will further enhance the outstanding educational outreach of the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County (PACLAC) and will allow it to bring in entertainment that appeals to the diversity of our 88 cities and 137 unincorporated communities," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich. "The County is proud to have had a pioneering role in developing what will be one of the world's finest performing arts centers."

Walt Disney Concert Hall construction commenced on Dec. 8, 1999, and it is due to open in fall 2003. The Hall will expand the Performing Arts Center campus and house the W.M. Keck Foundation Children's Amphitheatre and the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT).

REDCAT will be operated and programmed by the California Institute of the Arts, a multi-disciplinary school founded by Roy and Walt Disney. The theater will include an art gallery showcasing the work of CalArts faculty and students, as well as cutting-edge artists from around the world.

"The Walt Disney Concert Hall has been a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles," said Mayor Richard J. Riordan. "With its unique design, creative beauty, and amazing presence, this performance venue represents the best of Los Angeles -- The Capital City of the 21st Century."

Designed by Frank Gehry as the permanent home for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the hall is expected to become an internationally recognized symbol for Los Angeles. The initial $50 million to erect the Concert Hall was given in 1987 by Lillian Disney to create a memorial for her husband, the legendary movie and animation pioneer Walt Disney.

"Public-private partnerships, such as that between the County and the private sector for the building of Walt Disney Concert Hall, exemplify the need to work together to create cultural value in this city," said Andrea L. Van de Kamp, chair of the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County. "This type of joint funding can allow for major projects vital to a prosperous city and for the public's enjoyment."

A one-tenth scale model of the Walt Disney Concert Hall's main auditorium is on view at the Performing Arts Center Plaza at First and Grand streets next to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Frank Gehry & Associates originally created the model for acoustical testing.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall will be the fourth venue of the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County complex, which also includes the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Ahmanson Theatre and the Mark Taper Forum.

The center opened Dec. 6, 1964 (as the Music Center of Los Angeles County), and is a public/private partnership with the County of Los Angeles. Walt Disney Concert Hall is expected to increase Performing Arts Center audiences by 38 percent, from 1.6 million to 2.2 million annually.

-- Posted November 2, 2000

Source: Company Press Release