Opera promises bigger seats when it returns
mainLyric Opera of Chicago has been using the shutdown for an internal makeover, the first in quarter of a century.
It is promising ‘slightly larger new seats throughout, a staggered configuration and widened aisles to improve sightlines, accessibility and audience comfort’.
Capacity will be cut from 3,563 to 3,276.
More here.
Sounds like a good idea. It’s a vast, sweeping hall, so anything helping those furthest from the stage to improve their experience is not a bad thing. Great house.
Still far too big.
Freud is the problem, not
the width of the seats. No one will be in the seats, old or new for at least another year.
but, Illinois is currently wiping out all the slightly larger people, so what is the point? Illinois has the worst gov/mayor in history. Prizker and Boris could be besties.
Wise. Bodies are bigger these days.
The average American is obese (Exhibit A, Trump), and midwesterners are more obese than the average American.
True regarding midwesterners. I’ve never seen people so fat as those in Chicago.
Da Bears
https://youtu.be/NhMqjHEDmcU
Illinois doesn’t even make the top 12 for obesity rates in the United States. States that do are: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana (which is right next door to Illinois), Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
Among US cities Chicago is rated 78th most obese.
But there’s no opera house to make fun of in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
That’s still bigger than Wilfrid-Pelletier in Montreal. Do they use subtle amplification for opera performances like Montreal?
This is wonderful news. They did so much renovating some years ago but the hall remained basically as it was. As for the touted acoustics, I have to say there were issues with deadness of sound so this is also welcome news. Bravo to LOC for this.
Thank you Chicago. The widening girth of America demands it.