Retaining Auditorium’s Look Appeals to Chorus Singer

By Eric Dundon

Leslie Caplan, an alto in the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, has sung in most venues in the St. Louis area, from churches, to concert halls, and even at naturalization ceremonies at the St. Louis Courthouse.

But, the longtime Chorus member said, there’s nothing like singing at Powell Hall, which is in the middle of a transformational expansion and renovation project that will preserve the Grand Center venue as a civic treasure for future generations.

“I get immense satisfaction from the combination of high-level artistry alongside the glorious surroundings of Powell Hall,” Caplan said. “There is nothing else like it in St. Louis.”

As the project progresses, Caplan is grateful that the iconic auditorium will remain mostly the same—audiences can expect the retention of the timeless aesthetic, with its cream and gold accents, elegant details, and dramatic (and new) red velvet seats.

Changes to the auditorium include the reshaping of the rear wall on the orchestra level, enhancements to safety and accessibility, a new cross-auditorium aisle on the floor level, and acoustical fortification to reduce external noise in the space.

For Caplan, the hall is as much a contributor to the performance as the artists.

“Powell Hall is an extraordinarily beautiful space,” Caplan said. “When I bring people in from out of town, they are speechless because it’s so beautiful. And I’m so glad that will remain when the building reopens.”

Eric Dundon is the SLSO’s Public Relations Director.