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Bass Performance Hall facts for kids

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Bass Performance Hall
Basshall.JPG
Exterior view of venue (c.2006)
Full name Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall
Address 525 Commerce St
Fort Worth, TX 76102-5440
Location Downtown Fort Worth
Owner Performing Arts Fort Worth, Inc.
Operator Performing Arts Fort Worth, Inc.
Capacity 2,042 (Founders Concert Theater)
Construction
Broke ground April 1995 (1995-04)
Opened May 1, 1998 (1998-05-01)
Construction cost $65 million
($125 million in 2022 dollars )
Architect Schwarz Architects
HKS Architects
Project manager Fisher Dachs Associates
Structural engineer Moore and Associates
General contractor Linbeck Construction
Tenants
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (1998-present)
Fort Worth Opera (1998-present)
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (2001-present)
Texas Ballet Theater (2003-present)

The Bass Performance Hall (also known as Bass Hall) is a special place for shows and concerts. You can find it in Fort Worth, Texas.

What is Bass Hall?

Bass hall
Facade of the building at night.

A famous pianist named Van Cliburn first thought of building this hall. He shared his idea with Nancy Lee Bass and her husband, Perry Richardson Bass, who were very generous people.

Building and Design

The hall was built using strong limestone. It was designed by architect David M. Schwarz and opened in 1998. The main concert area, called the Founders Concert Theater, has a huge dome. This dome is about 80 feet (24 meters) wide and was painted by artists Scott and Stuart Gentling.

Outside the building, you'll see two large angels carved from Texas limestone. These angels are about 48 feet (15 meters) tall and were sculpted by Marton Varo.

What Happens Inside?

Bass Hall can hold 2,056 people. It's built to host many different kinds of performances. You can see symphony orchestras, ballet, opera, stage plays, musicals, and even rock concerts here.

It is the permanent home for several important groups:

  • The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
  • The Texas Ballet Theater
  • The Fort Worth Opera
  • The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
  • Cliburn Concerts

Performing Arts Fort Worth is the group that manages the hall. They also bring their own shows, like big Broadway plays that travel around the country, and fun family shows.

Maddox-Muse Center

In 2001, a building next to Bass Hall opened. It's called the Maddox-Muse Center. This center has two more performance spaces:

  • The Van Cliburn Recital Hall
  • The McDavid Studio, which has 220 seats (it used to be called McNair Rehearsal Studio).

The Maddox-Muse Center also has offices for Performing Arts Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

Famous Performances

A live album by Fleetwood Mac guitarist and singer Lindsey Buckingham was recorded here. He performed at Bass Hall on January 27, 2007. The album, called Live at the Bass Performance Hall, came out about a year later.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Bass Performance Hall para niños

  • List of concert halls
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