St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Celebrates 50 Years at Powell Hall

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's 50th anniversary at historic Powell Hall is being celebrated this season. Built in 1925 as a Vaudeville theater and movie house, the St. Louis Theatre was purchased in 1966 by the St. Louis Symphony Society, and repurposed into a celebrated concert hall. It reopened its doors in January 1968 as the first permanent home of the SLSO. The public is invited to be part of several activities celebrating Powell Hall, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Powell Hall at 50 Open House:

A free open house will begin with an historic overview of the St. Louis Theatre, Powell Hall and the Grand Center Arts District by Missouri History Museum St. Louis historian, Andrew Wanko. Following the overview, Symphony Volunteer Association members will be available to help children and adults explore the SLSO Instrument Playground and enjoy behind-the-scenes tours of Powell Hall. Guests at the open house will also hear the excellent acoustics of Powell Hall by observing an open rehearsal of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra led by YO Music Director Gemma New.

Saturday, January 20, 2018 (free)

11:00am - 11:45am: Lecture in Partnership with the Missouri History Museum St. Louis

11:45am - 1:15pm: Instrument Playground and Tours of Powell Hall

1:30pm - 2:30pm: St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra Open Rehearsal

Powell Hall

RSVPs for the free activities at slso.org/powellat50

Powell Hall at 50 Movie Presentation:

The celebration of Powell Hall will include a movie presentation of "The Sound of Music," the last movie shown in the St. Louis Theatre before it became Powell Hall. The iconic musical will be presented on the SLSO's 40-foot screen. Audiences can experience Powell Hall and one of the films that made Julie Andrews a Hollywood star. Tickets are $5 and concessions will be available for sale. The movie presentation will not include a performance from the SLSO.

Saturday, January 20, 2018 ($5/ticket)

7:00pm (Doors open at 6pm)

Powell Hall

Tickets can be purchased at slso.org/powellat50

Powell Hall at 50 Library Exhibit:

The SLSO has teamed up with St. Louis Public Library to create an exhibit celebrating the building's transformation to a concert hall and the SLSO's history since moving to Powell Hall. The free exhibit will be on display at St. Louis Public Library's Central Library, 1301 Olive Street, beginning in January. To support the exhibit, the SLSO and St. Louis Public Library invite the public to participate by lending memorabilia from the building's days as the St. Louis Theatre or after the SLSO moved in to be used in displays at the Library. From Monday, November 6, 2017 through Friday, November 17, 2017, items may be delivered between 7:30am and 4:30pm to the Library's Administration Office, 1415 Olive Street. In addition to the exhibit, the public is invited to attend a free SLSO chamber music performance at Central Library on March 6, 2018 at 7:00pm.

January 16, 2018 - March 17, 2018 - Exhibit at Central Library (free)

10:00am-9:00pm Monday-Thursday

10:00am-6:00pm Friday-Saturday

Closed Sunday

March 6, 2018, 7:00pm - SLSO chamber concert at Central Library (free)

St. Louis Public Library - Central

Additional information about the 50th anniversary celebration of Powell Hall can be found here.

About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Founded in 1880 and now in its 138th season, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country and widely considered one of the world's finest. Under the leadership of Music Director David Robertson, currently in his 13th season, the SLSO strives for artistic excellence, educational impact and community connection while meeting its mission statement: enriching people's lives through the power of music. The SLSO presents a full season of classical programs and Live at Powell Hall concerts and hundreds of free education and community programs each year. Media partners include St. Louis Public Radio, 90.7 -KWMU, which broadcasts the SLSO's Saturday night subscription concerts live and the Nine Network, which regularly features SLSO performances on its Night at the Symphony program. In addition, the SLSO is known for its Grammy Award-winning recordings, Carnegie Hall appearances, national and international tours, innovative programming, and extensive community engagement initiatives. www.slso.org

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