the sun came out!! Finally for the first time in weeks and thank goodness! The bright beams cast an immediate and beautiful reflection on the convex blood red glass of the new Winspear Opera House — just in time for it’s debut. Yesterday, Scene 2, was the second evening in a series of four stellar night time performances that are a part of the Grand Opening Gala celebration. I waited with baited breath for months for this glass to begin installation knowing that it would be the first thing that would resemble the magnificence of the Center. Even now, months after the installation, it is still jaw-dropping and stunning. Each time I see it I feel as though we’ve turned a brilliant corner.

Today at 10:00 am is the architecture forum that can’t be missed BUT FYI - when the studio and I headed to the Rem Koolhaas forum we found out the forums are ticketed events!! I will say that we were able to get on the wait list and we were able to hear the lecture. If you can make your way to the Winspear today I promise you will not be disappointed.

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be sure to check out:
david sanborn concert tonight + all sunday events!

**FYI - david sanborn and all sunday events are free and no tickets are required

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Again, great chairs.

Both entrances to the Wyly and Winspear are unique. The entrance of the Wyly theatre you walk down underground to get in the front door as the extreme vertical pipes are shooting up above your head…it’s very dramatic. As you can see, the entry of the Winspear you arrive coming up from the parking garage through this elevator. I haven’t been yet so I can’t explain what it looks like as you approach it but I’m sure both experiences are very calculated by Koolhaas, Prince-Ramus and Foster.

I think this is the element that surprised me the most. Even after seeing so many renderings I never wrapped my head around the scale of this canopy element. It’s HUGE and these panels can actually close to form a weather proof seal (which I just learned the other day). It’s a really dynamic part of the building that I don’t think gets the credit it deserves.

Kudos to you Norman Foster. Absolutely hands down, one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen. A perfectly progressive Opera House that I think lends great respect to the tradition of opera but pushes the boundaries of what’s to come.