Smith Center for the Performing Arts

Smith Center for the Performing Arts. The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is a world-class performing arts center located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is home to the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Nevada Ballet Theatre, and Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater. The center was made possible through a partnership between the City of Las Vegas, Clark County, and the Private Sector, with significant contributions from Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, Barrick Gold, and The Smith Family. The center's design and construction were led by David M. Schwarz Architects and Perini Building Company, with input from Acoustic Dimensions and Theatre Projects Consultants.

● History

The concept of the Smith Center for the Performing Arts was first proposed in the 1990s by Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones and Nevada Governor Bob Miller. The project gained momentum in the early 2000s with the support of Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, which donated $150 million to the project, and Barrick Gold, which donated $15 million. The center was named after Fredric W. Smith and his wife Lamar Smith, who were major donors to the project. The center's construction began in 2009 and was completed in 2012, with a grand opening ceremony featuring performances by Neil Patrick Harris, Martina McBride, and the Las Vegas Philharmonic, conducted by Donato Cabrera.

● Architecture

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts was designed by David M. Schwarz Architects in the Art Deco style, with a grand lobby inspired by the Hoover Dam and a performance hall designed to resemble a Caruso-era La Scala opera house. The center's design was influenced by the works of Frank Lloyd Wright, Eero Saarinen, and I.M. Pei, and features a unique Carillon tower with 47 Bells. The center's architecture has been praised by Architecture Critic Paul Goldberger and has won numerous awards, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Preservation Award and the American Institute of Architects' AIA Honor Award.

● Performance Venues

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts features three performance venues: the Reynolds Hall, the Cabaret Jazz theater, and the Troesh Studio Theater. Reynolds Hall is a 2,050-seat concert hall that hosts a variety of performances, including Classical Music concerts by the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Jazz performances by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Broadway shows such as The Book of Mormon and Wicked. The Cabaret Jazz theater is a 258-seat intimate venue that hosts Jazz and Cabaret performances by artists such as Diana Krall and Harry Connick Jr.. The Troesh Studio Theater is a 250-seat flexible theater space that hosts a variety of performances, including Theater productions by the Nevada Conservatory Theatre and Dance performances by the Nevada Ballet Theatre.

● Resident Companies

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts is home to several resident companies, including the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Nevada Ballet Theatre, and Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater. The Las Vegas Philharmonic is a professional Orchestra that performs a variety of Classical Music concerts throughout the year, featuring guest artists such as Itzhak Perlman and Renée Fleming. The Nevada Ballet Theatre is a professional Ballet company that performs a variety of Ballet productions, including The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, with guest artists such as Misty Copeland and Sergei Polunin. The Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater is a professional Dance company that performs a variety of Modern Dance and Contemporary Dance productions, featuring choreography by Alvin Ailey and Twyla Tharp.

● Education and Outreach

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts offers a variety of education and outreach programs, including the Smith Center's Education and Outreach Program, which provides Arts Education programs to Clark County School District students, and the Smith Center's Community Engagement Program, which provides Community Outreach programs to Las Vegas residents. The center also offers a variety of Masterclasses and Workshops led by visiting artists, including Broadway performers such as Audra McDonald and Brian d'Arcy James, and Dance companies such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Martha Graham Dance Company.

● Notable Performances

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts has hosted a variety of notable performances, including concerts by Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and Tony Bennett, and Broadway shows such as The Lion King and Les Misérables. The center has also hosted a variety of Dance and Theater productions, including performances by the New York City Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. The center's grand opening ceremony featured performances by Neil Patrick Harris, Martina McBride, and the Las Vegas Philharmonic, conducted by Donato Cabrera, and has since become a major cultural destination in Las Vegas, attracting visitors from around the world, including Los Angeles, New York City, and London. Category:Performing arts centers in the United States