The concert hall has been under construction since December 2007 when ground was first broken.

Press Release

Carmel, Ind. (Nov. 23, 2009) – The Regional Performing Arts Center Foundation announced today that the grand opening for its 1,600-seat concert hall will be held on Jan. 29, 2011. The world-class concert hall will also serve as an education center and museum for the Michael Feinstein Foundation, housing the rare memorabilia and manuscripts of The Great American Songbook Collection.

“We’re pleased to announce the date of our gala grand opening, which represents the culmination of over 10 years of planning,” said Executive Director Steven Libman. “We are excited about spending the next 14 months completing construction on the concert hall, building staff, and planning for the gala as well as the premiere season. It is an eventful and exciting time that will give our entire community a momentous event to look forward to.”

Libman and the newly appointed Artistic Director and Founder of The Great American Songbook Museum, Michael Feinstein, are planning a weeklong celebration to mark the grand opening. Festivities will include an open house and performances by an impressive array of internationally-known entertainers as well as local groups. The Carmel Symphony Orchestra, which will call the Center home, will also perform. The week will culminate with a black tie event, during which Feinstein will perform songs from the Great American Songbook and introduce an original song written by him especially for the occasion.

“The week of celebration will mark the end of one journey and the beginning of the next,” said Feinstein. “The events that will take place during the grand opening will be a sampling of the diverse programming audiences can expect to see at the Center. I’m excited for this highly-anticipated time as we prepare to offer programming with a broad scope to satisfy the diversity of tastes in Central Indiana and the entire Midwest.”

The Center will play host to a lineup of local, national and international arts programming. Future programming will include a Great American Songbook Series, jazz, dance, classical and country concerts, appearances by world-famous symphonies, singers and musicians, as well as a variety of plays and musicals, intimate cabaret performances, appearances by America’s favorite comedians and a multitude of other unique entertainment options. Feinstein’s Great American Songbook Collection, which will be housed in the concert hall and open to the public, includes significant sheet music, posters, recordings and other artifacts of the genre. The concert hall also will host an annual international Great American Songbook Festival.

When completed, the Regional Performing Arts Center will include three state-of-the-art performing arts venues. In addition to the concert hall, the Center will be comprised of a 500-seat proscenium theater and a 200-seat studio theater which will open later in 2011. The venues will be situated around a landscaped mall featuring retail shops, restaurants, office space, luxury condominiums and an outdoor amphitheater.

“The Regional Performing Arts Center will be a tremendous asset, attracting jobs and enhancing the quality of life in Central Indiana,” said Jim Brainard, Mayor of Carmel. “In addition, first-rate arts and culture are instrumental in helping to attract young, educated professionals who will bring intellect, energy and talent to the area.”

The $150 million Regional Performing Arts Center project is funded by bonds paid for with non-residential property taxes, interest and private support. The concert hall has been under construction since December 2007 when ground was first broken.

The Regional Performing Arts Center, which is currently under construction in The Carmel City Center, will include a 1,600-seat concert hall, a 500-seat proscenium theater and a 200-seat studio theater. Set for completion in January of 2011, no other concert hall of its caliber exists in the area. The Center is being built to serve as a permanent fixture on the Central Indiana landscape and will provide an extraordinary listening experience for audiences. The concert hall will also be home to Michael Feinstein’s Great American Songbook Collection, acting as a museum and education center by day and a concert venue by night.

Source: Regional Performing Arts Center