In Brno, the debate about a new concert hall has flared up again

Brno - The debate has flared up again in Brno about whether the Janáček Theatre hall will continue to be used by the Brno Philharmonic alongside the opera in the coming years. The long-standing interim situation was supposed to end with the construction of a new concert hall. However, the money for the construction is missing. Therefore, the city commissioned a new acoustic study for 650,000 crowns. The council wants to find out in the study how to acoustically modify the theater building for opera performances and philharmonic concerts. Some artists and opposition politicians from Brno disagree with this.
According to the chairwoman of the Association for the Construction of a New Concert Hall in Brno, Alena Štěpánková-Veselá, any acoustic modification of the Janáček Theatre would create a "Frankenstein's monster." "It would not be good for opera, nor as a concert hall. Both have somewhat different acoustic requirements, different architecture, different geometry," said Štěpánková-Veselá to reporters today. The Janáček Theatre is built as an opera house. According to experts, the acoustics are now unsuitable for the philharmonic.
Opposition councilor and former deputy mayor Daniel Rychnovský (KDU-ČSL) pointed out last week that a similar acoustic study had already been created years ago. It clearly demonstrated that the modifications would be costly and their effect uncertain.
According to Rychnovský, the Brno councilors are trying to avoid the problem regarding the modifications to the Janáček Theatre and save money inappropriately. The city needs a new hall. "In every comparable city to the west of our borders, there is at least one hall with quality acoustics," stated Rychnovský. "We boast that we are Janáček's city, yet we do not have an appropriate venue to perform his masterpieces, such as the Glagolitic Mass and Taras Bulba," added Štěpánková-Veselá. The Janáček Theatre, for instance, lacks an organ.
The Janáček Theatre currently primarily serves the opera and ballet of the National Theatre Brno. Some local artists are reportedly troubled by the thoughts of acoustic modifications. "The acoustics of the hall change with every intervention, and I don't know if for the better," said union representative and opera singer Jitka Zerhauová. On the other hand, the director of the National Theatre Brno, Daniel Dvořák, believes that certain acoustic modifications could even benefit the hall. "The Janáček Theatre does not have equally good acoustics throughout the hall. In different parts, for example, certain instrumental groups are harder to hear," said Dvořák. According to Dvořák, cohabitation of opera with the Brno Philharmonic is operationally possible.
Former deputy mayor Rostislav Slavotínek (KDU-ČSL), who participated years ago in commissioning an architectural competition for the so-called Janáček Cultural Center, i.e., the planned new concert hall, is surprised by the commissioning of a new study. According to him, the philharmonic needs a long and high hall without elevation for acoustic reasons. It would be provided in the Janáček Cultural Center, while such a hall can never exist in the Janáček Theatre. "I am surprised that the city is returning to an idea that can demonstrably bring nothing good," said Slavotínek. A new hall would also bring suitable facilities for large congresses and necessary parking spaces to Brno, according to him.
The mayor's deputy, Jana Bohuňovská (ODS), defended the creation of the new acoustic study last week. According to her, the last study is also too old and needs updating. There is no money for a new concert hall, added Bohuňovská.
The Brno Philharmonic is currently based in the Besední dům. However, the local hall is too small, so large symphonic concerts are held out of necessity in the Janáček Theatre or in the former Wannieck Gallery factory. For more than 100 years, Brno artists have been calling for the construction of a new hall.