Severance Hall is one of the most highly regarded concert halls in the country. Take a seat in its gorgeous auditorium to listen to a musical performance done right, since the hall’s acoustics are among the best in the United States. Alternatively, take a your of the building and admire its lovely design while you learn about its history.
Opened in 1931, Severance Hall was funded mostly by a local couple named John and Elisabeth Severance. Unfortunately, Elisabeth died during the design stage, and she never got to see the completed structure. The hall remains the home venue for the well-reputed Cleveland Orchestra.
The exterior of Severance Hall was designed in art deco style. As you enter into the foyer, you will notice that the design concept changes. This interior space follows the Egyptian revivalist style instead.
Begin your evening with a pre-show meal at the Severance Restaurant, a fine-dining establishment with views of the Fine Arts Garden and Wade Lagoon. Then head inside to find your place among the 2,100 seats in the concert hall’s auditorium. With a mixture of art deco and French nouveau styles, this space is certainly eye-catching. The disparate design elements are brought together by the repetition of certain motifs, among them the lotus flower, which is said to have been the favourite flower of Elisabeth Severance.
Keep an eye out for the wood-panelled shelf above the stage, which was installed in 1958 in order to improve the acoustics. Take a moment to admire the Norton Memorial Organ, one of Severance Hall’s finest features. This organ is composed of over 6,000 wood, zinc, tin, and lead pipes, the tallest of which is 10 metres (32 feet) in height.
Severance Hall is free to visit on every weekday except for public holidays. During the concert season, which runs from September to early May, free public tours run on selected Sundays. Children under 7 years of age are not permitted to attend adult concerts, but special kid-friendly shows are held on weekend afternoons.
Located in the University Circle, Severance Hall is easy accessible using Cleveland’s public transport or by car. You can prepay for parking in the university garage next door by using the website of the Cleveland Orchestra.
