Corbett Auditorium
Patricia Corbett came to Cincinnati in the 1930’s after earning a BA and MA from Columbia University. Along with her husband, J. Ralph Corbett, she created the Corbett Foundation to provide money for the arts. The Corbetts became one of CCM’s top donors and eventually coined the “ding dong” doorbell. Because of this plans were made to build the Corbett Center for the Performing Arts, at the time the Vice President of the University (Ralph Bursiek) told the current Dean of CCM (Jack Watson) that the budget for the center was too much and to just cut the auditorium part. Mr. Watson kept quiet until a party was held at his house where a man by the name of Charles Crullman sang; Mr. Bursiek was so impressed with the young man that he told the Dean to make sure Charles was enrolled in CCM. Mr. Watson simply replied that he would not like to come to a school without an auditorium; Mr. Bursiek then said he would build it.[1] The project was around 5 million dollars. The other proposed building was the Mary Emery Hall, named after a prominent patron of the arts in Cincinnati. A similar situation occurred with this building, the top floor was supposed to not be built because of financial reasons. Ralph Corbett told Dean Watson to hold a party at his house and invite the President of the University. He held the party and Mr. Corbett told the President he would give UC a pretty hefty donation if the 4th floor of Mary Emery was left intact. The President complied with Mr. Corbett’s request. Both buildings were opened in 1967 with a weeklong festival, which featured many famous CCM alum. The press called the week “The Week That Was”, Norman dello Joio was commissioned to write a piece, Prince Igor was performed starring many alum, and the week’s performances were critically acclaimed everywhere. [2]In 1972, the Patricia Corbett Pavilion was added housing the Patricia Corbett Theater, which was considered one of the country’s finest intimate settings for opera.
Corbett Auditorium (1967), Archives and Rare Books Library at the University of Cincinnati
1989 brought along the Long Range Plan of 1989, both buildings were to be renovated from their original designs by Edward J. Schulte.[3] The renovations were to be done by Henry Cobb who designed the John Hancock Tower in Boston and the new federal courthouse of that city. Cobb was first charged with modifying the buildings, he was then told to make a new home for the administration, to build a chamber auditorium, and more classrooms. His third duty was to unify Mary Emery and Corbett. Only the original structure that houses drops for productions is left of the old Corbett building. In the auditorium Cobb covered the walls with Dubinga dowels, which is an African hardwood resembling mahogany. The wood is placed against a felt tapestry that captures sound and reduces echo. Instead of building unsightly support columns, Cobb built arching torchere lights with rubbed steel. The Corbett Auditorium contains a 109-131 ft wide and 44 ft deep stage, a hydraulic pit that can enlarge the stage, house up to 92 musicians, or house more seats. The Auditorium seats 800 and it is really a focal point of CCM.[4] In addition to modifying the Corbett Auditorium, Cobb built a studio theater which functions as a sort of a black box, which can be transformed to many different configurations. A wig shop, set shop, costume shop, and prosthetics lab were also added to the complex. Ming Cho Lee from NY desgined a Patricia Corbett theater complete with 250 seats and disco décor (bright orange seats). Laurie Olin designed a courtyard to go around the East Side of the Patricia Corbett. A long hall to house the administration and new classrooms was also built, because of a partnership with I.M. Pei who designed the Leuvre in France, 4 pyramids were placed on top of the hallway, which allude to the Leuvre. Another recital hall overlooking Nippert was also added; it serves as a wedge between the academic ridge and the CCM village.
Corbett Auditorium after renovations, Archives and Rare Books Library at the University of Cincinnati
[1] 100 Years, College Conservatory of Music 1867-1967, University of Cincinnati. Cincinnati, 1967. Print.
[2] 100 Years, College Conservatory of Music
[3] Bennett, Paul, and Walter Smalling. University of Cincinnati: Paul Bennett ; Photographs by Walter Smalling, Jr. New York: Princeton Architectural, 2001. Print.
[4] Bennett, 2001