Bass Performance Hall

Every Friday we take a break from our regular blogging schedule to allow the authors an opportunity to feature a certain topic they are passionate about. In the past you’ve read about art, studying abroad, experiencing culture through food, and the great burger adventure. Through this and other future posts we hope you’ll enjoy reading, we hope to share with you our personalities, passions, and interests on a more personal level.

One of the most iconic façades in Fort Worth belongs to the Bass Performance Hall.  Two trumpeting angels demand your attention at almost 50 feet tall.  Projecting from the exterior of the Hall over the street below, no one can escape their beauty.  The Hall houses the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO), the Fort Worth Opera (FWO), the Van Cliburn Foundation which hosts the international piano competition every 4 years, the Texas Ballet Theater, and other touring companies such as Broadway productions.

Bass Performance Hall West Entry

Every Saturday at 10:00 AM, docents greet you at the west entrance, ready to give a fantastic free tour.  The day we visited, we ended up receiving a private tour.

The Hall has an interesting beginning.  The entire project was privately funded.  Perry and Nancy Lee Bass donated the city block the Hall sits on.  It is relatively new, opening in May of 1998.

The theme of the building is an interesting mixture of Art Deco and Texas Nature.  The actual structure is Art Deco, with all the painted murals done by two brothers local to Texas.  The ceilings are adorned with trees and birds found in Fort Worth.  The east and west foyers show a sunrise and sunset respectively.

Halley’s Comet in the Sunset

Normally photography is allowed in the Hall, but when we took the tour, the traveling Broadway production currently on show stipulated no pictures.

Every single detail was thoughtfully planned and designed, resulting in an incredible Hall.  The material on the chairs is made of mohair because the follicles are hollow, absorbing the sound.  The HVAC system is housed across the street, so when the system turns on, it will not be heard in the Hall.  The cooled or heated air is piped from a building across the street, under the road, behind the angels to the top of the Hall, falling naturally into the area below.  No sound.  Wow.

The hallways double as a museum, hanging Art Deco performance posters from around the world.

My favorite part was the bathroom!  haha  Of course I would pick something odd.  When I walked in, the top part of the tile work near the ceiling is a line of music.  Even the stalls are lined with a music staff with music terminology.  But then later in the tour, I learned the music was the Symphony No. 9 in E minor, “From the New World,” Op. 95, B. 178  or its nickname, New World Symphony.  A few weeks back, I wrote about Dvorak in Prague and how much I love this symphony. It was Nancy Lee Bass’ favorite piece of music and was played at her memorial service held at Bass Hall.

This tour of the Bass Performance Hall gave me a greater appreciation for the history of Fort Worth and how its citizens appreciate and support the arts in this fine city.