Scene - Blogs - Two views of Dallas new arts district

Two views of Dallas' new arts district
Published: 10/12/2009 10:48 AM
Last Modified: 10/12/2009 10:48 AM

On Sunday, we ran a story about Dallas' continued efforts to revitalize its downtown as an ultimate arts destintation with this week's opening of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, with the new Wyly Theater and the Winspear Opera House.

Critics are already weighing in on the new facilities. The Los Angeles Times' Christopher Hawthorne, that paper's architecture critic, likes bits and pieces of the project (the Rem Koolhaas-designed Wyly, in particular) but thinks the whole concept of an arts district -- especially one that wants to contain so many architecturally diverse buildings -- is "not so much a discredited philosophy of city-making as a consistently underachieving one."

The Dallas Morning News music critic Scott Cantrell, who is also well-versed in architecture, agrees with the concept that the Winspear Opera House is a welcoming place -- a quality most people do not ordinarily associate with things such as opera. He also is more concerned -- and rightly so -- with what the hall is going to sound like as he is what its exterior looks like. And that, he says, will have to wait until Oct. 23, when the Dallas Opera performs for the first time in the hall, presenting Verdi's "Otello."

Full stories are here:

Read the story: Strangers in Dallas' art scene

Read the story: Winspear Opera House: Sleek venue welcomes patrons with sonic, visual intimacy

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ARTS

James D. Watts Jr. has lived in Oklahoma for most his life, even though he still has people saying to him, "Don't sound like you're from around these parts." A University of Oklahoma Phi Beta Kappa graduate, Watts has received the Governor Arts Award, Harwelden Award and the National Conference of Christians and Jews Beth Macklin Award for his writing. Before coming to the Tulsa World, Watts worked for the Tulsa Tribune.

Contact him at (918) 581-8478.

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Archive

Past Articles By James D. Watts Jr

2/15/2013		'Concept/OK' exhibit ends Saturday
2/14/2013		Symphony to host piano soloist
2/14/2013		Broadway tours bring 'Shrek,' improv musical to Tulsa area this weekend
2/14/2013		Arts roundup: Improv reigns at several upcoming theater events
2/14/2013		'Lion King' returns to Tulsa PAC June 4
2/12/2013		Review: Signature Symphony reprises '100 Years of Oklahoma Music'
2/11/2013		Tulsa Symphony's concert salutes diverse American music
2/10/2013		Cherokee artist weaves messages into baskets
2/10/2013		Tesla Quartet set for Tulsa residency next week with variety of activities
2/10/2013		Jim Murphy wins 2013 Anne Zarrow Award
2/10/2013		LBJ chronicler Robert Caro to speak at TU on Tuesday
2/9/2013		Theater review: Playhouse makes "Barefoot in the Park" believable

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