A decade ago, then-chancellor Dan Ritchie’s vision for a music school that was integrated with DU’s main campus was manifested before his eyes.
From the Italian travertine floors to the custom-designed chandeliers that flaunt handmade alabaster bowls, the beauty that is the Newman Center is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this season.
Prior to the 2002 groundbreaking, DU’s Lamont School of Music was located within the Houston Fine Arts Center on Park Hill Campus, a 20-minute drive from University Park, where DU’s current campus is located.
“[Ritchie wanted] to facilitate a unified central campus and initiate the beginning of a fervent relationship among the music school, the students and faculty at DU and the surrounding community,” said Stephen Seifert, executive director of the Newman Center for the Performing Arts.
The Newman Center will host several private events this year to celebrate the 10 year anniversary. Open to the public and provided at a discount price for students, the Lamont Opera will perform “Hansel and Gretel” from Nov. 1- Nov. 4.
“The overarching goal of the Newman Center is to present the audience the opportunity to explore the vast expanse of artistic expression within these walls,” said Rick Barbour, chair of the theater department.
Over the past 10 years, the Newman Center has hosted an array of award winning musicians and performers. Beginning with artists such as Grammy-Award winning violinist Joshua Bell in the opening 2003-04 season, the Newman Center Presents series will have hosted 138 performances and productions after this decennial season.
One highlight performance from the past decade was the unique collaboration between the Lamont Symphony Orchestra and the London Symphony Chorus during the 2008-09 season.
Seifert described the historic event in which the London Symphony Chorus performed west of the Mississippi for the first time, as a chance for aspiring Lamont musicians to play with professional musicians.
“Everyone rose to the occasion and once the chorus began singing, you could see the eyebrows rise and the smiles spread across each of the students’ faces,” said Seifert.
According to Seifert, the 2010 production of “Alarm Will Sound: 1969” was a production that displayed the variety seen throughout the years at the Newman Center.
“Sometimes audiences are locked into preconceived notions about certain musical genres. It’s good to remind ourselves about the artists from different disciplines,” said Seifert.
Centering around the role of musical artists in society during the 1960’s, this piece offered an alternative subject matter from traditional theater pieces.
“In today’s day and age, people can love Beethoven, but still love Radiohead at the same time. ‘Alarm Will Sound’ is like a gigantic complex mixtape,” says Seifert.
As the Newman Center begins its 10th season, Seifert says the vision remains steadfast.
“We want to continue growing and giving back to the community. We constantly find new people in the audience at every concert, and we want to continue to foster that growth,” said Seifert.
From the days of the initial groundbreaking to its celebrated 10th birthday, the Newman Center has continually fostered the innovation of new music, new productions and new ideas.
Most of the performances throughout the year are free for faculty and students and tickets can be picked up prior to showtime at the box office located in the Newman center.
