Massey Hall

. The idea of Massey Music Hall (its original name) began with Hart Massey, who wanted to build a music hall in order to fill the need for a secular meeting place where people from Toronto and area could meet and enjoy choral music not of a religious theme. Massey also wanted to construct the building in memory of his son Charles, who loved music. The building was designed with a neoclassical facade and features Moorish arches that span the width of the interior hall. This interior was inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Spain as well as Louis Sullivan's Chicago Auditorium. The foyer is finished in Art Deco style. Designed by architect Sidney Badgley, Massey Hall was completed in 1894 at a cost of . Construction was financed by Massey, the founder of the Massey Manufacturing (later Massey Ferguson) manufacturing conglomerate. The hall's debut concert was a choral performance of Handel's 'Messiah' on June 14, 1894. Ten years after the completion of construction (after the 1904 Toronto Great Fire), a pair of fire escape staircases were installed along the front face of the building. It has since been demolished and replaced by a new addition during the 2010s renovations. It had a unique two-storey oriel window. In 1933, the Massey Foundation undertook further renovations to the hall. The venue simplified its name to Massey Hall at this time. Further renovations occurred in the 1940s. Sister venue Roy Thomson Hall was known as New Massey Hall during the early planning stages. It was intended to replace Massey Hall as the primary venue for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, although the intention was always for Massey Hall to remain open for other purposes following renovations. Its permanent name as Roy Thomson Hall was announced in January 1982, following a donation from media mogul and philanthropist Roy Thomson. In 1994, to commemorate the hall's 100th anniversary, the basement was completely refurbished to include Centuries, a fully stocked bar. Prior to this addition, alcohol was not permitted in the hall. In 2013, Massey Hall began a long-awaited major renovation, which included the demolition of the Albert Building and preparing the rear space for construction activities. In July 2018, Massey Hall announced phase two of the renovation, entitled "Massey Hall Forever," which included extensive exterior and interior renovations, expanded stage, a new seven-story addition, two new smaller concert rooms and a new retractable seating system. The new addition is called the Allied Music Centre, located on the site of the Albert Building. It incorporates an artists' lab, studio, lounge and theatre. It was completed in 2022. Historic designations In 1973, Toronto City Council designated Massey Hall a Heritage Property under the province's Ontario Heritage Act. Massey Hall was designated a National Historic Site of Canada on June 15, 1981. ==Notable performers and events==

at Massey Hall in 1910. The primary use of the hall has been for musical performances, but the hall has been used for many types of events, including public memorials, speaking tours, and boxing, among others. Many dignitaries have attended the hall since its inauguration. In 1901, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (the future King George V and his wife Queen Mary) visited with Canadian Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier. Until 1984, the primary performer at the hall was the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, along with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Operatic singers have included Montserrat Caballe, Maria Callas, Enrico Caruso, Luciano Pavarotti and Vladimir Rosing. Classical musicians have included George Gershwin, Glenn Gould, Vladimir Horowitz, and Arturo Toscanini, Jazz musicians and singers have included Oscar Peterson and Billie Holiday. Popular musicians and singers have included Joni Mitchell, Tears for Fears, Justin Bieber, Cream, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, the Kinks, Rush, Kraftwerk, Lenny Kravitz, Gordon Lightfoot, Yngwie Malmsteen, Golden Earring, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Nightwish, Joe Satriani, Seventeen, Ravi Shankar, Harry Styles, and Kiss. Lightfoot played the hall over 170 times in his career, the most of any artist, including both the last show in 2018 before it was closed for renovations and the first show after it reopened in 2021. Notable appearances, concerts and related media concert series in 2006. In May 1953, Massey Hall was the location of a notable jazz concert put on by five of the genre's most prominent artists of the era: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, and Max Roach. The performance was recorded and released as Jazz at Massey Hall. followed by a solo performance by Kim Mitchell, formerly of Max Webster, in 1984. On January 8, 1995, Ronnie Hawkins celebrated his 60th birthday with a concert at Massey, which was documented on the album Let It Rock. In 2013, folk-rock band Whitehorse made their first appearance at the venue. In conjunction with the concert, the band released the 2013 EP The Road to Massey Hall, comprising covers of songs by other musicians who had played the hall in the past. In 2015, Canadian rock band Spirit of the West performed at Massey. The preparations for it are profiled in the 2016 documentary film Spirit Unforgettable. Toronto-born comedian, Russell Peters' April 2016 appearances at Massey Hall, were recorded for his Netflix stand-up special Almost Famous. On February 29, 2024, singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith staged a retrospective concert at the hall to mark his sixtieth birthday. == Revitalization ==

In 2013, the Corporation of Roy Thomson and Massey Hall announced the closing of the performance space at Massey Hall for a revitalization project. The then 119-year-old building would proceed to undergo a two-phase renovation to restore some of the building's historic elements and the construction of new spaces to improve the community-driven centre. Phase One Phase one of the Massey Hall Restoration began in 2013 and was completed in 2017. This project consisted of the deconstruction of the adjacent Albert Building to prepare for the foundation of the new tower that was planned to be constructed in Phase Two. Phase two The second and primary phase of the renovation was a The main aspects of the second phase included a full restoration of the interior and exterior elements and the construction of the new addition. The phase was completed in 2022. However, Massey Hall reopened for performances in November 2021. Phase Two Full restoration The renovation of the interior of Massey Hall incorporated upgrading the technology by implementing mechanized removable seating to provide space for a standing general-admission area during performances This refurbishment allowed for more flexibility for a variety of performances. The audio enhancements included diminishing the echo effect of sound that occurs during performances by introducing sound-absorbing plaster into the space. The refurbishment also restored the mixed architectural styles of Moorish revival, Palladian revival, and Art Deco found within the interior of the building while also ensuring the structural integrity of the building. The main idea was to make sure the Hall looked as if nothing had changed. This refurbishment procedure included the original wood, steel beams and restorers, repairing details, and making new plaster moulds of arch features if they were beyond repair. The ceiling had previously been covered in chicken wire to protect the audience below from debris. The renovation moreover, focused on re-establishing the 100 original stained-glass windows that had been concealed with plywood since the 1950s due to sound disturbances. It additionally contains the Deane Cameron Recording Studio, which gets its name from the late Massey Hall CEO. KPMB mainly focused on the architecture and interior design aspects, while GBCA focused on the heritage impact and restoration perspective. The total budget was million. ==Public transportation==

An entrance to Queen subway station on Line 1 Yonge–University is located nearby at the corner of Shuter Street and Yonge Street. The 501 Queen streetcar line stops at the corner of Victoria Street and Queen Street. == See also ==