When building a new concert hall in Brno, according to Magdalena Kožená, the most important aspect is the acoustics

Brno - According to soprano Magdalena Kožená, the most important aspect in building a new concert hall in Brno is acoustics. Building a hall without acoustics is a waste of money, Kožená told reporters today during a site visit between Veselá and Besední Streets in downtown Brno. So far, the builders have dug a pit for the underground garage. Above it, a hall costing almost 1.3 billion crowns is expected to emerge.

"There should be no saving on acoustics," Kožená emphasized, who has been advocating for the construction of the hall in Brno for several years. At the beginning of May, the city announced a tender for the design of the building, that is, a team that will propose the layout of the interior and especially the concert hall itself - its shape, size, and soundproofing. Based on requests from several interested parties to participate in the competition, the city last week extended the deadline for submitting applications until August 1.

The city expects that the teams of designers, architects, and acousticians will be international. "And the very communication and agreement with partners abroad is the reason why some have asked us for an extension," said Deputy Mayor Matěj Hollan (Žít Brno). Only experienced professionals who have already participated in similar projects can apply.

The city's goal is to start the construction of the hall with a capacity of 1,250 seats at the beginning of 2018, so that it connects smoothly with the construction of underground garages for 200 cars. Support for the hall is also enshrined in the coalition agreement of the five parties that sit on the Brno city council. The city is negotiating funding with the state and the region.

The Brno Philharmonic, which is based in the acoustically and capacity-deficient Besední House, is already thinking about music for the first seasons of the new hall and for the opening festival. Works such as the Glagolitic Mass by Leoš Janáček should be performed. "No one in Brno has ever heard it as it should be - that is, with an organ and on a large stage," said director Marie Kučerová to ČTK.

Kožená promised that if time allows, her award-winning mezzo-soprano will perform at the festive opening of the hall.