Massey Hall’s big birthday
Her doors are locked and her grand theatre closed for the time being, but it’s Massey Hall’s 125th birthday.
In honour of the treasure’s longevity, Toronto Mayor John Tory is proclaiming today, June 14, as Massey Hall Day.
There’s also a special exhibit at City Hall for another few day, showcasing some gorgeous photography from inside Massey by photographer Matt Barnes.
“This Massey Hall Day proclamation is a fantastic way to celebrate this iconic venue’s 125th birthday,” said Eileen Costello, board chair of the Corporation of Massey Hall & Roy Thomas Hall. “Massey Hall may be closed, but we have teams of skilled restoration and construction experts passionately working to restore and renew it so that it can continue to host another century of this country’s most iconic musical moments.”
The exhibit showing off some of Massey’s beauty alongside mementos and memorabilia from its storied history is just down the street at Nathan Phillips Square. The immersive display is in the lobby and includes archival videos, architectural models and other ways to remember the good times until the hall reopens.
More on this later, but did you know there’s a book in the works to commemorate all the real-life moments linked to Massey Hall? And the people behind the book want YOUR stories, photos, musings, etc.
In the meantime, check this out: https://www.thatnightatmasseyhall.ca/
For what it’s worth, Massey Hall closed last July and is expected to be closed for another year, so we’re halfway there! The massive renovation and restoration project will “restore and renew both the interior and exterior of this National Historic Site, improve patron amenities and accessibility, open two new music venues and see the return of the original 125-year-old stained glass windows.”
For an update on the renovation’s progress, check out this report from CBC News this week:
