Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Tickets

Located in Portland, Oregon, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall or “The Schnitz” is an iconic landmark that has been hosting entertainment events for the past several decades. It is the last surviving theatre building on Broadway and is the home to White Bird Dance Company, Oregon Symphony, Portland Arts & Lectures, Metropolitan Youth Symphony and Portland Youth Philharmonic.

Owned by the city of Portland, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall hosts multiple events each year. This year will be no different, so if you want to watch your favorite shows at the venue then book your Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall tickets here.

The Formation

The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall was built by the famous architectural firm, Rapp and Rapp. The building was impressively designed and was described by many newspapers as being of the Northern Italianate or French Renaissance style. The venue broke ground in 1928 as the Portland Publix Theatre and was considered as the biggest theatre in the city of Portland back then. A couple of years later, the name of the venue changed to Paramount Theater after its owners signed a contract with Paramount Pictures to run their movies locally.

The interior of the venue was architected so flawlessly that it simply awestruck the theatergoers. The main entrance to the auditorium had huge French-paned windows which were covered with velvet curtains whereas the walls were decorated with mirrors and marbles. The floors of the theater were covered with beautiful carpets while the lobby of the venue was lit with expensive crystal chandeliers. There was also a balcony area which was accessible through small staircases located in the main lobby. It contained both men’s and women’s lounges. The men’s lounge consisted of telephones, fireplaces and attendants whereas the ladies’ lounge was equipped with mirrors, dressing tables and maids. In addition, the theater consisted of the orchestra pit which had the capacity to hold a 30-piece orchestra.

Downfall of the Paramount Theater

The Paramount Theater operated successfully till 1965 when its downfall began. It’s interior and exterior deteriorated which led to the owners offer the venue for sale in December of 1970. A year later, the building was purchased by the owner of Park-Haviland Hotel, John Haviland who later thought that it was uneconomical to run a theater considering that television was taking over at that time. On August 15, 1972, the venue screened the last film, ‘Dr. Phibes Rises Again’ which starred the legendary American actor, Vincent Price as the lead protagonist. After that, a partnership called, Paramount Northwest was formed which leased the theater for three years and started to promote live concerts.

This created problems as Haviland thought that the property was getting damaged by the concertgoers, so in 1975, an auction was held by him during which he sold the theater’s valuable assets from pipe organ and 16^th century suit of armor to leaf-gold music stands and original oil paintings. He later won the legal dispute against Paramount Northwest over the lease and decided to renovate the building but ended up selling the it to The West Coast Theaters. The new owners of the venue then sold the Paramount Theater to the city of Portland.

Rise of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

In September of 1983, the city of Portland began renovating the building. They hired Boora Architects to design the venue and they did an excellent job. During the initial phase of the renovation, Portland natives, Arlene and Harold Schnitzer contributed generously and in 1984, the building reopened to the public as Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

The Concert Hall currently hosts several events including, weddings, travel films, dance, theatre, conferences and of course, concerts. Over the years, many legendary stars have performed live at the venue, including Prince, The Grateful Dead, Louis Armstrong, Madonna, ABBA, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Ryan Adams and Harry Belafonte.

Upcoming Events at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

The 2018 season is going to bring tons of exciting events at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. For starters, one of the most talented comedians in the world today, Adam Sandler is scheduled to take the stage here. Then, The New York Times bestselling author, Sam Harris will be presenting his ‘Waking Up Podcast’ which will feature special guests. In addition, the fourteen-time Grammy winner, Herbie Hancock will make his stop at the Concert Hall where he will captivate you with his mesmerizing performance. Moreover, the Australian singer-songwriter, actor and instrumentalist, Rick Springfield will be seen rocking the stage live at the venue.

That’s not all as more events are expected to be announced soon. So, grab your Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall tickets early.