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February 27, 1978: DCPA's mixed debut

By Michael Madigan, special to the Rocky

Published February 26, 2009 at 9:21 p.m.

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Front page from February 27, 1978

Front page from February 27, 1978

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The Denver Center for the Performing Arts did for music and theater what Apollo 11 did for moonwalking - it elevated the arts in Colorado's capital to a place it had not been before.

The complex at 14th and Curtis streets, after six years of controversy and political brawling before its opening, immediately became the city's cultural sun.

Despite the unfortunate juxtaposition of page 1 headlines on Feb. 27, 1978, the day after the debut of one of the DCPA centerpieces, the Rocky hardly regarded it as a train wreck.

"The first symphony concert in the unfinished Boettcher Concert Hall was a success Sunday with members of the audience remarking on the exquisite clarity of the sound.

"The concert by the Denver Symphony Orchestra was dedicated to the 'hard hats' who have spent more than 300,000 hours since October, 1975 constructing the $13 million circular hall, first in the country with the orchestra placed near the center and the audience close to the stage."

But following the hall's official opening one week later, the newspaper noted on March 5 that a few ears were feeling strained.

"The question most asked in the audience at the Saturday night opening of the Boettcher Concert Hall was, 'What do you think of the acoustics?'

"The Denver Symphony Orchestra's new $13 million home seemed to receive a largely positive response from concertgoers. They seemed especially pleased during the orchestra's second piece, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Van Cliburn as the soloist.

"However, there were a few complaints that voices - both from the speakers at the opening ceremonies and from the chorus during the initial selection, Williams' Serenade to Music - were difficult to hear."

Despite the overall success of the new DCPA, the strains of discontent grew louder.

Amole's Corner

Gene Amole was the Rocky's longtime local columnist, resident expert of everything Denver and, unfortunately for the DCPA, a respected classical music aficionado. "Geno," as he was known in the newsroom, waited nearly two weeks after Boettcher's opening before he finally spoke up in "Amole's Corner."

"The new DCPA Boettcher Concert Hall does have some drawbacks, despite all the rave notices."

he wrote on March 9.

"Solo singers can't be heard too well from those seats behind the orchestra. Choruses seem to come off better, though. Also difficult to hear was the harpsichord in Bach's Fourth Brandenburg Concerto.

" . . . Worst of all, though, are the front seats. They are too high. Spectators under 5'8" will find that their feet won't touch the floor. Legs just dangle. Without some kind of foot support, the old rear end can get pretty numb, particularly during Mahler."

A mighty voice

The day of the Boettcher opening, the Rocky reported the death of Gen. "Chappie" James.

"Daniel 'Chappie' James Jr., a controversial figure who became the first and only black four-star general in the U.S. armed forces, died at the Air Force Academy Hospital early Saturday morning,"

the story on page 5 read.

James, 58, had commanded the North American Air Defense Command, the joint U.S.-Canadian air defense system, and the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Defense Command, both headquartered in Colorado Springs. But as the story noted, James was much more than silver stars and ribbons:

"As a young officer during World War II, James risked a possible court-martial to protest segregation in the armed forces.

"He remained an articulate spokesman for black rights throughout his career. But he was a strong critic of black militants during the '60s."

Michael Madigan150@RockyMountainNews.com