Isabel Waytek of the Colorado Boettcher Teacher Residency Program stands outside the Boettcher Concert Hall to greet people for a conference at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts earlier this year. (Jamie Cotten, Special to The Denver Post)
Re: “Deconstructing Boettcher,” Sept. 7 Perspective article.
I take issue with Ray Mark Rinaldi’s analysis of the Denver Performing Arts Complex last Sunday. He writes, “The complex is losing patrons and revenue, especially among the growing Latino population.” Since when are the classical arts, Broadway tours and high-end theater out of touch with “popular tastes”? How does Rinaldi define the meaningless, empty phrase “popular tastes”?
Looking over the seasons of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Denver Center Theatre Company and others, there have been numerous presentations offering Latino, black and Asian themes: the CSO’s mariachi musicians, Helen Thorpe’s wonderful play of West High School’s Latino community, the August Wilson cycle of plays, just to name a few offerings. How demeaning to suggest that Latinos are not capable of appreciating the classical arts.
Thank goodness for the DPAC’s oasis of culture — ballet, opera, symphonic music, Broadway musicals and live theater.
Jenene Stookesberry, Denver
This letter was published in the Sept. 14 edition.Fine arts critic Ray Mark Rinaldi did a great job in last Sunday’s Post explaining the complex issues involving the future venue for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. To take some of the uncertainty out of the decision, why not move two or three concerts from the Boettcher Concert Hall to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House? Survey the audience at intermission and the musicians after the performance. If the consensus is that the Ellie works for orchestra music, we would have less reason to fear tearing down Boettcher and moving the CSO to the Ellie.
John Bennett, Denver
This letter was published in the Sept. 14 edition.There are some in the city who want to “deconstruct” Boettcher Concert Hall because it sits empty too many days, and because our growing Latino/Hispanic population does not like classical music. Really?
Using that logic we should also “deconstruct” Mike High Stadium because it sits empty for many more days than Boettcher, and soccer is much more popular among Latinos than American football. Likewise, Coors Field sits empty most of the year and growing numbers of millennials prefer fast-paced computer games to slow-moving, non-violent baseball. “Deconstruct” it, too?
A world-class city deserves dedicated world-class venues for sports — football, baseball, basketball, soccer — and for the arts — opera, ballet, touring theater, repertory theater and, yes, a symphony.
Having the second-largest performing arts center in the world gives Denver status and incredible marketing opportunities. It puts Denver in a league of its own. Why would this great city want to diminish its reputation and marketing opportunities?
Dexter Meyer, Denver
This letter was published in the Sept. 14 edition.Ray Mark Rinaldi opines that “The Colorado Symphony wasn’t exactly playing fair when it released internal e-mails last month exposing a city plan to tear down Boettcher Concert Hall, its longtime home.” We are now informed there are several plans, including that of a for-profit alliance of local entrepreneurs led by familiar names including Fabby Hillyard, who used to oversee the city’s theaters, calling for something else to be built in Boettcher’s place.
So is it fair to talk now about exposed plans and playing fair? As noted in the last paragraph of the article, “This conversation is officially public.” Even if the plans are not. Is that fair?
Jan Marie Belle, Denver
This letter was published in the Sept. 14 edition.
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