Salt Lake City, UT — The transformation of Salt Lake that began with the 2012 completion of City Creek, the retail and urban living development in the heart of downtown, will reach a crescendo this fall with the opening of the George S. and Delores Eccles Theater, the crowning glory to a thriving new cultural district. For summer visitors, winter skiers, families and meeting attendees, the concentration of world-class cultural opportunities will complement the city’s new hotels, restaurants and nightlife scene, and the TRAX light rail system that connects Salt Lake City International Airport with the urban center and the nearby mountain resorts.

In October 2016, the new George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Theater opens as the downtown cultural centerpiece and will serve as home to major Broadway touring productions. Designed by Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli and by HKS Architects, the theater includes a grand six-story façade overlooking Main Street and the 2,500-seat Delta Performance Hall, designed for acoustic excellence and featuring overhead lights that suggest a starlit Utah canyon. A separate 150-seat black box theater is part of the complex, as well as the Encore Bistro at Eccles Theater. During the inaugural 2016-2017 season, The Delta Performance Hall will host Tony-award-winning productions such as Beautiful, Kinky Boots, Matilda, The Lion King and The Book of Mormon. In 2017-2018, Hamilton will make its Utah debut here. 

Also in the heart of downtown Salt Lake:

 

Ballet West, established in Salt Lake City in 1963, moved into its new 55,000 square foot home at The Jessie Eccles Quinney Ballet Centre in December 2014 during its 50th anniversary season. Designed by HKS Architects, the light-filled box is a beacon in the art district and will present productions of Madame Butterfly, The Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid and The Nutcracker in 2016, guided by Artistic Director Adam Sklute. 

 

The Utah Symphony  just celebrated its 75th anniversary with a concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall in April. The Utah Symphony is one of only a few full-time orchestras in the U.S. and performs 175 concerts each season. Under the direction of Thierry Fischer since 2009, the Symphony is internationally recognized for its distinctive performances and recording legacy. The 2016-2017 season includes performances of Dvorak’s New World Symphony, the music of Prokofiev, Mozart’s Requiem and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Abravanel Hall, known for its outstanding acoustics and grand four-story lobby with a spectacular city view, is the home of the Utah Symphony. 

 

Since 1978, Utah Opera has cultivated and entertained a growing audience. Artistic Director Christopher McBeth has led the company since 2003, and during the 2016-2017 season opera-lovers can look forward to full-scale productions of Bizet’s Carmen, Donizetti’s Lucia de Lammermoor and Mozart’s Don Giovanni. The Utah Opera performs at The Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre, whose elegant turn-of-the century architecture has long made it one of Salt Lake’s most beloved buildings. 

 

Visit Salt Lake is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. In partnership with Salt Lake County, Visit Salt Lake's mission is to improve the area economy by attracting and providing support to conventions, leisure travelers and visitors while being a leader in environmental responsibility. Salt Lake is a unique fusion of metropolitan city and quaint mountain town; the towering Wasatch Mountains that embrace Salt Lake offer a dramatic backdrop to the vibrancy and activities of downtown.