Massey Hall, Main Entrance as seen from across Shuter Street, December 2005.

Massey Hall, as seen from Yonge St.

Massey Hall, located at 178 Victoria Street, downtown Toronto, was built in 1894 by architect Sidney Badgley and financed by Hart Massey of Massey-Harris (later Massey Ferguson, then Varity Corporation). In 1933, the Massey Foundation undertook the further renovations to the hall. It is currently used for a variety of events and is operated by the same corporation as Roy Thomson Hall. The concert hall's debut concert was on June 14, 1894. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 750 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1500 × 1200 pixel, file size: 374 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Massey Hall Metadata... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 750 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1500 × 1200 pixel, file size: 374 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Massey Hall Metadata... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 457 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (937 × 1229 pixel, file size: 48 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Massey Hall in Toronto File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 457 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (937 × 1229 pixel, file size: 48 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Massey Hall in Toronto File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Hart Almerrin Massey (April 29, 1823 - February 20, 1896) was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist born in Haldimand Township in what was then known as Upper Canada. ... A Massey-Ferguson 135. ... Varity was an American farm equipment maker based in Buffalo, New York. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... The Massey Foundation was incorporated in 1918. ... Roy Thomson Hall Roy Thomson Hall is a concert hall in Toronto, Canada. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Massey Hall was the site of the legendary Charlie Parker-Dizzy Gillespie concert recorded as Jazz at Massey Hall in May 1953. Accompanying Gillespie and Parker in this acoustically sound hall were Bud Powell, Max Roach, and Charles Mingus. Charles Bird Parker, Jr. ... John Birks Dizzy Gillespie (October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. ... Jazz at Massey Hall is a jazz album featuring a live performance by The Quintet on 15 May 1953 at Massey Hall in Toronto. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... The Amazing Bud Powell - early LP cover Earl Rudolph Bud Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966 in New York City) was one of the most influential pianists in the history of jazz. ... Jazz in 3/4 time cover released in 1957 on EmArcy Maxwell Lemuel Roach (born January 10 (according to the official records, though his family claims January 8), 1924)to parents Alphonse and Cressie Roach. ... Charles Mingus (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979), also known as Charlie Mingus, was an American jazz bassist, composer, bandleader, and occasional pianist. ...

Many famous figures have stood on the broad stage of this stately hall, including Winston Churchill, Enrico Caruso, Luciano Pavarotti, Sir Edward Elgar, Toscanini, George Gershwin, Oscar Peterson, Glenn Gould, the Dalai Lama, Maria Callas, and many more. The hall has also hosted more contemporary entertainers and public figures, including Hawksley Workman, Our Lady Peace, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Rush, the Smashing Pumpkins, James Brown, Aerosmith, Eric Clapton and Cream, Marilyn Manson, Alice Cooper, Diana Krall, Brian Wilson, Elvis Costello, U2, Barenaked Ladies, The Whitlams, Sigur Rós, Alanis Morissette, comedians Margaret Cho, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, David Gilmour, and many, many more. Churchill redirects here. ... Enrico Caruso (February 25, 1873 – August 2, 1921) was an Italian opera singer and one of the most famous tenors in history. ... Luciano Pavarotti (born October 12, 1935) is an Italian tenor who is one of the best known vocal performers in contemporary times, in the world of opera and across multiple musical genres. ... Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, Bt OM GCVO (June 2, 1857 – February 23, 1934) was a British composer, born in the small Worcestershire village of Broadheath to William Elgar, a piano tuner and music dealer, and his wife Ann. ... Arturo Toscanini (March 25, 1867 - January 16, 1957) was considered by many of his contemporaries — critics, fellow musicians, and the public alike — as the greatest conductor of his era. ... // George Gershwin (September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer who wrote most of his vocal and theatrical works in collaboration with his elder brother lyricist Ira Gershwin. ... Oscar Emmanuel Peterson, CC, CQ, O.Ont. ... Glenn Gould, Toronto, 1974 Glenn Herbert Gould (September 25, 1932 – October 4, 1982) was a celebrated Canadian pianist, noted especially for his recordings of Johann Sebastian Bachs keyboard music. ... The 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso (1876-1933). ... Maria Callas (Greek: Μαρία Κάλλας) (December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek dramatic coloratura soprano and perhaps the best-known opera singer of the post-World War II period. ... Hawksley Workman. ... Our Lady Peace, abbreviated as OLP, is a Canadian alternative rock band consisting of Raine Maida (vocals), Duncan Coutts (bass), Jeremy Taggart (drums), and Steve Mazur (guitar). ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941), is an American singer-songwriter, author, musician, and poet who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. ... Neil Percival Young[1] OM (born November 12, 1945, Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and film director. ... Lightfoot on the cover of 1975s Gords Gold Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. ... Rush is a Canadian rock band comprising bassist, keyboardist, and vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. ... The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago in 1988. ... James Brown, known variously as: Soul Brother Number One, the Godfather of Soul, Mr. ... Aerosmith is a prominent American rock band, regarded by some as Americas Greatest Rock and Roll Band. [1][2] Although they are known as the bad boys from Boston, none of the bands members are actually from that city. ... The famous Clapton is God graffiti Eric Patrick Clapton CBE (born 30 March 1945), nicknamed Slowhand, is a Grammy Award winning English guitarist, singer and composer, who is one of the most successful musicians of the 20th century,[1] garnering an unprecedented three inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall... Cream was a 1960s British rock band, which consisted of guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker. ... Marilyn Manson is a rock band based in Los Angeles, California. ... Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948), is a rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans four decades. ... Diana Jean Krall, OC, OBC (born November 16, 1964) is a Grammy award-winning Canadian jazz pianist and singer. ... Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942 in Hawthorne, California), is an American pop musician, best known as the lead songwriter, bassist, and lead singer of the American rock band The Beach Boys. ... Declan Patrick MacManus (born August 25, 1954, in London), better known by his stage name, Elvis Costello, is an English musician, singer, and songwriter of Irish ancestry. ... This article is about the Irish rock band. ... Barenaked Ladies (often abbreviated BNL or occasionally BnL) is a Canadian alternative rock band currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Steven Page, Ed Robertson, Tyler Stewart, and formerly Andy Creeggan. ... The Whitlams is an Australian band famous for songs such as No Aphrodisiacand Blow up the Pokies. The Whitlams sound can best be described as Piano rock founded in lyrics of charming cynicism. The bands name is a tribute to former Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam. ... Sigur Rós ( ) is an Icelandic post-rock band with melodic, classical and minimalist elements. ... Alanis Nadine Morissette (born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American[1] singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. ... A comedian, or comic, is an entertainer who amuses an audience by making them laugh. ... Margaret Cho (born December 5, 1968) is an American comedian, fashion designer and actor. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Christopher Julius Rock III[2] (born February 7, 1965)[1] is an Emmy and Grammy Award-winning American comedian, actor, and director. ... Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz on November 28, 1962) is a nine-time Emmy-winning American comedian, satirist, actor, author, and producer. ... David Jon Gilmour CBE (born March 6, 1946 in Cambridge) is an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known as a member of the band Pink Floyd. ...

Many important people have taken in performances at the Hall since its inauguration. King George V and his wife Queen Mary, Canadian Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier have all visited. George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 - 20 January 1936) was the first British monarch belonging to the House of Windsor, as a result of his creating it from the British branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ... Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; 26 May 1867 – 24 March 1953) was the Queen Consort of George V. Queen Mary was also the Empress of India and Queen of Ireland. ... Sir Wilfrid Laurier, PC, GCMG, KC, BCL, DCL, LLD, DLitt, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier (November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from July 11, 1896, to October 5, 1911. ...

The theatre seats up to 2,752 patrons, down from 3,500 after extensive renovations in the 1940s. The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949. ...

Toronto City Council designated Massey Hall under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1975. The Ontario Heritage Act allows municipalities and the provincial government to designate properties in the Province of Ontario, Canada as being of cultural heritage value or interest. Once a property has been designated, a property owner must apply to the local municipality for a permit to undertake alterations to any...

In 1994, to commemorate the Hall's 100th anniversary, the basement was completely refurbished to include Centuries, a fully-stocked bar. Prior to this addition, alcohol was not permitted in the hall. The decor of Centuries includes hundreds of photos of artists who have performed there over the years (largely collecting portraits of popular music stars since the eighties) including many autographs. Centuries has a capacity of 220 people, and often hosts CD release parties and post-show parties for the visiting artists. Roughly five years after Centuries was created, an additional bar in the balcony lounge was added.

At some point in its renovation history, three of the windows at the front of the venue were converted into doors, and a pair of Fire escape staircases were installed along the front face of the building. The doors at the front of the venue were painted red (from their earlier brown-gold colour), a large neon lit sign was hung about the main entrance, and notice boards listing upcoming acts were revamped on either side of those doors. Fire escapes on the back of a Cincinnati building. ...

See also

• List of concert halls

A Concert hall is a cultural building, which serves as performance venue, chiefly for classical instrumental music. ...

External links

• Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall
• The Canadian Encyclopedia