The Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer home of Tanglewood, one of the premier outdoor venues in classical music, will undergo a major expansion that will include a year-round building.
Nestled in the Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts, the rustic 212-hectare (524-acre) estate has been the orchestra's base each summer since 1937, offering tranquility for student musicians and a weekend destination for cultured travelers.
In a $30 million expansion announced late Tuesday, the orchestra plans to build four interconnected buildings that include a performance space, a lecture hall and a dining area meant to encourage interaction between musicians and visitors.
The complex, which will open in the summer of 2019, will be climate-controlled and available for rental in the off season. The performance area will accommodate an audience of up to 200 people.
The orchestra said the expansion would support Tanglewood's long-term financial health.
"Our investment in its future is essential as we continue to expand Tanglewood's many wonderful offerings," music director Andris Nelsons said in a statement.
Managing director Mark Volpe said the orchestra is also designing a new Tanglewood Learning Institute which will aim to bring newcomers to the retreat through educational programming.
The Boston Symphony, historically considered one of the big five US orchestras, said that some 350,000 visitors come to Tanglewood each summer.
The venue also draws a selection of major acts outside of classical music, with rock legend Bob Dylan performing last year.
Tanglewood's main venue is known as The Shed, an open-air theater that seats 5,100 people with space for another 13,000 on the lawn.
In the last significant expansion, the orchestra built a second, more intimate concert hall in 1994 named in honor of its longtime music director Seiji Ozawa.

Source: AFP