About the Desautels Concert Hall

The Desautels Concert Hall is the grand finale of the Taché Arts Project, which has transformed our facilities for the performing arts. The concert hall is nestled in a central space on the University of Manitoba Fort Garry campus. It sits behind Taché Hall, one of the university's most historic buildings. The public can enter on Maclean Crescent through the glass-wrapped lobby. The lobby looks upon a landscaped courtyard, which provides an intimate outdoor gathering space.

The concert hall’s inspired design is the work of Winnipeg’s Cibinel Architecture and Toronto’s Teeple Architects. Both Cibinel partners, George Cibinel [BES/77] and Michael Robertson [BA/98, MArch/04], are UM graduates, as is Tomer Diamant [BEnvD/04] of Teeple.

The hall can be configured three ways to create the best acoustic and viewing environment for each performance:

• Full Stage: acoustic music with little or no amplification
• Half Stage: lectures, concerts and similar events
• Theatre (with wings): opera, dance and music that requires light amplification

This flexibility comes from an adjustable concert shell of movable towers, pivoting panels and ceiling reflectors. The shell blends into the house, reducing the separation a traditional proscenium creates and bringing audience and performers closer together.

The design also includes a green room, multiple dressing rooms and ample storage space.

The concert hall is on track to achieve LEED Silver certification for green building standards.

• A venue where students and faculty can shine

  The concert hall gives UM musicians, both students and instructors, a state-of-the-art venue for their performances. For students, the performance experience the hall provides is a vital part of their training.

• A stellar acoustic experience

  Sound-absorbing curtains and reflector panels let the hall be acoustically tuned to suit everything from musical and theatre performances to lectures.

• A space for Winnipeg’s artistic community

  With its flexible stage and intimate seating, the concert hall is an ideal venue for Winnipeg’s musical and artistic organizations, giving them more opportunities to perform in a beautiful setting.

• An excellent recording venue

  The hall’s tunable acoustics and professional recording capabilities make it ideal for capturing live performances, from student recitals to visiting ensembles.