| This summer, come to Minneapolis to see three | | | | Great Gatsby," the Jazz Age novel by St. Paul |
| grand openings that promise to change the | | | | native F. Scott Fitzgerald; the play opens |
| city's architectural and cultural landscape. | | | | July 21. For more information, go to |
| The nationally renowned Guthrie Theater is | | | | www.guthrietheater.org. |
| opening its new theater overlooking the | | | | |
| city's birthplace on the Mississippi. The | | | | Minneapolis Institute of Arts On June 11, the |
| Minneapolis Institute of Arts is opening a | | | | Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA), in a |
| spacious three-story wing to better display | | | | neighborhood just south of downtown, will |
| what is already one of the nation's most | | | | open a $50 million wing designed by American |
| extraordinary collections. | | | | architect Michael Graves. The new |
| | | | 113,000-square-foot addition and associated |
| And the Minneapolis Public Library will open | | | | 49,000 square feet of renovated space will |
| its new Central Library. Most tourists won't | | | | add 34 new galleries, increasing display |
| set out on a library tour, but they may want | | | | space in the region's premier art museum by |
| to see how the Cesar Pelli-designed building | | | | 40 percent. |
| will transform the northern end of | | | | |
| Minneapolis' famed Nicollet Mall downtown. | | | | "It means a tremendous amount to the museum |
| | | | proper," says Robert Jacobsen, senior curator |
| Guthrie Theater on the River The Guthrie | | | | of Asian art and liaison with architects and |
| Theater will close the doors of its facility | | | | builders on the project. "We're definitely |
| near Loring Park after the March 4 May 7 | | | | going to jazz it up with larger and livelier |
| production of "Hamlet," the same play that | | | | exhibits." The new wing features a circular |
| launched the theater in 1963. | | | | three-story atrium with a Venetian plaster |
| | | | dome. A maple-paneled reception hall on the |
| But the Guthrie won't close for long. In | | | | third floor overlooks the sculpture garden. |
| June, the theater reopens in the new Guthrie | | | | Also on the top story are the expanded |
| Theater on the River-a $125 million, | | | | Modernism galleries and 10 new galleries for |
| 250,000-square-foot theater at 818 Second | | | | 20th-century and contemporary paintings. |
| Street overlooking the Mississippi River. | | | | |
| There will be an Open House on Sunday, June | | | | Second-floor galleries will hold 20th-century |
| 25 with entertainment on all three stages. | | | | art, art of Native America and Oceania, works |
| | | | of Minnesota artists, and craft collections. |
| From the cantilevered lobby jutting toward | | | | The wing's ground floor houses a new art |
| the river, theatergoers will look below to | | | | library, a prints and drawings study center, |
| the graceful stone-arch bridge and upstream | | | | a photography study center, and a |
| to St. Anthony Falls. Next door is the | | | | multi-purpose classroom. |
| Minnesota Historical Society's Mill City | | | | |
| Museum. Along the riverbanks lie the city's | | | | The addition allows the MIA to more |
| Mill Ruins Park, walking paths and bike | | | | dramatically display its Asian art |
| trails. | | | | collection, representing 17 cultures over |
| | | | 5,000 years. The Chinese collection, already |
| The new theater was designed by French | | | | one of the most extensive in the country, |
| architect Jean Nouvel, his first project in | | | | will now have a gallery for each of China's |
| North America. The new Guthrie borrows its | | | | three major philosophies, Confucianism, |
| massive outline from the surrounding mill and | | | | Taoism, and Buddhism. Other new galleries |
| elevator buildings. The building's indigo | | | | will fill with ancient Chinese bronzes, |
| cladding will fade into the twilight at | | | | jades, and ceramics, as well as gold and |
| evening performance time so that the | | | | silver, lacquer, textiles, and paintings, |
| building, despite its bulk, will seem to | | | | sculpture and calligraphy. Six new galleries |
| disappear, leaving the warm lights of the | | | | are devoted to the museum's Japanese art |
| lobby shining through generous windows to | | | | collection, spanning the last 25 centuries. |
| create a warm beacon floating on the river | | | | The MIA has brought more than 1,000 pieces |
| bluff. | | | | out of storage to fill the new space. |
| | | | |
| "The views of the river valley are amazing," | | | | Expanded special exhibition space "gives us a |
| says Tom Proehl, managing director of the | | | | large enough gallery that we can now attract |
| Guthrie. "Nouvel's design completely mingles | | | | the largest traveling exhibits," says |
| the old industrial age with new architecture | | | | Jacobsen. "We can attract shows that |
| in a very careful way. It truly fits in on | | | | previously were only seen in New York or |
| the riverfront." The new facility, he says | | | | London." For example, the MIA will show three |
| "will bring all of the Guthrie's functions | | | | special grand reopening exhibitions, all |
| together for the first time in many, many | | | | running from June 11 into early fall: * "The |
| years." The Guthrie long ago outgrew its | | | | Surreal Calder exhibit explores the origins |
| original building as its season expanded from | | | | of 20th-century surrealist artist Alexander |
| four plays to a dozen, attended by more than | | | | Calder in the context of his contemporaries. |
| 400,000. The original theater was known for | | | | |
| its trademark thrust stage-great for | | | | * "Treasures on Paper displays the Herschel |
| Shakespeare but not suited for more intimate | | | | V. Jones Collection of nearly 200 of the |
| and contemporary works. | | | | world's most famous engravings, lithographs |
| | | | and woodcuts, made over five centuries. |
| The new facility will have a 1,100-seat | | | | |
| thrust theater, much like the old facility, | | | | * "The Harrison Photography Collection |
| but with improvements to sightlines and | | | | includes nearly 100 photos of 20th-century |
| additional legroom. In addition, the new | | | | luminaries such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and |
| Guthrie will have a 700-seat proscenium | | | | Dorothea Lange. |
| theater. A 250-seat studio will provide a | | | | |
| space for experimental productions. | | | | "This is one of the biggest museums in the |
| | | | country that has remained free." Says |
| With the new facility, the Guthrie will be | | | | Jacobsen, "This will be the greatest show in |
| able to nearly triple the number of plays, | | | | town." For more information, go to |
| concerts and other presentations during its | | | | www.artsmia.org, or call 612-870-3131. |
| season. New amenities for playgoers will | | | | |
| include a bookstore, bars and a restaurant. A | | | | The museum is located at 2400 Third Avenue |
| skyway will link the theater building to a | | | | South. |
| convenient parking ramp. | | | | |
| | | | The city's third opening this year will |
| The Druid Theatre Company of Galway will | | | | transform the northern end of the downtown. |
| provide the first performances at the new | | | | On May 20 the new 357,000-square-foot, |
| Guthrie June 27-July 1 when it presents | | | | five-story Minneapolis Central Library opens |
| "DruidSynge," productions of all six plays by | | | | at 300 Nicollet Mall. The new building, |
| John Millington Synge, one of Ireland's | | | | designed by American architect Cesar Pelli, |
| greatest writers. | | | | will include a public commons, retail space, |
| | | | as well as the largest collection of any |
| The first Guthrie production in the new | | | | public library in Minnesota |
| theater will be a stage adaptation of "The | | | | |