John Rhodes

The Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich in 2017/18

The Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich was founded 150 years ago and plans a season of celebratory events. This coincides with their having to move out temporarily of their home for the last 150 years, the Tonhalle building itself, which is in dire need of refurbishment and modernisation, particularly the backstage and foyer areas. The works will take a full three years and in that period most of their Zurich concerts will take place in a newly constructed hall within an existing industrial building (the ‘Maaghalle’) in the northern part of the city. Management will do its utmost to ensure its existing (often elderly, conservative and not especially discerning) audience makes the trek to a part of the city hitherto possibly unknown to them and less easy to access than the Tonhalle building by the lake and in the centre of the city. It hopes however that its new trendy location may attract a younger audience, who know the area for its clubs, modern art galleries and eclectic shops. Time will tell, but already two thirds of the subscriptions have been sold even before the programme was announced – now what does that tell you about Zurich’s concert life?

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