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A transformed Memorial Hall was funded through a partnership
between the State of North Carolina and hundreds of
generous donors. The $18 million transformation provides
the community with an inviting gathering place, offering
world-class
performances of music, dance, and theater, innovative
cultural and artistic expression, and lectures by some
of today's most influential speakers.
Located
in the heart of the University's historic campus, Memorial
Hall has hosted world-renowned performers and elegant
ceremonies throughout its history. In 1883, when lack
of space in Gerrard Hall prevented adequate seating
for commencement, plans were drawn for a larger building
to memorialize David Lowry Swain (former North Carolina
governor and past president of the University of North
Carolina), notable men who devoted themselves in service
to the University, and students, faculty and staff who
died in the Civil War. Funds were raised by the sale
of marble tablets commemorating those individuals, and
the hall was dedicated in 1885. In 1929, the building
was declared structurally unsound and razed.
On
January 28, 1930, John Sprunt Hill, for the Building
Committee, recommended the erection of a modern fireproof
building of greater dignity. President Chase recommended
the demolition of the old building, concluding with
"what we ought to visualize, it seems to me, is
a shrine to the University history, a visible symbol
of what it has meant to the state and the nation. We
should, I think, feel about it as the medieval builder
felt about his cathedral, which was a visible symbol
of his religious faith. For him nothing was too beautiful,
too rich, or too enduring for incorporation within his
plans."
In
1931 the current building opened, complete with the
original marble tablets on its walls. For over 70 years,
the building served the campus and community well. But
in time, the University's growth and the changing needs
of patrons and performers necessitated the building's
overhaul.
Memorial
Hall closed April 20, 2002. On September 8, 2005, a
ribbon-cutting ceremony kicked off the Grand Opening
Gala weekend that included the North Carolina Symphony,
Tony Bennett, Itzhak Perlman. Pinchas Zukerman, Leonard
Slatkin, and Carolina Performs: A Student Performing
Arts Celebration.
The
Carolina
Performing Arts Series site contains information
on seating, technical specifications, past performances,
and reservations.
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