Cleveland, OH

Cleveland's orchestral history is closely tied to the effort to build a permanent concert home. Founded in 1918, the Cleveland Orchestra initially performed without the hall that would become central to its identity. Adella Prentiss Hughes helped sustain the campaign, and a major gift announced by John and Elisabeth Severance in 1928 was followed by support from thousands of donors. Severance opened on 5 February 1931 with a programme that included the premiere of Charles Martin Loeffler's Evocation. Later alterations, including the orchestral shell introduced in 1958, reflect continued attention to performance conditions. The hall records both musical ambition and the civic support required to realise it.