Victoria Hall (Geneva)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Victoria Hall is a 1,700-seat concert venue in Geneva. It is primarily home to the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR), but also hosts performers in jazz, world music and other genres.[1]
It was built in 1891–1894 by architect John Camoletti and financed by the British consul, Daniel Fitzgerald Packenham Barton, who dedicated it to Queen Victoria (and perhaps privately to Victoria-Alexandrina-Julia Peel Barton). Barton gave the hall to the City of Geneva in 1901.[2]
In 1918, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) was founded by Ernest Ansermet, who served as its music director for nearly five decades.[3] The orchestra became known internationally during his tenure, supported by a long-term recording arrangement with Decca Records. Ansermet worked closely with composers such as Ravel, Rachmaninoff, and Debussy, and conducted several works by Igor Stravinsky.[3] As of 2018, the orchestra consisted of 112 permanent musicians and also performed as the opera orchestra at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.[3]
On December 10, 1931, Mahatma Gandhi gave a public lecture at Victoria Hall, invited by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom during his visit to Switzerland.[4]
Arson caused a disastrous fire on 16 September 1984.[5][6] Much original artwork was lost, including decorative paintings by Ernest Biéler, as was the massive original pipe organ. The building was then slowly restored, with a new and equally large organ being installed in 1993, and today it is registered on the cantonal list of heritage buildings. But the paintings were replaced by a contemporary work by Dominique Appia.[2]
