Marc A Scorca Hall, National Opera Center

At last, in the heart of New York, is a finely crafted space devoted to opera's creators.

New York, New York  |  Recording studio  |  2012  |  with Andrew Berman Architect

OPERA America, the nonprofit arts organization serving the entire opera community, wanted to be closer to the heart of North America’s opera world so it moved its headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Midtown Manhattan. Led by Marc A. Scorca, OPERA America’s services include supporting the creation and production of new operas and developing a broader appreciation for opera among the general public. The organization provides a wide-range of artistic, technical and administrative services for its 125 professional opera company members and 250-plus affiliate and business members. Robert Mahoney and architect Andrew Berman developed the site-selection criteria for OPERA America’s Manhattan offices which includes a Audition/Recital Hall used to workshop, present and cast for new operas.

One challenge faced by Mahoney & Associates was to design the acoustics in the audition space to allow a small audience of five to 10 people to get an accurate sense of how a voice will sound in a much larger opera house.

The Audition Hall is fully equipped with a/v recording and playback systems that have enabled it to host ongoing artist interviews and webcasts. The Center also contains a smaller rehearsal space, numerous Coaching/Practice rooms, a reference library and the administrative offices of the organization.

The National Opera Center opened to rave reviews in Septenber 2012.