On the other hand, creating that illusion demands an unusual amount of all-too-real work and preparation. Fortunately, a group of professionals have contributed their own talents to construct such a haven in the Nancy Lee & Perry R. Bass Performing Arts Center, a 2,000-seat horseshoe-shaped opera house in downtown Fort Worth. The versatile center is the area’s cultural heart; this month alone, a Flamenco dance troupe, acrobats from Peking, and soul legend Ray Charles are just three of the acts scheduled to appear.
The distribution system also includes seven steam humidifiers to protect stored instruments as well as assorted fine art and other delicate wood-finish materials. A custom direct digital controls (ddc) unit keeps tabs on temperature, humidity, and life safety, offering readout and reset for each zone of the audience chamber.