Sala de conciertos Nezahualcoyotl
Av. Insurgentes Sur 3000, C.U., Coyoacán, 04510 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
52 55 5622 7125
https://musica.unam.mx/
The Centro Cultural Universitario inside the campus of the National Autonomus University of
Mexico (UNAM) was conceived in 1976 as a first-world cultural hub that could promote the fine arts within the student community of the campus and the greater community of Mexico City at large. Inside the complex several buildings were designed specifically for one of the fine arts, be it music, theatre, dance, or film. Perhaps the crown jewel of the whole Centro Cultural Universitario could be considered to be the Sala Nezahualcóyotl, the prime concert hall in the university, and one of the most prestigious in the country. The concert hall opened on December 31, 1976, as the home of the Symphonic Orchestra of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the architects who designed it were Orso Núñez Ruiz and Arcadio Artis, while the acoustics of the place were masterminded by Christopher Jaffe; the general design of the venue is inspired in the Berliner Philharmoniker and the acoustic design on the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
The whole Nezahualcoyotl Hall was designed and built with the quality of the sound first and foremost in the minds of the architects and designers. The stage has a size of 240 square meters and the entire services area totals 4,900 meters. The hall has a capacity of 2,229 spectators and all are seated at a prime vantage point to see every instrument player on the stage, this design is considered relatively modern for concert halls. Behind the curtains, there are comfortable dressing rooms and a rehearsal room, where thanks to the specialized acoustic panels on the walls and the carpet on the floor, another musical ensemble can be rehearsing at the same time another one is playing on the stage.
The Sala Nezahualcoyotl is among the most prestigious not only in Mexico but in all of Latin America, it’s the home of the Symphonic Orchestra of UNAM but also hosts a variety of concerts from other ensembles, like for example the traditional Christmas recital by the Miner Symphonic Orchestra (named after the national mining school that was housed in today’s Palacio de Minería), where they play a good selection of Christmas classics like Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”. The fine wood panels and finishes that were used in the construction of the venue provide unparalleled quality in its sounds. The Sala Nezahualcoyotol is an experience in and of itself that needs to be experienced in person.
