Place des Arts

Place des Arts Review

Montréal's primary performing-arts complex is undergoing a major renaissance. The center's main lobby was completely refurbished in 2010 and a new 2,000-seat concert hall for the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal opened on the northeast corner of the site in the fall of 2011, fulfilling a decades-old dream of Montréal music lovers. Place des Arts is also the centerpiece of the city's planned new Quartier des Spectacles, a square kilometer dedicated to arts and culture, with performance halls, dance studios, broadcasting facilities, and recording studios. Despite all the construction, the huge plaza in front of the complex remains a favorite gathering place for locals and visitors—especially during the Jazz Festival when it's packed for free concerts. Sadly, the complex no longer offers backstage tours.