Gallery: PHOTOS: Moshe Safdie’s ...

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Photo by Nathaniel Ross for Inhabitat

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The 1,800-seat Muriel Kauffman Theatre is designed to be visually striking, yet retain an intimate experience for both audiences and performers. Inspired by the great opera houses of Europe, audiences are seated in front of the stage in a variation on the traditional horseshoe configuration—bringing them closer to the performers than in traditional auditorium-style venues.

The Kauffman Center, which opened late September 2011, is home to the Kansas City Ballet, the Kansas City Symphony, and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. It will also host a broad spectrum of entertainment programming from around the globe – including classical, pop, and jazz music, ballet and contemporary dance, comedy shows, and Broadway productions (five world premieres will take place at the Kauffman Center in its first year alone).

The Kansas City Area Development Council recently invited Inhabitat to check out Kansas City Design Week 2012, and one of the highlights of our trip was a private tour of Moshe Safdie’s wondrous new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts! Public Relations Coordinator (and classically trained opera singer) Kristin Smithson took us on a tour of this striking building.

All photos by Nathaniel Ross for Inhabitat