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Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall, Cleveland - Things to Do at Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall

Things to Do at Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall

Complete Guide to Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall in Cleveland

About Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall

Severance Hall stops you cold. The 1931 Art Deco shell on East Boulevard looks quiet. But step inside and Georgian Revival excess knocks the wind out of you. Cream limestone outside, bronze details turned green with age, then sudden gold leaf, coffered ceilings, and amber light from original 1930s fixtures. The lobby smells of old wood and fresh flowers. The room itself hushes conversation before any note is played. John L. Severance built it for his wife; Cleveland got a palace's gift. The Cleveland Orchestra has lived here almost a century, ranking among the world's top ensembles. On any night Mahler's Fifth can shake your ribs. A 2000 restoration sharpened acoustics while keeping every gilded inch intact. Locals brag; out-of-towners skeptics leave converted. Programming runs from Brahms to brand-new scores. Summer's Blossom Festival moves outdoors. Yet the indoor 2,000-seat hall feels intimate, warm, grand.

What to See & Do

The Auditorium Interior

Cream and gold leaf smother the auditorium. Coffered ceilings reward opera glasses. Lights dim. The gold deepens, air thickens, two thousand people hold one breath. Sight lines are clean from almost every seat. Post-restoration sound blooms, never bounces.

The Grand Foyer and Lobby Spaces

Arrive early. You should. Art Deco corridors swirl with marble and perfume. Friday crowds murmur. Wool meets cold Cleveland air. Speakers leak previews of the live set.

The Reinberger Chamber Hall

Inside hides a smaller Chamber Hall. Bow hairs vibrate inches from your face. You hear a cellist inhale. Grand becomes confessional.

The Exterior Architecture

Circle the facade at golden hour. Limestone glows white. Bronze has cooled to green-grey. The portico dresses you up before you reach the door.

Organ Recital Features

The E.M. Skinner organ, installed in the 1930s and later restored, waits inside. When it storms into orchestral works, the floorboards thrum against your sternum. Live performance, felt.

Practical Information

Opening Hours

Doors open 90 minutes before curtain on performance nights. The box office runs weekdays and show days. Non-performance tours slip in on select weekdays. Book early, slots vanish.

Tickets & Pricing

Tickets range from budget-friendly to a splurge. Rear orchestra and side terraces cost far less than center stalls. The sonic gap is smaller than the price. Subscriptions save if you'll return. Students can score same-day rush seats at a steep discount.

Best Time to Visit

Concerts run September through May. Mid-season shows draw the loudest praise. December holiday sets sell out fast. Summer relaxes; Blossom moves outside. Tuesdays and Thursdays stay quieter. Saturday matineees feel looser, ages mixed.

Suggested Duration

Evening programs last two to two-and-a-half hours with intermission. Arrive 45 minutes early; wander, read, breathe. Chamber nights finish in 75 minutes, no break.

Getting There

Severance Hall sits in University Circle, Cleveland's cultural district, about four miles east of downtown. The RTA Red Line stops at University Circle station, a manageable walk to the hall. On cold Cleveland winter nights, factor in the wind off Lake Erie. Rideshare is straightforward, and the drop-off circle in front is well-organized on performance nights. Driving yourself means parking in the dedicated lot on the south side of the building or in the Case Western Reserve University structures nearby. These lots fill up on popular nights, so arriving early helps. The neighborhood is walkable and well-lit, adjacent to the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Things to Do Nearby

Cleveland Museum of Art
A literal five-minute walk from Severance Hall and one of the great free art museums in the country. The atrium alone, soaring glass, white marble, the echo of footsteps, is worth the detour. Pairing an afternoon at the museum with an evening concert is one of Cleveland's best cultural double-headers.
Cleveland Botanical Garden
The tropical biome greenhouse has a warm, green-scented escape in the colder months when Cleveland's climate turns harsh. Located within University Circle, it makes for an interesting contrast before an evening concert. Humid and lush inside, then the crisp snap of Ohio air as you walk to Severance Hall.
Western Reserve Historical Society
A large complex housing one of the more underrated history collections in the Midwest, with particular depth on Great Lakes industrial history. The auto-aviation museum portion surprises most first-time visitors. Good for the hours before a matinee concert.
Little Italy (Murray Hill)
A short drive or brisk walk uphill from University Circle, Murray Hill is Cleveland's old Italian neighborhood. The bakeries still smell of anise and espresso. The restaurants serve the kind of red-sauce pasta that doesn't need any other justification. Pre-concert dinner here tends to be be more relaxed and affordable than the spots immediately adjacent to Severance Hall.
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Another University Circle anchor, with an exceptional collection of minerals and a well-regarded planetarium. It's the kind of place that takes longer than you expect. Best saved for a day when the concert isn't until evening and you have time to drift.

Tips & Advice

Dress codes at Severance Hall have relaxed over the decades. You'll see everything from jeans to black tie on any given night, so don't let wardrobe anxiety keep you away. That said, a jacket or smart casual outfit feels appropriate and adds to the experience.
The program notes handed out at the door are worth reading before the performance starts, not during. They give you a sense of what to listen for and make the music land differently.
If you're new to orchestral concerts, the pre-concert talks (held roughly an hour before curtain for many programs) demystify the works being performed and are free with your ticket. They run about 30 minutes and are far more interesting than the description suggests.
The Severance Hall bar and café areas get crowded fast at intermission. If you want a drink, go early. Or skip the rush and use intermission to walk through the lobby details you passed too quickly on the way in.
Coughing during a performance is Cleveland's cardinal sin, judging by the collective wince you'll experience if you do it. Bring a lozenge, position it within reach before the music starts, and unwrap it during applause rather than mid-movement silence.

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