History of Mazzoleni Hall

When Mazzoleni Hall originally opened in 1901, it was known as Castle Memorial Hall. At that time it had a chapel with stained glass windows on the ground floor level and a library on the lower level. By the 1960s the years the University of Toronto, which used the space as a lecture hall, had bricked up the windows and removed a rear balcony.

In 1996 the Conservatory announced its plan to restore the hall to its original elegance. The renovations, which were done by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB), included adding the raked floor, reopening the windows, restoring the wood, installing proper heating and air conditioning, building the acoustic panels, and enlarging the stage.

Mrs. Joanne Mazzoleni generously offered to contribute to the renovations, and the Ivey Foundation was another supporter of the project. In addition, a fundraising campaign included the first of the Conservatory's "Royal Occasion" galas and the sale of the seats in the restored hall.

The fundraising campaign had great success and the newly restored hall - now renamed Ettore Mazzoleni Concert Hall in honour of one of the Conservatory's former principals - reopened with a gala concert on October 17, 1997. The concert featured performances by prominent Conservatory alumni and faculty, including Isabel Bayrakdarian, André Laplante, Joel Quarrington and the Royal Conservatory Orchestra.

Since that time, Mazzoleni Hall has become a favourite venue for Conservatory students, faculty and performing artists.