Letter of the day: New Guthrie can't match up with Rapson's

Updated: April 4, 2008 - 6:21 PM

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The jury that awarded French architect Jean Nouvel the 2008 Pritzker Architecture Prize singled out his design of the Guthrie Theater.

Photo: Jim Mone, Associated Press

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I find it sad that Jean Nouvel should win the Pritzker Award the same week that Ralph Rapson dies.

The new Guthrie Theater is a dark, brooding place adding little to the city. I find it poorly planned. The thrust stage is Ralph's design, and the proscenium theatre is uninspired with rows so close together that there is hardly room for your feet and entire rows must stand to allow anyone to enter. Even the parking is a disappointment, forcing patrons to cross the street in winter when Nouvel had the opportunity to include a skyway. Apparently Nouvel had not visited Minneapolis in winter or noticed all the tall northern European stock here.

Overall the Guthrie is the antithesis of the bright cheerful theater Ralph designed. I attend the theater in spite of the building.

BILL KAPLAN, ARDEN HILLS

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