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If you are planning a trip to Portland Maine, and you have an interest in concerts and live performances, keep reading this Blog.
The first time I visited Merrill Auditorium was on June 7, 1962. I was about to graduate from Cheverus High School, and my class was practicing for the ceremony. I only know that date because over the years my mother kept various artifacts on me. One of those artifacts was the Graduation Program. The Bishop of the Portland, the most Reverend Daniel J. Fenney, was presenting the awards that night. My class needed to practice for two scenarios. If the Bishop held out his ring, then we needed to go to one knee and kiss his ring. If he held out his arm, then we would shake his hand. On that night he held out his arm.
As a graduating senior, there were a lot of things on my mind. What I did not take time to think about was just how beautiful Merrill Auditorium was. It is a 1,908-seat auditorium. Originally known as Portland City Hall Auditorium, it is in the eastern section of Portland City Hall. The auditorium was built in 1912 and underwent a major rebuild and renovation in 1997. It features a large pipe organ, the Hermann Kotzschmar Memorial Organ, donated by Cyrus Curtis and built by the Austin Organ Company. The auditorium was renamed in the 1990s following a bequest which allowed the facility to be renovated.
Prime tenants at Merrill are the Portland Symphony Orchestra, Portland Ovations, and the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ. Resident organizations include the Maine State Ballet, Portland Ballet, and Opera Maine. See this Merrill Auditorium Schedule for upcoming events. Merrill Auditorium is approximately one block from the Old Port Section of Portland, Maine.
If you are visiting Portland from out of town, make sure you check out our Portland Budget Travel Guide, which gives you lots of tips on how to save money on your Portland vacation!