I just returned from a vacation up the coast from San Diego (lots of
smoke).  We drove up to LA and attended the Salome/LAPO Mahler 2 at
Disney on Friday evening.  Some quick impressions:

The exterior of the building is visually stunning.  Interior lobbies are
a bit sterile.  The main concert hall itself is very nice, lots of light
wood, and feels quite warm.  2,265 seats (somewhat small as large concert
halls go), so the overall impression is one of being very near to the
orchestra.  Several writers have called it intimate, and I concur.  Very
good overall sound, very good bass, possibly a bit shy on brass, but
that might have been a combination of where we were sitting (orchestra
west, such that the trumpets and trombones were aimed nearly at a right
angle to us.  Plus, the orchestra is adjusting to the hall, and perhaps
not forcing as much as they had to in Dorothy Chandler.  Almost no
acoustic adjusting seems to be needed so far, which is tremendously
encouraging.

The only two negatives I noticed were that the BP Hall (used for
pre-concert lectures) is essentially open to the lobby, so it pulls in
a lot of noise--they'll have to put up a glass wall and doors at some
point.  And several of the doors from the main hall to the exterior
walkways produce a bit of a "think" when they close--that should be
easily fixable.

I think it will truly take its place as the best of the modern concert
halls and one of the really significant pieces of large architecture.
It's really worth seeing and hearing.

In haste,

Mike Smith
Boulder, Colorado