MA Top 30 Professional: Marie-Hélène Bernard

President and CEO
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

When the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) returned to its refurbished home venue last fall, the person to get the most applause wasn’t Music Director Stéphane Denève or soloist Joyce DiDonato. It was President and CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard, whose brief appearance onstage brought the concert to a hooting, hollering halt.

The ovation was well-deserved. Before Bernard took the reins in 2015, the SLSO’s board, musicians, and administrators all agreed that something had to be done about Powell Hall, the Art Deco movie palace that has been the SLSO’s home since 1968. Not intended for live acoustical performances, Powell also had serious structural flaws: a cramped backstage, not enough amenities, and little room for concessions or milling around during intermission. 

From her earliest days in the job, Bernard made it clear that she had a renovation in her sights. Board members were skeptical. The $140 million required seemed outlandish, if not impossible. But as of that inaugural concert, in September, the SLSO had overshot its goal by a staggering $33 million. The remainder went towards padding the coffers and securing competitive raises for musicians.

Not only does the new Powell sound great, it is also well above and beyond in terms of ADA compliance. Gentle slopes lead to every single entrance; the renovation also added more elevator banks. Inside, aisles are wide and seats comfortable. The back of the hall even includes a private viewing area from which patrons with sensory sensitivities can witness the performance.

In Bernard’s way of thinking, improved disability access benefits everyone. For instance: Might the patron with a knee replacement be just as thankful for those wider aisles, just as mothers with squirming toddlers or audience members suffering a coughing fit might appreciate the sensory room? 

“It was clear from the beginning that our key project strategies would make Powell Hall completely accessible in all the ways that you define access,” Bernard says. “It’s also ‘access’ from a standpoint of creating a space  that’s inviting.”