Mondavi Center

<p>In September, 2001, the Napa Valley vintner Robert Mondavi and his wife Magrit Mondavi announced they would donate $35 million toward construction of a state-of-the-art cultural and performance center on the campus of UC Davis. It was in honor, they said, of the longtime support the UC Davis Department of Enology and Viticulture  had given the Mondavi company since the 1930s.</p> <p>No expense was spared.  Upon completion in 2002 (the grand opening featured the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra), The Mondavi Center included two performance spaces – the Jackson Theatre with seating for 1800, and the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre, which seats 250. Architecturally, the building is designed as a "box-within-a-box" (with dead air space between the walls of the boxes) to completely insulate the theaters from nearby Interstate 80 and the Union Pacific railroad tracks.</p> <p>Hundreds of performances have taken place here since its opening.  From Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the San Francisco Symphony in performance of mainstream favorites, to the Edgewise Festival (cutting- edge, multi-media performance art), to award-winning children's theatre, the Mondavi features world-class talent. </p>