But that imagined role is only imposed on it by you, and not by the people by whom and for whom it was built, and who judge it a complete, unqualified success.
This is, really, rather trite.
I, as an avid opera afficionado, will no doubt be overjoyed by the quality of the musical experience when I finally grab my share of the remaining tickets for the Ring Cycle (now that I know I'll be in TO during that time). Indeed, given the glowing reviews presented by forum members and our cities journalistic and cultural intelligentsia, my expectations have been whetted to a fine point.
However, as pleased-as-punch as I will (no doubt) be, I adamantly refuse to accept the proposition that a building's sole role is its function. I agree that that is its most important role, and if it fails in function, than form is irrelevant, but that does not excuse a building from making overtures to the city at large, and to the people who populate it.
As such, criticisms of form are indeed valid points, even if the function is served impeccably. In this I acknowledge that different opinions will always engender some controversy, but I really don't think that, for most of us, that is the issue at play here. I for one feel that, all the talk of dissecting out functional elements and exposing them on in architectural form aside, this building does not succeed as a cultural beacon as most people would have it. I too, though pregnant with anticipation at savouring the music within, find the external aesthetic experience to be somewhat disappointing, if only because the design has certain strong elements which, however, fail to make up for lack of flair in the remainder.
Furthermore, I simply don't buy the arguement that "no one will see the York street facade" or "the Richmond street facade faces an unfriendly urban context" - the point is, I know those facades are there, and I see them regularly... and I'm sure many others do too.
Basically, I would like to know exactly how many of the FSC's defenders are true architectural purists, who honestly love the design, and how many are merely architectural apologists seeking to justify their (apparently well-placed) gratitude for a long-awaited home for opera in this city.