Designed by architect William Wesley Peters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, the Norton Center originally opened in 1973 as the Centre College Regional Arts Center. Within the 85,000 square foot complex are stunning performance and exhibition spaces as well as exceptional academic facilities for art, music, and drama. The Center's two theatres have drawn consistent praise from performers and audiences alike. The Norton Center for the Arts The 1973 Opening Night Gala featured Verdi's "OTELLO." The first season featured the Krasnayarsk Dance Company of Siberia and the World premiere of the symphonic work "The City" by Rod McKuen. Since then the Center has helped make Danville a "powerhouse palace of culture" (Louisville Courier Journal).