Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
By the 1950s Lincoln Square on the
Upper West Side of Manhattan had fallen on hard
times. As part of an urban renewal
project in the early to mid-1960s, more than 16 acres between 60th
and 66th Streets were razed and, with funds provided largely through
the efforts of John D. Rockefeller III, were refashioned into Lincoln Center. Anchored by three main venues—Avery Fisher
Hall, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Koch Theatre—the performing arts complex now
comprises 29 indoor and outdoor facilities.
Tours of the Lincoln Center plaza are available daily on the half-hour between
10:30 and 4:30. Tickets can be
purchased for fifteen dollars across the street at the David Rubenstein Atrium
on West 62nd Street. 
At the north end
of the plaza sits Avery Fisher Hall, home to the New York Philharmonic since
1962 when it relocated from Carnegie Hall.
The hall was renamed in the 70s in honor of a benefactor, inventor, and audio
specialist who loved classical music. Our
guide, Tom, explained that the hall can be rented and that any type of music can be played here. However, tinkering with the design
of the building when it was originally constructed to increase seating capacity has caused repeated problems with
the acoustics. This led to a substantial
renovation by acoustical engineer Cyril Harris and architect
Philip Johnson. Plexiglas and baffling have been added in recent
years to try and correct the sound quality.
The Juilliard
School, a performing arts conservatory for about 800 students, is also found at
Lincoln Center. In 2009 major renovations were completed at Alice
Tully Hall. Not only was the entrance enlarged, but the interior of Starr Theater was completely redone. The walls were turned sideways, a fly space was allowed for, a pipe organ was installed in the wall, and sonic cones were added to disperse sounds. The outer stage, now outfitted with cutting-edge technology, can be
lowered to create an orchestra pit.
Unfortunately for
us, because of a rehearsal taking place at the time of our tour, we were unable to see much of
the Met other than the exterior and the lobby. Russian-French artist Marc Chagall, who
apparently wanted to create stained glass for the lobby windows, had to settle
for gigantic murals of La Triomphe... and La Source de la Musique. Our group was able to see the Grand Tier Staircase,
which was quite an architectural feat in the early 60s since it required four
stories of poured concrete and had to be built before the building’s exterior.
The pièce de
résistance at Lincoln Center in terms of interior design is the David H. Koch
Theatre, formerly known as the New York State Theatre. Home to the New York City Opera until 2011,
it still houses the New York City Ballet.
Created by Philip Johnson, the theater, which opened in 1964, is often referred
to as the “jewelry box.” Indeed, its
bronze filigree balcony railing, its gold-leaf ceiling, its lovely color-scheme,
and gleaming round lights make it a charming place.
One of the first things we learned during out tour was that “day-of”
tickets for concerts are available for a reduced price at the Atrium. That would be well worth remembering in the
future!
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