Lincoln Center: Celebrating 50 Years

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Commemorating this auspicious creation, a new exhibition has been installed the Donald and Mary Oenslager Gallery of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Plaza. The first performance I saw at Lincoln Center was Contact at the Vivien Beaumont. That was 2002. Since then, I have seen countless concerts, operas, plays, films, and lectures at this heaven on earth. I'll be there again tonight for the Tucker Gala. And of course, my designated library is the New York Public Libary for the Performing Arts.

Lincoln Center is the home of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Juilliard School, Lincoln Center Theater, The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, New York Philharmonic, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, and the School of American Ballet.

Every inch of Lincoln Center is dedicated to performance or teaching of performance. Venues are Alice Tully Hall, The Allen Room, Avery Fisher Hall, Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, Clark Studio Theater, Damrosch Park, Daniel and Joanna S. Rose Rehearsal Studio, David H. Koch Theater, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Gerald W. Lynch Theater, Josie Robertson Plaza, La Guardia Concert Hall, La Guardia Drama Theater, Metropolitan Opera House, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, Morse Recital Hall, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Paul Recital Hall, Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Rose Theater, Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, Stephanie P. McClelland Drama Theater, Vivian Beaumont Theater, and The Walter Reade Theater.

The anniversary exhibit features memorabilia of everything from the actual acquisition of the land physical and plans for the buildings to memorabilia and photographs of productions, costumes, pieces of scenery and a wide variety of videos of performances from the last 50 years. Browse some of the exhibit on-line or visit the digital time capsule. The free exhibition in the gallery runs through January 6, 2010. The New Public Library for the Performing Arts is snugly tucked away at the back of Lincoln Plaza, between the Metropolitan Opera House and the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

Costumes pictured below (click to embiggen): Beverly Sills' dress, designed by Bob Mackie, from her farewell at the New York City Opera; Leonard Bernstein's performance tuxedo; costume designed by William Ivey Long and worn by Deborah Yates in the role of the Girl in the Yellow Dress in Contact; and costume worn by Leontyne Price as Aida at the inaugural production at the Metropolitan Opera.