Results tagged “lincolncenter”

Broadway stage manager for the acclaimed, Tony award-winning production of South Pacific was arraigned last night in Manhattan Supreme Court on a charge of unlawful surveillance. Michael Brunner, 54, turned himself in for questioning after one of the actresses in the show found an iPhone in her dressing room filming her while she changed. The victim also saw Brunner in her dressing room before she walked in. Naturally, the Post has a fantastically awful headline: "A 'South Peep-cific' voyeur rap."

     

As part of Lincoln Center's extensive (and expensive) renovation, the beloved Revson fountain has been reimagined as well. Instead of the traditional low walled fountain, architects Diller, Scofido + Renfro created a "floating granite ring" around the water. From the press release:

Philanthropy isn't totally dead: David Rubenstein, the Carlyle Group's managing director, donated $10 million to Lincoln Center's $1.2 billion redevelopment project. Previously, he's donated a copy of the Magna Carta to the National Archives and loaned a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation to the Smithsonian. Lincoln Center will be naming its new visitors-ticket center the "David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center" (formerly the Harmony Atrium). Rubenstein told the Times, “My view is, if you have money, you can spend it, you can save it, or you can give it away...I bought all the things I need to buy.”

As Lincoln Center approaches the final stages of it's revamp, the NY Times gets real with some fountain talk. They report that there will be a new one with choreographed water effects put in place by the firm responsible the Bellagio Hotel outdoor aquatic explosion. Because nothing says Lincoln Center like Las Vegas. One designer at the firm told the paper, "New York is probably extremely nervous about the fountain. They may be expecting something gimmicky." The final "look" will be unveiled on September 30th, and at least one critic has already spoken out, Andrew S. Dolkart, the director of Columbia University' historic preservation program, "said he did not understand why Lincoln Center decided to replace the fountain, designed by Philip Johnson and completed in 1964. 'It' the thing that upsets me most of all about what's happened at Lincoln Center.'" Indeed, replacing an iconic fountain that's been the backdrop in many a film, not to mention weddings and other events that have shaped people's memories, is a little bit mind-boggling. Dolkart adds: "You wouldn't want to tear down Grand Central Terminal because Frank Gehry is going to design a masterpiece in its place." Oh wouldn't we?

The 66th Street/Lincoln Center stop is currently located in this garage in DUMBO! Unless this is some sort of portal, it seems like Hollywood magic will be trying to transform the quiet cobblestone-laden Brooklyn neighborhood into a more bustling Manhattan.

Though math nerds may not be the first demographic you'd expect to turn out in droves for an afternoon spent outdoors walking block after block, mathematician Glen Whitney has begun leading guided tours of Manhattan. Whitney, who quit his job at a hedge fund, has attracted a nice following: This week's New Yorker carries a dispatch from writer Nick Paumgarten on one of Whitney's tours, which that day took a group from 66th Street to Columbus Circle while stopping for all sorts of hidden math-yness along the way. When the group reached 64th Street, for instance, Paumgarten describes how "a Philip Johnson clock just off Columbus Avenue led to a disquisition on Pythagoras, octaves, calendars, eclipses, and time." Whitney is using the tours in hopes of building demand for a math museum in New York, and—for a city that already has museums devoted to sex, comic books, and creepy wax statues—why not? After all, for those who want nothing to do with any of that complicated number-learnin', there's always the Gossip Girl bus tour.

       

Last night the CFDA Fashion Awards took place at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. The Daily News reports that Michelle Obama was honored—designer and council President Diane von Furstenberg said of the First Lady, "Her meteoric rise in the world of fashion has echoed her husband in the world of politics." Obama, via a taped message, addressed attendees saying, "On behalf of women everywhere, I want to thank you for making fashion liberating, inspiring, but most of all, fun."

After last month a local community board "pitched a shutout" with a 31-0 vote against Fordham University's plans to do some major expansion to its Lincoln Square campus, the school has employed the help of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. Now Fordham has a modified plan that they hope will placate residents and allow them to move forward on what would be their "superblock," from 60th to 62nd Streets between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues. The new plan cuts out 206,000 square feet of the proposal by moving some classrooms underground, devoting less space to parking and setting buildings farther from the curb. It would also mean that Fordham would not put up a dense cluster of towers as they were formerly setting out to do. Helen Rosenthal, chairwoman of Community Board 7, representing what Curbed calls the "junkyard dog" of neighborhoods, seems to be appeased and sounds on board with the modifications. Stringer said, “The goal was for Fordham to co-exist with the community. This is going to enable Fordham to grow, and that benefits the city."

       

After nearly two years of renovations, the first phase of Lincoln Center's overall transformation is ready: A completely re-energized Alice Tully Hall is getting to set to open once again this weekend. Diller Scofidio + Renfro, in association with FX Fowle, designed the re-imagined space, which houses both Alice Tully Hall and the Juilliard School and was originally a boxy, concrete Brutalist structure by architect Pietro Belluschi. Now, there's a three-story high, glass-enclosed lobby (with cafe) that peers onto Broadway and lets Broadway look inside as well. And over a sunken outdoor plaza—complete with mini-amphitheater seating—is Juilliard's cantilevered extension.

It's the end of an era! After 16 years there, Fashion Week is moving from the Bryant Park tents to Lincoln Center, Mayor Bloomberg announced earlier today. The move won't happen until September 2010, giving the current location three more Fashion Weeks (February and September 2009, and February 2010). After that, designers will relocate to the new space, which will give them 25% more room.

Curbed has a photograph of the renovated Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and we have to say it looks great. (Lincoln Center's website has photographs of its massive renovation project's progess, including photo of the old ATH.) Our biggest pet peeve with the space, which is where many New York Film Festival films are screened, had been that the exit signs were brighter than hell—they were utterly distracting in the darkened space. As Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeffrey Wells wrote in 2001 for Reel.com, "The exit lights are so bright that they cast a red glow over everything within a 10- or 12-foot radius. And there's six or eight of them, so half the theater is lit up like a New Orleans cat house. All that needs to be done is for managers to insert bulbs behind the signs that don't have quite as much wattage." Now, it looks like the exits and signs are recessed—here's hoping!

You can get to Carnegie Hall with practice, practice, practice, but Lincoln Center has been harder to navigate as it undergoes its massive, multi-million dollar renovation project. One woman told the NY Times that on her way to see "South Pacific" at the Lincoln Center Theater, she got lost after trying to find her mother amidst the construction: "Suddenly I felt like a contestant on ‘Survivor.' I knew what I had to do,” she added. “ ‘Help!’ I screamed, ‘Somebody, help us!’" (And security showed up to help them to the theater.)

Subscribers to the Metropolitan Opera are up in arms over changes to the ticket exchange policy that contributed to massive lines at the box office yesterday. The Times reports that because of ongoing construction, many subscribers were forced to queue up in the bowels of the Lincoln Center and wait as long as five hours to switch their tickets, which they used to be able to do over the phone. Chairs were brought out for the elderly and infirm, but opera fanatics like Wanda Flickinger of Bronxville, N.Y. -- a subscriber for over 40 years -- were not placated: "This is an insult, what we are being put through today." Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager, shrugged off the long lines on the Met's surge in popularity, telling the Times, "It’s kind of a growing pain that we are experiencing."

     

Last month, there were a string of accidents that left over twenty people injured and one person dead after vehicles jumped the curb and hit pedestrians, seemingly making sidewalk the most dangerous place for pedestrians. Yesterday, an accident at Broadway and West 63rd Street, a taxi cab and car crashed into each other, sending one vehicle spinning into a Starbucks and hitting a pedestrian.

David H. Koch, the richest man in NYC with a net worth of $17 billion, is donating $100 million towards the renovation of the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. The City Opera and New York City Ballet perform in the space, and Koch told the NY Times, “I’ve been going to the New York State Theater for 40 years. I can assure you, I would not make a gift of this magnitude unless I was absolutely convinced that the quality of the work was world class.” Other parts of Lincoln Center are currently under renovation.

If you're head over heels for the ballet, we've got some good news: The New York City Ballet announced last week that they would be hosting two open dress rehearsals of Susan Stroman's Double Feature this month. The company began the open rehearsals last year with Peter Martins's Romeo + Juliet, and they hope to continue them annually.

FOOD: Trestle on Tenth, the “homey joins hearty” Swiss-inflected restaurant that takes its name from its proximity to the High Line and the avenue where it’s found, kicks off a special five-night series called “metzgete.” The Swiss tradition loosely translates to “butchers affair” and arises from the practice of salvaging every scrap of pig after the winter slaughter – “especially those parts that would or could not be dried, smoked or pickled for later consumption.” The $24 Trestle plate will include everything from braised belly to homemade bratwurst to liver and blood sausages. – John Del Signore

Bar Boulud: Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni recently lost his patience waiting on hold for 15 minutes to make a reservation, which should give you some sense of how feverish the excitement is for Daniel Boulud’s latest foray. The tony uptown wine bar, across the street from Lincoln Center, enjoyed the raging buzz of a sneak-preview opening on New Year’s Eve and now the 100 seat restaurant is open for real. Judging from the photos, the modern yet warm interior does look inviting; a long vaulted ceiling is intended to “invoke a classic wine cellar”, a backlit gravel wall echoes an old world vineyard, and three private “wine themed” dining rooms are available for the swells.

If you are as big a fan of reality shows as we are, Fox’s Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Sunday, 8:00 p.m., WNYW 5) is very welcome. Thanks to the WGA strike, there will be only eight episodes, but still this looks like an action packed romp based on the popular film series.

THEATER: Under the Radar, arguably New York’s most exciting theater festival, begins today at The Public Theater and a few other odd locations like the Whitehall Ferry terminal. (There are also a few shows at the Classic Theatre of Harlem, P.S. 122 and The Kitchen.) One of the most buzzed about site-specific shows is Etiquette by the London company Rotozaza. It was a surprise hit at last year’s Edinburgh Festival; here the experience takes place at the East Village Ukrainian restaurant Veselka and involves only two actors: you and a friend (or stranger). It’s described as “a private theatrical experience for two people in a public space; the participants take a seat across from each other at a small table (the stage), put on headphones and follow a recorded script, complete with stage directions taking them through a half-hour play, in which they are both performers and audience.” And after the show, you can get pirogies with the cast! – John Del Signore

THEATER: Without uttering a single line of dialogue, theater company Parallel Exit has crammed an hour of stage time with an abundance of zany physical comedy. Accompanied by live music provided by various percussion instruments, ukulele and piano, a hapless troupe of vaudevillians stumbles though “a backstage adventure filled with comic chaos and fast-paced action, incorporating music, magic, tap, and slapstick.” Everything that can go wrong does in their little variety show, and Martin Denton says “there's enough slapstick and silliness to please the small fry and enough sophistication and acumen to ensure that grown-ups are constantly diverted as well, making this a well-nigh perfect family entertainment.” – John Del Signore

Could Apple be planting a seed on a location near Lincoln Center? The Meatpacking district Apple store still has that new-store smell as Apple fever extends north. According to the Post, Apple is looking to take over space at the northwest corner of Broadway and West 67th, where there's currently a two-story Victoria's Secret store.

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: three pedestrians struck on 65th St. and 7th Ave. in Brooklyn, a tourist bus vs. building incident on 51st St. and Broadway in Manhattan, and a train derailment on East 239th St. in the Bronx.
• 47 years ago, two planes bound for Laguardia and JFK collided over Miller Field on Staten Island in mid-air. As body parts, Christmas presents, and debris rained from the sky over Staten Island, 132 people lost their lives. One of the two planes crashed in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
• A $35 million to $45 million renovation at Lincoln Center will displace the New York City Opera through the 2008-09 season.
• A Jewish family in Orange County, NY was the victim of a campaign of harassment by other Orthodox individuals. The local cops had to discontinue their investigation because no one was snitchin'.
• Aw, just in time for the holidays the Reds have gone Green. The Communist Party spent $1 million to make its NY headquarters more environmentally friendly.
• The driver in last week's passenger van-Q46 bus collision will not be facing criminal charges resulting from the accident that ejected a young girl from his vehicle, while she is still in critical but stable condition.
• Another grenade-related police shooting--this time of a man in Orange County, NY.
• A round-up of Christmas star cookie recipes.

A look at some of this week's noteworthy television: Spike TV's Video Game Awards 2007 (Sunday, 9:00 p.m., Spike TV) It is the fifth annual outing for this awards show for video games. Live From Lincoln Center: Red Hot Holiday Stomp (Monday, 8:00 p.m., WNET 13) Jazz at Lincoln Center is highlighted with this special hosted by Glenn Close. There will be a program of holiday music and jazz, plus it also features the broadcast...

FESTIVITIES: Forget about that big shiny show-off in Rockefeller Center. Tonight the menorah and Christmas tree in Washington Square Park will be illuminated for all. Come bask in the glow of holiday, people. 6pm // Washington Square Park [W 4th St to Waverly Pl between MacDougal and University] // Free FILM: In a week-long tribute to Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini (pictured), tonight The Film Society of Lincoln Center will be screening Notes for an...

The Times checks in on the New York City Opera and the New York City Ballet, who have been battling over their shared theater at Lincoln Center.The organizations had tried to come to terms on renovation plans several years ago in the early stages of Lincoln Center’s redevelopment effort. But discussions fell apart over issues like whether to create a center aisle (the opera was strongly in favor; the ballet, adamantly opposed) and how to...

The ragged march to winter weather continues. Unlike last month, which was mostly warm for days on end, November keeps bouncing between cold and warm episodes as the atmosphere struggles with the transition to a wintertime circulation pattern. Today will be warmer than normal as the morning rain tapers off to a drizzly fog. The rain's not going away! The tree lighting at Lincoln Center looks to be a soggy occasion. A low pressure...

A look at some noteworthy television this week: Lincoln Center Tree Lighting 2007 (Monday, 5:30 p.m, WABC 7) Good Morning America’s Sam Champion and WABC’s Sade Baderinwa host the first televised tree lighting of the season. There will be some performances by Lincoln Center’s resident companies and some guest’s from channel 7’s owner Disney on hand for entertainment for the 8th annual Lincoln Center Holiday Tree lighting. America at a Crossroads (Monday, 9:00 p.m &...

If you've seen I'm Not There and are hankering for some more Bob Dylan (the real McCoy, not the Blanchett/Ledger/et al hybrid)...then head over to Lincoln Center sometime today. The man himself won't be there in person, but he'll be there in celluloid at a screening of The Other Side of the mirror: Bob Dylan Live at Newport Folk (which previously played at the NYFF this year). The documentary covers 1963 to 1965, so you'll...