10.25.20 - A NYC Icon at 90
'TOMORROW, Kaufmann Concert Hall will be 90 years old. Since 1930, the best in the world have appeared on 92Y’s stage: iconic artists and entertainers, world-famous writers, political figures, economists and scientists, fashion designers and dancers — even superheroes and Jedi Knights.'
'THESE PAST SEVEN MONTHS have been the longest dark period in the stage’s history. But late this summer, as COVID-19 restrictions eased in New York City, we were able to bring back some artists and musicians to the stage. The works they’re creating and the performances they’re giving are as meaningful as any in the stage’s long history.'
'Finding new ways to connect artists and audiences'
'Marking the stage’s 90th anniversary, tomorrow we premiere Lyrics & Lyricists: Preludes, a new series of short programs, filmed on the stage of Kaufmann Concert Hall, as a precursor to our forthcoming 50th Anniversary Lyrics & Lyricists season.'
'Last month, Ethan Hawke was the first to return to Kaufmann Concert Hall to record a dramatic reading of Marilynne Robinson's Gilead. You can listen to that spellbinding performance here.'
'Next week, the Emerson String Quartet are coming to perform the Beethoven late string quartet upon which they built their reputation — Op. 130, with Grosse Fuge. The concert will be streamed on November 4.'
'And while they won't be performing on our stage, we are thrilled to announce that the award-winning vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant and the pioneering Broadway star Ali Stroker will be sharing their prodigious talents with us in performances at our online Extraordinary Women Awards fundraiser on November 10.'
'As a celebration of our hall's milestones, we are so happy to share with you some archival recordings of just a handful of the great moments from our stage.'
'Literary landmarks'
'Truman Capote debuted In Cold Blood on 92Y’s stage; poets Dylan Thomas and Pablo Neruda gave their first US readings here; and Kurt Vonnegut debuted Breakfast of Champions (“Not even my wife has seen this,” he said that night in 1970). On December 9, 1971, Maya Angelou began her reading with the observation that “the great poetry of the United States is the poetry that came out of and still comes out of the Black experience.” Nearly fifty years later, her spellbinding performance resonates as a powerful testament. Here's artist Shantell Martin's beautiful response to Maya Angelou's reading, recorded for our 92Y Together fundraiser event last May.'
'The starriest nights'
'Some of the best-known artists and entertainers of the 20th and 21st centuries have enjoyed unforgettable moments in lively conversations here: Meryl Streep revealed how she prepped for her role in Postcards from the Edge; Francis Ford Coppola told an all-time great movie tale – how Marlon Brando became “The Godfather”; Paul McCartney read his poetry and discussed his career; Wanda Sykes showed how she can find humor in the most unlikely topics; and Julia Louis-Dreyfus revealed how and where she learned to do that unique “Elaine” dance in Seinfeld — as a young girl in dance class at 92Y.
'Giants of music and dance'
'This is the stage where Alvin Ailey premiered his signature work, “Revelations.” It’s where the Budapest String Quartet gave the first of nine concerts in 1938, embarking on what is widely acknowledged as the first performance of the complete Beethoven string quartets in America. It’s where Stephen Sondheim performed in the inaugural season of Lyrics & Lyricists, in 1971; Andrés Segovia, Artur Schnabel, Isaac Stern, Peter Serkin, Yo-Yo Ma, Angela Hewitt, Joshua Bell and scores more have performed here. The pulse of jazz filled KCH for the first time on April 22, 1955 with a concert by 10 soon-to-be giants, including Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus and Teo Macero, who would go on to produce two of the most influential jazz recordings of all time, Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew and Dave Brubeck’s Time Out. Dionne Warwick sang “Do You Know the Way to San Jose;” Burt Bacharach played “Alfie” here; Ben E. King sang “Stand By Me;” and a young Leonard Cohen read his poetry and performed Stranger Song here, before he become a household name.'
'A source of inspiration and connection for all'
'There's more — the heads of state, the politicians, the activists, the fashion icons, the economists — so much more. Much is available to explore in our archives, and we invite you to do so.'
'Today, because of you, and your ongoing commitment and support, the spirit of Kaufmann Concert Hall infuses the virtual programs and performances we're able to share with the world. Ninety years on, its acoustics still among the very best in New York City, it's waiting to welcome us all back in.'
Excerpt from a 92Y Insider newsletter