LINCOLN CENTER PERFORMING ARTS

West 62^nd through West 66^th 
between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues
(212) 546-2656, (212) 875-5350 for tour info.

Occupying Lincoln Center Plaza, which encompasses West 62^nd through West 66^th streets between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, Lincoln Center has been the center of New York’s performance art scene since the fifties. Its various venues and free outdoor concerts attract upwards of five million people every year, and five million people can’t be wrong. From orchestras to ballet to movie screenings, Lincoln Center’s got you covered.

For starters, there’s the Avery Fisher Hall, the oldest of the buildings which comprise Lincoln Center Plaza. Here, you will be able to experience the incomparable New York Philharmonic Orchestra from September through June. The acoustics are phenomenal and the performance second to none.

Next up is the Metropolitan Opera House, where the Metropolitan Opera performs for you between the months of October and April. If opera’s not your bag, hop on over to the New York State Theater, the place to be for ballet buffs. The New York City Ballet is showcased during both winter and spring sessions. For thrifty artisans, don’t miss the free outdoor concerts held semi-regularly at the Guggenheim Bandshell.

If you thrive on drama, you definitely don’t want to overlook the Vivian Beaumont Theater, a performing arts venue that has showcased plays from such noted scribes as Tennessee Williams and is very highly regarded among those "in the know." Edgier and profoundly stranger productions are right down the staircase in the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. Steer clear if you’re not into the aesthetic merit of broken glass or people dressed up as reindeer, because anything goes down there in the Newhouse Theater.

Rounding out the performance houses are the Alice Tully Hall, a haven for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center from October through May and site of the New York Film Festival in September and October, and the Walter Reade Theater, a place to witness cutting edge feature films.

If all the excitement has given you a thirst for knowledge, swing on by the New York Public Library for Performing Arts, which houses the costume and set designs for all past and present productions as well as other interesting items. Or, go one step further and take up the trade for yourself by enrolling in the Julliard School for dance, music, or drama. This is no cakewalk, however, as only the best of the best gain entrance. Like who? Kevin Kline, for example.

As you can see, there’s a plethora of opportunity awaiting you at Lincoln Center. For more information, call (212) 875-5350. Tours are held daily for the low price of $9.50, or $8 if you’re over 65 or a student, or $4.50 if you’re age 3-12. Doors are closed on New Year’s Day, the Fourth of July, and Christmas Day.