Lincoln Center, in its entirety, is the result of a Robert Moses project announced in 1956. The neighbourhood housing the people who provided inspiration to the creators of the musical West Side Story was razed, the complex built, time passed and not long ago the plaza was ‘reopened’ following its multi-year, $1.3 billion renovation, which began in 2006. That’s a lot of money. It was only a renovation!
Some of the money went to remaking the Revson Fountain. I’ve heard around $10,000,000, from insiders with whom I used to work while a stagehand at the Met Opera House, when I was a student, then lighting director for the Bolshoi Ballet (Moscow) and the Peking Opera (Beijing).
I’m proud of having been part of the history of Lincoln Center, and I am happy to see it restored and crowded with concert goers and tourists.
The fountain is spectacular — a must-see! Show times are listed to the right.
And there is outdoor summer dancing, with a full New York sized orchestra at the Midsummer Night Swing.
The patterned pavement of the plaza was designed by Philip Johnson, who was inspired by the Campodiglio in Rome. The renovated fountain closely resembles its former incarnation and actually, I think it looks finer and more delicate, because the ‘collar’ surrounding the pool was changed to become a floating seating ring. There, there’e more than meets the eye: What’s beneath the seating ring?
Now that we have passed the bleak mid-winter, full fountain shows will be more common.
