.jpg) The David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, seen from the Lincoln Center Plaza. | |
 Interactive map of David H. Koch Theater | |
| Former names | New York State Theater |
|---|---|
| Address | 20 Lincoln Center Plaza |
| Location | New York City |
| Coordinates | 40°46′19″N73°59′1″W / 40.77194°N 73.98361°W /40.77194; -73.98361 |
| Public transit | Subway: (all times) (late nights) at66th Street–Lincoln CenterNYC Bus:M5,M7,M11,M20,M66,M104 |
| Owner | City of New York |
| Type | Theatre |
| Capacity | 2,586 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | April 23, 1964 (1964-04-23) |
TheDavid H. Koch Theater is a theater for ballet and dance atLincoln Center in theLincoln Square neighborhood ofManhattan inNew York City. Originally named theNew York State Theater,[1] the venue has been home to theNew York City Ballet since its opening in 1964, and served as home to theNew York City Opera from 1964 to 2011. Renamed to honor philanthropistDavid Koch, the theater occupies the south side of the main plaza of Lincoln Center, oppositeDavid Geffen Hall near 63rd Street andColumbus Avenue.
The New York State Theater was built with funds from the State of New York as part of New York State's cultural participation in the1964–1965 World's Fair. The theater was designed by architectsPhilip Johnson andJohn Burgee,[2] opened on April 23, 1964. After the Fair, the State transferred ownership of the theater to the City of New York.
The City leases the theater to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., which subleases it to City Center of Music and Drama, Inc. (CCMD). The present corporation of CCMD (originally affiliated withNew York City Center on 55th Street,[3] but now a separate entity) continues to manage the theater today.[citation needed]
Along with the opera and ballet companies, another early tenant of the theater was the now defunct Music Theater of Lincoln Center whose president was composerRichard Rodgers. In the mid 1960s, the company produced fully staged revivals of classic Broadway musicals. These includedThe King and I;Carousel (with original star,John Raitt);Annie Get Your Gun (revised in 1966 byIrving Berlin for its original star,Ethel Merman);Show Boat; andSouth Pacific.
In July 2008, oil-and-gas billionaireDavid H. Koch pledged to provide $100 million over the next ten years to renovate the theater and provide an operating and maintenance endowment. The facility became the David H. Koch Theater at the New York City Ballet Winter gala, November 25 of that year.[4] The theater is to bear his name for at least fifty years, after which it may be renamed; the Koch family retains the right of first refusal for any renaming. Some people continue to refer to the theater by its original name because of thecontroversial political influencing of David andCharles Koch.[5]
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The theater seats 2,586 and features broad seating on the orchestra level, four main "Rings" (balconies) and a small Fifth Ring, faced with jewel-like lights and a large spherical chandelier in the center of the gold latticed ceiling.
JCJ Architecture of New York City designed renovations with Schuler Shook as theater consultants. In patron areas, the plan replaced and reconfigured all seats and carpeting. The reconfiguration created two aisles in the orchestra level, which previously featured continental-style seating, with no center aisles. It also upgraded restrooms to make them ADA compliant. Work backstage included a new stage lighting system, expansion of the orchestra pit, and a mechanical lift in the pit floor allowing it to be raised to stage level when needed.
The lobby areas of the theater feature many works of modern art, including pieces byJasper Johns,Lee Bontecou andReuben Nakian.
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