Carnegie Hall In New York City

For over 100 years, Carnegie Hall has been the destination of musicians seeking the highest professional level of performance and for the audience who wants to experience their efforts.

Whether your taste runs from classical or jazz, folk or pop, Carnegie Hall has hosted them all. Tchaikovsky guest conducted the first performance in 1891, but the decades after saw performances by Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Judy Collins and many others.

The building is named after its benefactor, the great industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. Since its completion in 1897, the hall has added a museum, tours, and an adjoining office tower to its original three auditoriums.

The main hall is the main attraction. Enormously tall, visitors can ride elevators or climb as many 105 steps to the top.

The acoustics are world class, especially since 1995 and the removal of a concrete slab that some insisted altered the original sound. The late violinist Isaac Stern is said to have remarked: 'It takes what you do and makes it larger than life.' Thanks to his efforts, the building was saved from demolition in the 1950s and achieved Landmark status in 1964. Stern Hall, the main hall named in his honor, seats 2,800.

The smaller auditoriums are also actively used.

Zankel Hall, which seats 599, has seen various uses since 1898. Converted to a movie theater in 1959 it reopened as a music venue in September 2003. Weil Recital Hall, named for the renowned investment banker, Sanford Weil, is the newest facility, opening in 2004. It seats 268.

The building also houses the Rose Museum and Carnegie Archives where visitors can find artifacts and memorabilia on display depicting the history of the famous site.

The exterior of the building, while less interesting than the architecture and activity of the interior, is well worth a look. Done in Italian Renaissance-revival style, the brown terra cotta gives the arena a look appropriate to its function. Carnegie Hall is located just off the corner of 57th St and 7th Avenue in Manhattan.

The famous Russian Tea Room resides just next door, recently reopened after many up and downs. Founded in 1926 by former members of the Russian Imperial Ballet, the restaurant has been host to many movers and shakers over the decades. Within its Russian red walls and samovar-decorated halls many of Carnegie Hall's stellar performers dined.

Just around the corner is Steinway Hall, where many of exquisite instruments often used by Carnegie's pianists are created. Some of the finest pianos in the world are on display here.

Carnegie Hall still holds over 100 performances a year, yet tickets are expensive and often hard to obtain for certain performances. Be sure to book well in advance to hear some of New York City's, and thereby the world's, finest musical artists showcase their craft.