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Carnegie Hall NYC

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Prices Ranging from
$200 to $1700

Summary

Why We Go: Performers and music lovers adore Carnegie Hall for the same reasons: the venue is large, the architecture gorgeous, and the acoustics simply breathtaking. As the late violinist Isaac Stern once observed, the hall "takes what you do and makes it larger than life."

• Performances: Widely regarded as the most prestigious concert stage in the United States, Carnegie Hall has, in its 120-year history, presented concerts by some of the finest classical and popular musicians in the world, including Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Leonard Bernstein, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Chris Thile.
• Architecture: One of the last buildings in New York built without a steel frame, Carnegie Hall is rendered in narrow Roman bricks with details in terracotta and brownstone. With its white plaster, gray stone, round-headed lunettes, and Corinthian pilasters, the foyer recalls the Forentine Renaissance architecture of Filippo Brunelleschi's Pazzi Chapel. The subdued white and gold interior of Carnegie Hall is truly a work of art.
• History: Carnegie Hall boasts a rich and interesting history. First opened in 1891, the Hall was slated for demolition in 1960 due to a lack of funds. The building was saved, however, by a group of passionate artists led by Isaac Stern, who helped to pass special legislation that allowed the city of New York to buy the site for $5 million.

Inside Knowledge: Originally known simply as "Music Hall," Carnegie Music Hall opened on May 5, 1891 with a concert conducted by maestro Walter Damrosch and composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. In 1893, the Hall was named after Andrew Carnegie, who had paid for its construction. In a typical year, Carnegie Music Hall hosts 250 performances and an additional 600 events.