Lincoln Center of the Performing Arts, built in the 1960's, is the largest performing arts center in the world and houses some of the City’s major cultural institutions including the Metropolitan Opera House, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the New York City Ballet, and the most recent addition, the Jazz Center (located in the Time Warner Center building).  The Metropolitan Opera House is the centerpiece of three large buildings and a fountain within the Plaza.  The Metropolitan Opera was designed by architect Wallace K. Harrison.  Its external has five arches built of travertine (a natural stone from Tivoli, Italy – near Rome -- the same stone used for the building of Rome’s Colosseum), and its stage contains seven full-stage elevators and two cycloramas.  The Opera’s main lobby has two large, modern murals by Russian painter, Marc Chagall.  Avery Fisher Hall, the building (barely seen here) on the right of the Plaza, is the home to the New York Philharmonic Orchestra -- the oldest symphony orchestra in America and one of the oldest in the world (founded in 1842). 

 

Unseen to the left is the New York State Theatre.  Lincoln Center is currently undergoing renovations at a cost of $630 million. It is located just above the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood – now known as Clinton (which ends at 59th Street) -- where the fictional Italian and Puerto Rican youth gangs of the Sharks and the Jets lived and battled in one of American theatre’s greatest musicals, West Side Story.  Leonard Bernstein, who composed the musical score for West Side Story, was the director of the New York Philharmonic orchestra at Lincoln Center for many years.  Lincoln Center’s Young People’s Concerts, conducted primarily by Bernstein, were telecast live for over 20 years.  Juilliard School is also located in the Center’s complex.