Alice Tully Hall

Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. The hall is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations helped build the hall. It is situated within the Juilliard Building, a Brutalist structure designed by architect Pietro Belluschi, and opened its doors in 1969.

Since it opened, Tully Hall has been a venue for many performances and events, including the New York Film Festival. The hall can seat 1,086 people and serves as the home of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

As part of the Lincoln Center 65th Street Development Project, Tully Hall and the Juilliard School underwent a major renovation and expansion completed in 2009. Architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro and FXFOWLE updated the building with new materials, technologies, and equipment for concerts, film, theater, and dance. The expansion added a three-story all-glass lobby and a sunken plaza beneath a cantilevered extension, creating a more visible public presence on Broadway.

Site

The Juilliard School building is located along the west side of Broadway, between 65th and 66th Streets. It is across the street from Avery Fisher Hall and the Lincoln Center parking garage. Before it was expanded, the building had a rectangular shape of about 200 by 350 feet.

Alice Tully Hall, the main public theater of Juilliard, did not have a prominent entrance even though it was the only Lincoln Center building directly facing Broadway. Its entrance was hidden under a second-story outdoor terrace and a large staircase. This design kept the hall somewhat separate from the city street, similar to the main Lincoln Center campus. The original entrance became fully visible only after the terrace, staircase, and footbridge were removed in 2006.

History

Context and construction

Before Alice Tully Hall was built, most chamber music performances in New York City happened at The Town Hall. The leaders of Lincoln Center wanted their own special space for chamber music. They decided to build this space inside the Juilliard building. Construction started in 1965. The hall cost about $4.2 million, and all the money came from donations by Alice Tully, a music lover and former singer.

Alice Tully Hall was designed by Pietro Belluschi, who worked with two others. He helped plan the hall for over twelve years. Alice Tully had a big say in how the hall looked, choosing colors and making sure there was enough space between the seats for everyone to be comfortable.

Opening, use and renovation

Tully Hall opened on September 11, 1969, with a concert by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. It quickly became a popular place for many different performances. In 1975, a very large organ with 4,192 pipes was added.

In 2003, new architects were chosen to help update parts of Lincoln Center, including Tully Hall. Work began in 2007, and the hall reopened in February 2009 after being renovated. The renovation cost much more than expected.

Architecture

The Juilliard Building, where Alice Tully Hall is located, was designed in a style called Brutalist. This means it has strong, simple shapes and uses materials like steel and concrete. The building has many different spaces for music and dance, including three theaters, studios, and practice rooms. It was built to hold a lot of people and activities in one place.

Inside, the building keeps things simple with bare walls and special designs for the theaters. Tully Hall was made to be perfect for music performances, with good sound and comfortable seating. After it was updated, the hall got bigger and more inviting, with new lighting and flexible stages.

When the hall was updated, architects added new spaces and made the building feel more connected to the streets outside. They used glass walls to let in light and created a modern look that fits with the older design. The changes helped make Tully Hall one of the best places in New York for music and performances.