Scene Last Night: Mindich, Rockefeller, Wilpon, Lupone, Parker
Donna Murphy floated on stage in a purple gown and sang a million dollar version of Cole Porter’s “I Happen to Like New York.”
Brian Stokes Mitchell pitted the left and right sides of the house in a sing-along to George and Ira Gershwin’s “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” from “Porgy and Bess.”
And Patti LuPone, looking deceptively angelic in white, gave the audience a medley. “Everything’s gonna be bright lights and lollipops,” she sang from Jule Styne’s “Gypsy.”
All of this and more celebrated the reopening of New York City Center after a $57 million renovation.
In the audience were Eric Mindich, chief executive and founder of Eton Park Capital Management LP, whose wife, Stacey, is a City Center board member; actress Isabella Rossellini; Indre Rockefeller, a dancer who works at Vogue and also a board member; and Fred Wilpon, majority owner of the Mets.
The proceedings last night felt familial. The chairman of the theater, Ray Lamontagne (no, not the musician from Maine, but a tall man with white hair) put his arm around the president and chief executive of City Center, Arlene Shuler. She said she was going to try not to cry.
Robert Battle, artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, on stage to introduce a performance by members of his company, mentioned a detail of the renovation he appreciated: the expansion of the men’s bathrooms.
Sarah Jessica Parker introduced New York City Ballet dancers Ask La Cour and Wendy Whelan, who performed “After the Rain,” choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon.
Reflecting City Center’s range, there was a little bit of everything on the program.
Joshua Bell
Denyce Graves performed an aria from “Samson and Delilah.” Joshua Bell took out his violin for some of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” and “West Side Story.”
NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams went on about playing various roles in “Guys and Dolls” on his high-school stage in Middletown, New Jersey.
He then brought on two children who participate in City Center’s education programs.
“Are you nervous?” he said, “Remember what I told you.”
Williams had advised the girls to imagine the audience naked. It did the trick.
Afterwards buses took the performers and patrons to Cipriani 42nd Street for dinner -- and only one formal remark: The event raised $2 million, Lamontagne said.
(Amanda Gordon is a writer and photographer for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. Any opinions expressed are her own.)
To contact the writer on this story: Amanda Gordon in New York at agordon01@bloomberg.net or on Twitter at @amandagordon.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Manuela Hoelterhoff at mhoelterhoff@bloomberg.net.
Brian and Jane Williams
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Brian Williams of NBC News and Jane Williams of Bloomberg Radio.
Brian Williams of NBC News and Jane Williams of Bloomberg Radio. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Retired ballerina Alessandra Ferri and actress, model and filmmaker Isabella Rossellini.
Retired ballerina Alessandra Ferri and actress, model and filmmaker Isabella Rossellini. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Eric Mindich, CEO and founder, Eton Park Capital Management LP.
Eric Mindich, CEO and founder, Eton Park Capital Management LP. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Damian Woetzel, Sarah Jessica Parker and Christopher Wheeldon.
Damian Woetzel, Sarah Jessica Parker and Christopher Wheeldon. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Arlene Shuler, president of New York City Center.
Arlene Shuler, president of New York City Center. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Indre Rockefeller, a City Center board member.
Indre Rockefeller, a City Center board member. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
The $57 million renovation of the theater brightened the original Moorish design.
The $57 million renovation of the theater brightened the original Moorish design. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Fred Wilpon and Dick Auletta.
Fred Wilpon and Dick Auletta. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Ask La Cour, New York City Ballet dancer, and Liz Peek, writer.
Ask La Cour, New York City Ballet dancer, and Liz Peek, writer. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Liz Montgomery, dancer, and her stepmom, Denyce Graves.
Liz Montgomery, dancer, and her stepmom, Denyce Graves. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Peter and Jill Kraus.
Peter and Jill Kraus. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Joshua Bell, violinist, and Ray Lamontagne, chairman, New York City Center.
Joshua Bell, violinist, and Ray Lamontagne, chairman, New York City Center. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Andrea Miller, a dancer and choreographer, and Robin Seegal.
Andrea Miller, a dancer and choreographer, and Robin Seegal. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
New York City Center Reopening Night
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
The theater with a new marquee.
The theater with a new marquee. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
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