Lincoln Center's David Rubenstein Atrium Adds Four Series, Featuring Adam Gopnik, Panels, Kids Artists & More

By: Jan. 15, 2016
Enter Your Email to Unlock This Article

Plus, get the best of BroadwayWorld delivered to your inbox, and unlimited access to our editorial content across the globe.




Existing user? Just click login.

Four series have been newly-added to the programming lineup of free events at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center: The History of the World in 100 Performances with Adam Gopnik, and three series curated and produced by Award-winning theater directors Lonny Price and Matt Cowart: LC Dialogues, LC Originals, and Late Nights at the Atrium.

The new series, and additional numbers of events added to the existing series, will expand the Atrium's free presentations from approximately 80 events a year to nearly 150 in 2016, extending Lincoln Center's commitment to making great art available to the widest-possible audience.

The David Rubenstein Atrium, which opened in 2009 as a vibrant public space and Lincoln Center visitor center, has presented year-round free performances since 2010, including a Thursday evening concert series and monthly Saturday morning family programs. Now called Atrium 360°, the concert series will continue with Thursday evening presentations, but will also offer events and performances on additional nights of the week.

About the Atrium Series:

- The History of the World in 100 Performances With Adam Gopnik, celebrated New Yorker critic and reporter, and best-selling author, whose most recent work includes musical theater projects as a librettist and lyricist, leads guests on multimedia investigations into great artistic triumphs in the theater, the concert hall, on the dance stage, and the movie screen.

- LC Originals aims to demystify the creative process by exploring new and existing music, dance, and drama with distinguished artists from stage and screen discussing their work.

- LC Dialogues offers illuminating conversations on creativity and craft between an emerging artist and an established one in their field.

- Late Nights at the Atrium, starting at 10:30 pm, will bring wide-ranging events to the Atrium, from salons (such as Alan Gilbert and friends on February 12), presenting artists from Lincoln Center's main stages in casual performance to late-night dance parties with some of today's hottest DJs.

- LC Kids Artists at the Atrium and LC Kids Storytime at the Atrium bring the best in children's music and stories to young audiences from ages 3-6, with programs designed to be fun for the whole family. LC Kids is Lincoln Center's membership program which welcomes families to Lincoln Center and presents performances and events to engage children in the arts. In 2015, LC Kids presented or hosted more than 70 music, dance, theater, and circus events for more than 20,000 people. Visitkids.lincolncenter.org for a campus-wide calendar of family-friendly performances, practical information about coming to Lincoln Center with a child, and further information about membership and its benefits.

- Atrium 360°, the new name of the Atrium's original free performance series, curated by the Atrium's Director, Jordana Phokompe, will continue to offer concerts by musical artists from wide-ranging genres -- classical, jazz, rock, soul, R&B and soul, hip-hop, world music, and more -- as well as spoken-word, films, and multi-media programs. The series will continue its collaborations with Lincoln Center resident organizations such as the New York Philharmonic, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, as well as arts and education institutions such as New York University, the Independent Music Awards, NewSong Music, NYC Youth Poet Laureate and Urban Word NYC, Rockwood Music Hall and WFUV, and more. A new collaboration with VICE Media, VICE Media Watch & Learn, which launches on February 17, will delve into today's most pressing topics with special screenings from the upcoming fourth season of the Emmy Award-winning HBO series VICE, followed by talk-backs with some of the fascinating minds behind the groundbreaking television series.

All events take place at The David Rubenstein Atrium, Frieda and Roy Furman Stage (Broadway bet. 62nd & 63rd St.). Admission is FREE; Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information about the Atrium and its free events, including program updates, visit LincolnCenter.org/Atrium.


January 2016:

Thursday, January 14 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Pierre Kwenders

This Congolese-Canadian musician-who both raps and sings in Tshiluba, Lingala, French, and English-is where hip-hop, soul, Congolese rumba, and electro unite.

Saturday, January 16 at 11:00 am

LC Kids Storytime at the Atrium

The Nuts: Sing and Dance in Your Polka Dot Pants

Eric Litwin, the creative genius behind the first four Pete the Cat books, shares stories and songs from his new book series. Recommended for ages 3-6.

LC Kids Storytime at the Atrium is presented in collaboration with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Sign up at Kids.LincolnCenter.org for more information about family events at Lincoln Center.

Tuesday, January 19 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Lincoln Center American Songbook 2016 Opening Night

Ryan Scott Oliver

The winner of the third annual Invest in the Future of American Song contest to select the artist for the free opening night concert of American Songbook is composer lyricist Ryan Scott Oliver who will be joined by a stellar roster of Broadway performers, including Derek Klena, Lindsay Mendez, and Katie Thompson singing selections of the Larson Grant Award-winner's work.Invest in the Future of American Song is made possible by PGIM, the Global Investment Management Business of Prudential Financial. Oliver was selected from among three artists via an online competition. Visit AmericanSongbook.org for more program details.

Thursday, January 21 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Insights at the Atrium: The New York Philharmonic in Conversation and Performance

Musicians of the New York Philharmonic, Rebecca Young (viola), Mindy Kaufman (flute) and Nancy Allen (harp), give an intimate chamber performance and introduce themselves in a conversation led by WQXR-FM's Jeff Spurgeon.

Saturday, January 23 at 12pm and 2pm

LC Kids

Lincoln Center at the Movies: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Captured before a live audience during AAADT's recent Lincoln Center season and shown in movie theaters nationwide this fall as part of the inaugural season of Lincoln Center at the Movies: Great American Dance, the performance features four acclaimed works including Ailey's masterpiece, the beloved Revelations-as well as a look behind-the-scenes, and interviews.

Tuesday, January 26 at 7:30 pm

LC Dialogues

Artist to Artist: Audra McDonald

The intricacies of the creative process are revealed when a young, emerging artist sits down to interview the Tony Award-winning Broadway star, and host of Live From Lincoln Center.

Thursday, January 28 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

The Burnt Sugar Repertory Arkestra:

DopeSex&Dem Wild Buffalo Love Joints-Burnt Sugar Superfreaks the Rick James Playabook

In this Lincoln Center-commissioned evening, the Arkestra offers its take on the wild-ride of "punk-funk" master singer, songwriter, and producer Rick James, whose first break-out hits were recorded with his Stone City Band-the group he formed with musicians from his native Buffalo-and who went on to top the charts with "Give it to me Baby" and his signature "Super Freak" the dance anthem for a generation.

February 2016:

Tuesday, February 2 at 7:30 pm

LC Dialogues

Artist to Artist: Paul Gemignani

Stephen Sondheim's musical director for the last 40 years sits down with a young conductor for an intimate conversation about his exceptional career.

Thursday, February 4 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

¡Vaya! 63: Típica 73

¡Vaya! 63-a new Atrium mini-series series celebrating Latin culture in New York City, with live music, DJs, and visual art at one of the most inviting dancefloors in town-continues with Típica 73, a legendary band that has been packing dancefloors with its blend of New York salsa for over four decades, and DJ Jose Calderon.

¡Vaya! 63 is a collaboration with NYU Steinhardt.

Saturday, February 6 at 11:00 am

LC Kids Artists at the Atrium

Elena Moon Park and Friends

Combining reimagined traditional folk and children's songs from East Asia with western folk and rock instruments, Korean-American born and Tennessee-raised Elena Moon Park and her musical friends inspire cross-cultural exchange that transcends borders, ages, languages, and backgrounds. Recommended for ages 3?6.

Sign up at Kids.LincolnCenter.org for more information about family events at Lincoln Center.

Monday, February 8 at 7:30 pm

LC Originals: First Look

A cast of four performs songs from Some Lovers, for a "first look" at a new musical from legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach and Tony Award-winning playwright Steven Sater (Spring Awakening).

Tuesday, February 9 at 7:30 pm

LC Originals: Songwriters

Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick, the creators of the Broadway smash Something Rotten!, head a list of top musical theater songwriters premiering original songs inspired by Lincoln Center.

Wednesday, February 10 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Insights at the Atrium

New York Philharmonic: Stepping Inside Mahler's Sixth

Using Philharmonic recordings of Mahler's Sixth Symphony led by Mitropoulos, Bernstein, Maazel, and Alan Gilbert, and marked conducting scores from the New York Philharmonic Leon Levy Digital Archives, Professor Alex Ruthmann and his team from the New York University Music Experience Design Lab have developed a prototype that allows listeners to explore the score and understand what distinguishes each performance. Interactive stations will be available to "test drive" the prototype. Guest speakers will discuss the historic relationship of Mahler's Sixth Symphony and the Philharmonic.

Co-presented with the New York Philharmonic

Thursday, February 11 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Complimentary Classical: Dover Quartet

The 2013 Banff International String Quartet Competition winners bring their "distinctive musical sound (Wall Street Journal) to works of Schumann and Shostakovich.

Schumann: String Quartet in A minor, Op. 41, No. 1

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 2 in A major

Friday, February 12 at 10:30 pm

Late Nights at the Atrium

Salon with Alan Gilbert

The inaugural "Late Nights" event, a salon evening, invites night owls to a casual evening to enjoy a cultural nightcap with New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert and musical friends.

Tuesday, February 16 at 7:30 pm

The History of the World in 100 Performances with Adam Gopnik

Leonard Bernstein Takes Over the New York Philharmonic

The year is 1943. A maestro falls ill and an unknown 25-year-old conductor becomes front-page news. In this new series, the celebrated New Yorker writer and guest artists offer a multimedia investigation into landmark cultural events.

Wednesday, February 17 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Vice Media Watch & Learn

The Atrium launches its new series-a collaboration with Vice Media-that will screen news documentaries focused on some of today's most pressing issues featured on the upcoming fourth season of the Emmy-winning HBO series VICE. Join some of the fascinating minds behind the groundbreaking television series for a talk-back following the screening.

Thursday, February 18 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Quint/Herskowitz, BACH XXI

Pianist/arranger Matt Herskowitz reimagines works of the master composer in contemporary settings, incorporating rhythms, grooves, and harmonic voicings from jazz, Latin, Arab, Jewish, and contemporary classical styles into the original scores. Featuring internationally acclaimed classical violinist Philippe Quint and anchored by Herskowitz's famed trio-with Mat Fieldes on bass and Damien Bassmanon on drums-BACH XXI invites t to rediscover the genius of Bach in a new, modern, and personal voice.

Friday, February 19 at 7:30 pm

LC Dialogues

Artist to Artist: Jack O'Brien

The three-time Tony Award-winning director (Hairspray, Henry IV, and The Coast of Utopia) shares wisdom gained over five decades in the theater with an emerging director.

Saturday, February 20 at 11:00 am

LC Kids Storytime at the Atrium

Wolfie the Bunny

Families of every description will delight as author Ame Dyckman (Boy + Bot, Tea Party Rules) and illustrator Zachariah O'Hora (Stop Snoring, Bernard!, No fits, Nilson!) read from their New York Times best-selling book, a sweet tale of new babies, sibling rivalry, bravery, and unconditional love.

Recommended for ages 3-6.

LC Kids Storytime at the Atrium is presented in collaboration with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Sign up at Kids.LincolnCenter.org for more information about family events at Lincoln Center.

Thursday, February 25 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Complimentary Classical: Parker Quartet

The Grammy-winning, Boston-based ensemble brings its "exceptional virtuosity [and] imaginative interpretation" (The Washington Post) to performances of works by Szymanowski, Webern and Beethoven.

Szymanowski: String Quartet No. 1 in C major

Webern: Five Movements for string quartet

Beethoven: String Quartet in G major, Op. 18, No. 2

Friday, February 26 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

College Cabaret

Student performers vie for votes to become College Cabaret Artist of the Year at this party featuring performances, drink specials, and prizes all night long.

Presented in collaboration with Lincoln Center's Student Advisory Council

March 2016:

Thursday, March 3 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

¡Vaya! 63: Marc Ribot Y Los Cubanos Postizos

¡Vaya! 63, the new Atrium mini-series celebrating Latin culture in New York City with live music, DJs, and visual art, continues with Marc Ribot Y Los Cubanos Postizos (aka "The Prosthetic Cubans"). The must-see party band of the late 1990s, with its feverishly cooking shows built around arrangements of Cuban bandleader Arsenio Rodriguez-innovator of the son montuno-had two critically acclaimed albums released on Atlantic Records. The group re-formed in 2011 and the band now features new member, Cuba's own Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez on drums and original members Anthony Coleman (keys), Brad Jones (bass) and EJ Rodriquez (percussion). DJ Oshun will open and close the evening.

¡Vaya! 63 is a collaboration with NYU Steinhardt.

Saturday, March 5 at 11:00 am

LC Kids Artists at the Atrium

The Itty Biddies

With soaring vocals, sweet ukulele, melodic piano, and groovy bass, this trio takes children on a playful journey of the imagination through song and storytelling that adults will enjoy, too. "With their cool clubby roots and easygoing onstage banter, The Biddies' live show might be the smoothest 45 minutes in kiddie concert history." -Time Out New York Kids. Recommended for ages 3?6.

Sign up at Kids.LincolnCenter.org for more information about family events at Lincoln Center.

Tuesday, March 8 at 7:30 pm

The History of the World in 100 Performances with Adam Gopnik

Judy Garland at the Palace Theatre

The year is 1951. A Hollywood star at a career low point returns to her vaudeville roots in a record-breaking stage comeback. Find out how it happened in this new series, when the celebrated New Yorker writer and guest artists offer a multimedia investigation into landmark cultural events.

Thursday, March 10 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

2015 Independent Music Award Winners

Featuring Bent Knee and Johnny Dowd

Johnny Dowd and his band return to New York City after a 10-year hiatus during which Dowd built a large and passionate following in Europe, and released five albums of his unique, alternative blues filtered through country, rock, R&B, experimental, and electronic lenses. The night also spotlights a performance by Bent Knee, a genre-defying, art-rock collective from Boston. The Independent Music Award program continues its 15-year commitment to raising the profile of extraordinary indie artists, labels and their releases.

Monday, March 14 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

ReelAbilities: NY Disabilities Film Festival

For the first time, the largest festival in the U.S. dedicated to presenting award-winning films made by and about people with disabilities comes to Lincoln Center

Tuesday, March 15 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Insights at the Atrium

Karawane and the Meaning of Music

New York Philharmonic Composer-in-Residence Esa-Pekka Salonen explores his Dada-inspired work for orchestra and chorus,Karawane, his first major work in recent years, co-commissioned by the New York Philharmonic. This homage to Hugo Ball's poem "Karawane" and the spirit of Dada, the radical art movement founded 100 years ago, addresses the question of meaning in music.

Co-presented with the New York Philharmonic

Thursday, March 17

Atrium 360°

AiR (Atmospheric Irish Recital) at 6:30 pm

The Yanks at 7:30 pm

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a double-bill offering traditional Irish music with 21st-century verve. AiR weaves songs and rhythms from the traditional Irish repertoire through electro-acoustic composition framed by a multi-media installation of Irish natural soundscapes, cinematography, and still photography. New York-based, The Yanks-featuring 2014 senior All-Ireland fiddle champion Dylan Foley, All-Ireland champions Isaac Alderson and Dan Gurney, and accompanist Sean Earnest-have been hailed as the U.S.'s premier Irish traditional instrumental quartet.

Saturday, March 19 at 11 am

LC Kids Storytime at the Atrium

This new Atrium series presents beloved children's book authors reading from their own works. Recommended for ages 3-6.

LC Kids Storytime at the Atrium is presented in collaboration with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Sign up at Kids.LincolnCenter.org for more information about family events at Lincoln Center.

Tuesday, March 22 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

American Songbook at the Atrium: Rana Santacruz

A nominated contestant in the year's third annual "Invest in the Future of American Song" sponsored by PGIM, the Global Investment Management Business of Prudential Financial-an online competition for the audience to select the artist for the free, opening night concert of the American Songbook series-Rana Santacruz is a Mexican-born, Brooklyn-based musician drawing on influences as diverse as mariachi music, classic Mexican cinema, American bluegrass, Balkan-beat, and post-punk favorites like The Smiths, The Cure, and The Pogues. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Santacruz's accordion-driven songs also reveal a knack for poetic-even cinematic-storytelling.

Wednesday, March 23 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Vice Media Watch & Learn

Dive into today's most pressing topics with a special screening and talk-back with some of the great minds behind the groundbreaking television series Vice.

Thursday, March 24 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Loser's Lounge: Studio 63 Dance Party

One of New York's most entertaining house bands, and a favorite of Atrium- and Midsummer Night Swing-goers, plays its way through great songs of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The audience is invited to come dressed in club wear from their favorite decade.

Tuesday, March 29 at 7:30 pm

The History of the World in 100 Performances with Adam Gopnik

Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire

The year is 1951. A new "method" of acting is unleashed on Hollywood. In this new series, the celebrated New Yorker writer and guest artists offer a multimedia investigation into landmark artistic events.

Thursday, March 31 at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Complimentary Classical: Minetti Quartett

This "musical sensation" from Austria (Berlin Tagesspiegel) makes its Lincoln Center debut with a program of works by Schubert, Kurtág, and Beethoven.

Programs and artists subject to change.



Videos