Carnegie Hall, New York, United States

Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park.

Carnegie Hall’s mission is to present extraordinary music and musicians on the three stages of this legendary hall, to bring the transformative power of music to the widest possible audience, to provide visionary education programs, and to foster the future of music through the cultivation of new works, artists and audiences.

Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1891, it is one of the most prestigious venues in the world for both classical music and popular music. Carnegie Hall has its own artistic programming, development, and marketing departments, and presents about 250 performances each season. Carnegie Hall has 3,671 seats, divided among its three auditoriums.

Building:
Its remarkable architectural design and incredible legacy have made Carnegie Hall a national historic landmark and vital cultural center.

Before Andrew Carnegie commissioned him to build one, New York City architect William Burnet Tuthill had never designed a concert hall. Clearly, his lack of experience was no detriment: Not only did Tuthill conceive an elegant building, but his work also—and most notably—gave Carnegie Hall its legendary sound.

Isaac Stern Auditorium / Ronald O. Perelman Stage
This storied and majestic space has been hosting performances since 1891.

Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall
Our newest venue features classical, pop, jazz, and world music artists.

Joan and Sanford I. Weill Recital Hall
This intimate space houses chamber music concerts, panel discussions, and debut performances.

Judith and Burton Resnick Education Wing
The Judith and Burton Resnick Education Wing is home to many programs offered by the Weill Music Institute and Ensemble Connect.

Performance Halls
Three great stages feature memorable classical and popular music attractions, and are also home to comedians, galas, screenings, benefits, and business presentations.

The Carnegie Hall name immediately conjures memories of legendary musical and historical moments. The Hall is internationally recognized as one of the finest settings for artists and audiences, rich with timeless beauty and fully equipped as a 21st-century performance venue. Three great stages feature memorable classical and popular music attractions, and are also home to comedians, galas, screenings, benefits, and business presentations.

Main Hall:
The Isaac Stern Auditorium seats 2,804 on five levels and was named after violinist Isaac Stern in 1997 to recognize his efforts to save the hall from demolition in the 1960s. The hall is enormously high, and visitors to the top balcony must climb 137 steps. All but the top level can be reached by elevator.

The main hall was home to the performances of the New York Philharmonic from 1892 until 1962. Known as the most prestigious concert stage in the U.S., almost all of the leading classical music, and more recently, popular music, performers since 1891 have performed there. After years of heavy wear and tear, the hall was extensively renovated in 1986.

The Ronald O. Perelman Stage is 42 feet deep. The five levels of seating in the Stern Auditorium begin with the Parquet level, which has twenty-five full rows of thirty-eight seats and four partial rows at stage level, for a total of 1,021 seats. The First Tier and Second Tier consist of sixty-five boxes; the First Tier has 264 seats at eight seats per box and the Second Tier seats 238, with boxes ranging from six to eight seats each. Second from the top is the Dress Circle, seating 444 in six rows; the first two rows form an almost-complete semicircle. At the top, the balcony seats 837. Although seats with obstructed views exist throughout the auditorium, only the Dress Circle level has structural columns.

Zankel Hall:
Zankel Hall, which seats 599, is named after Judy and Arthur Zankel. Originally called simply Recital Hall, this was the first auditorium to open to the public in April 1891. Following renovations made in 1896, it was renamed Carnegie Lyceum. It was leased to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1898, converted into a cinema, which opened as the Carnegie Hall Cinema in May 1961 with the film White Nights by Luchino Visconti and was reclaimed for use as an auditorium in 1997. The completely reconstructed Zankel Hall is flexible in design and can be reconfigured in several different arrangements to suit the needs of the performers. It opened in September 2003.

The 599 seats in Zankel Hall are arranged in two levels. The Parterre level seats a total of 463 and the Mezzanine level seats 136. Each level has a number of seats which are situated along the side walls, perpendicular to the stage. These seats are designated as boxes; there are 54 seats in six boxes on the Parterre level and 48 seats in four boxes on the Mezzanine level. The boxes on the Parterre level are raised above the level of the stage. Zankel Hall is accessible and its stage is 44 feet wide and 25 feet deep—the stage occupies approximately one fifth of the performance space.

Weill Recital Hall:
The Joan and Sanford I. Weill Recital Hall seats 268 and is named after Sanford I. Weill, a former chairman of the board, and his wife Joan. This auditorium, in use since the hall opened in 1891, was originally called Chamber Music Hall (later Carnegie Chamber Music Hall); the name was changed to Carnegie Recital Hall in the late 1940s, and finally became Joan and Sanford I. Weill Recital Hall in 1986.

The Weill Recital Hall is the smallest of the three performance spaces, with a total of 268 seats. The Orchestra level contains fourteen rows of fourteen seats, a total of 196, and the Balcony level contains 72 seats in five rows.

Other facilities:
The building also contains the Carnegie Hall Archives, established in 1986, and the Rose Museum, which opened in 1991. Until 2009 studios above the Hall contained working spaces for artists in the performing and graphic arts including music, drama, dance, as well as architects, playwrights, literary agents, photographers and painters. The spaces were unusual in being purpose-designed for artistic work, with very high ceilings, skylights and large windows for natural light. In 2007 the Carnegie Hall Corporation announced plans to evict the 33 remaining studio residents, some of whom had been in the building since the 1950s, including celebrity portrait photographer Editta Sherman and fashion photographer Bill Cunningham. The organization's research showed that Andrew Carnegie had always considered the spaces as a source of income to support the hall and its activities. The space has been re-purposed for music education and corporate offices.

Matching the artistry and grandeur of the world's most iconic music hall, Carnegie Hall's extraordinary event spaces feature an expansive rooftop terrace, a private dining room with historic fixtures, and newly renovated, flexible spaces with dramatic windows that showcase Central Park and skyline views.

STARR Events provides specially curated dining experiences for its clients, with bold, flavorful fare prepared from locally sourced and seasonal ingredients.

Contemporary Spaces
Reduced room rental rates available during off-peak months (July, August, January, February)

May Room
The perfect space for intimate gatherings in Midtown Manhattan. Featuring customized seasonal tasting menus, the May Room can accommodate a dramatic King's table or classic round table seating formations. (Reception: 50 guests; Seated: 34 guests. Dimensions: 31' x 15'.)

Weill Terrace Room
Adjacent to the Weill Terrace on the ninth floor, this elegantly appointed event space features skyline views, polished hardwood floors, and contemporary architectural details perfect for social celebrations and corporate gatherings. (Reception: 250 guests; Seated: 230 guests. Dimensions: 50' x 49'.)

Weill Music Room
Located on the 10th floor, this stunning event space features grand windows with skyline views of New York City and Central Park. Soaring ceilings and a unique catwalk overlooking the main floor make this a truly memorable space. (Reception: 200 guests; Seated: 200 guests. Dimensions: 43' x 51'.)

Classic Spaces
Conveniently located off of the Blavatnik Family First Tier level of Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, the Shorin Club Room and the Rohatyn Room are decorated elegantly with rich hardwood paneling and brass trim. (Reception: 79-299 guests; Seated: 50-240 guests. Shorin Club Room Dimensions: 25' x 29'. Rohatyn Room Dimensions: 29' x 68'.)

Rose Museum
The Rose Museum chronicles our history through displays of concert programs, photographs, videos, and more.

Adjacent to the Rohatyn and Shorin Club Rooms and similarly appointed, the Rose Museum chronicles Carnegie Hall's history and exhibits its archival treasures to the public. (Reception: 150 guests; Seated 60 guests. Dimensions: 29' x 44'.)