Central Park

The Daily Plant : Friday, July 13, 2001

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC HONORS LEONARD BERNSTEIN

This summer, in every borough, park visitors will enjoy the convergence of nature and art that is a specialty of New York City summers. Among the array of free performances offered, few are more anticipated than that of the New York Philharmonic. On Tuesday, July 10, the Philharmonic opened their 37th season of free, open-air performances with a program that included music by Leonard Bernstein and Prokofiev. More than 50,000 visitors huddled under the trees to avoid what looked like rain, or spread out their picnic blankets across the Great Lawn as Maestro William Eddins conducted the world famous orchestra.

The evening, dedicated to Leonard Bernstein, began with a welcome from Zarin Mehta, Executive Director of the New York Philharmonic. Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern and Gerald Levin of AOL Time Warner spoke. At the conclusion of the ceremony, John Walsh, Head of the United States Postal Service unveiled a Leonard Bernstein commemorative postage stamp. Guests received cancelled copies.

With Tuesday's concert, Parks and the Central Park Conservancy continued to test a recycling campaign to keep Central Park clean and up to environmental standards. Collectively, audience members at the Metropolitan Opera's performance of Tosca recycled two tons of bottles. The crowd at La Traviata recycled two and a half tons. Audience members at the Philharmonic sought to beat their record.

Special thanks to everyone who's hard work made possible this popular, annual event. From now until July 21, the New York Philharmonic will tour parks in the five boroughs and the greater metropolitan area with two musical programs. A schedule of performances can be found on our website, www.nyc.gov/parks.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Friday, July 15, 1988)

PARKS TO EXHIBIT WORKS OF OLDER ARTISTS

In Discoveries IV: An Exhibition of the City's Unknown Older Artists," Parks presents a display of 95 works of art submitted by older artists. The exhibit will be on view from July 26 to August 31 at the third floor Arsenal Gallery, located at 64th Street and Fifth Avenue in Central Park.

More than 1,000 pieces of art in a broad range of styles and media were submitted by artists aged 55 and older from all five boroughs. The final works were selected by art professionals from museums and galleries.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Technique is communication:
the two words are synonymous in conductors."

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)

Know Before You Go

Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Rink)

Harlem Meer Center