Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York is one of the world’s leading centres for the performing arts. The centre itself is large, boasting 16.3 acres, and is the perfect place for a night out. The complex comprises three main buildings and a range of facilities for both indoor and outdoor performances.

Here you can enjoy world-renowned opera, ballet, dance, concerts or other performances. Buy your Lincoln Center tickets in advance to ensure a spot.

Attending a Performance at Lincoln Center in New York

Are you planning to attend a performance at Lincoln Center in New York? Then there’s a good chance that you’ll spend the afternoon or evening at one of the main buildings of the centre. The three main buildings are:

• The David Geffen Hall (formerly known as Avery Fisher Hall)
• The Metropolitan Opera House
• The David H. Koch Theater (formerly known as the New York State Theater)

The buildings are well known around the world for their concerts, opera and ballet performances respectively. In addition to the Met Opera and New York City Ballet, Lincoln Center is home to the New York Philharmonic. The famous Juilliard School is also located in Lincoln Center.

Opera at Lincoln Center

Watching an opera at Lincoln Center is an experience like no other. The renowned Metropolitan Opera presents more than 200 performances each opera season, from late September through June. These large-scale productions feature grand sets and beautiful costumes. There can be over 100 performers on stage at the same time, accompanied by the Met Orchestra in the orchestra pit.

The building itself, with its large glass facade, is also impressive. With a capacity of 3,800 seats, the Metropolitan Opera House is one of the largest opera houses in the world.

Click here for more details and buy tickets to the Metropolitan Opera

Ballet at Lincoln Center

You can see ballet at Lincoln Center almost year-round. New York City Ballet’s home is David H. Koch Theater, and they perform from autumn to spring. NYCB’s season includes the famous annual Balanchine’s Nutcracker during the holidays.

Click here for more details and buy tickets to the New York City Ballet

In addition to NYC Ballet, you can also sometimes catch a performance by American Ballet Theatre at Lincoln Center. They typically perform at the Metropolitan Opera House during the summer, and the rest of the year at David H. Koch Theater. The ballet company is known for more classical ballets like Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet.

Buy your tickets for the American Ballet Theatre here

Classical music at Lincoln Center

New York Philharmonic is one of the oldest and most prestigious symphony orchestras in the United States, so you can expect masterful performances. NY Phil is based at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. They have an extensive repertoire ranging from classical works to contemporary pieces.

You can also see chamber music at Lincoln Center. The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performs at Alice Tully Hall, which is located within the Juilliard Building.

Buy your tickets for the New York Philharmonic here
Buy your tickets for at Lincoln Center Chamber Music here

Jazz at Lincoln Center

Jazz at Lincoln Center is one of the most prestigious jazz venues in the world. It is located in the Frederick P. Rose Hall in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle, separate from the rest of Lincoln Center. The jazz centre features several concert halls, including the Appel Room, which boasts glass walls and offers views of Central Park and Columbus Circle. If you would like to attend Jazz at Lincoln Center, I recommend booking in advance, especially for popular shows. See here for more jazz in New York.

Where to eat near Lincoln Center

There are a number of great restaurants near Lincoln Center where you can have dinner before attending a performance. Go to The Smith, for example, which is located across from Lincoln Center. For a special night out, you can head to Columbus Circle, where you can find several restaurants suitable for the occasion.

Try Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill or, if you’d like to dine with a view, you can book a table at Robert NYC. This chic and classy restaurant offers wonderful views of Columbus Circle and Central Park. All restaurants are within walking distance of Lincoln Center.

How to get to Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center is located in the Upper West Side, between West 62nd and 65th Streets and Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. You can take the subway 1 uptown which runs to 66th Street/Lincoln Center Station. This is the closest stop. You can also take subway ABCD to Columbus Circle and walk north, you can’t miss it!

Practical Information

• Location: Lincoln Center Plaza, Upper West Side
• Accessibility:  The venues at Lincoln Center are wheelchair accessible