At the Aspen Music Festival and School, the former Benedict Music Tent is now the Michael Klein Music Tent.
On Saturday (12/9), Aspen Public Radio reported, “A historic destination for classical music in Aspen has a new name: The Michael Klein Music Tent. The Aspen Music Festival and School announced the change on Friday, citing a significant financial contribution from Klein—a longtime board member and supporter of the festival. ‘The naming of the tent is really a recognition of lifetime of service to the organization as well as (a recognition of) the gift he is just making now,’ festival president and CEO Alan Fletcher said … The 2,050-seat permanent structure in Aspen’s West End has been called the ‘Benedict Music Tent’ since it opened in 2000. An earlier version was called the ‘Bayer-Benedict Music Tent’—a nod to its architects, Herbert Bayer and Fritz Benedict — and before that, it was just ‘The Music Tent,’ according to a history provided by the music festival. Benedict, who was also a board chair for the organization, will still be recognized with his name attached to the main entrance of the venue…. Though Fletcher didn’t provide the exact amount of Klein’s donation, he said the only larger sum was $25 million from Matthew and Kay Bucksbaum.”
