New York City was hit hard early on in the pandemic, so it seems fitting that healthcare workers were the first to be treated to a performance by New York Philharmonic musicians on Lincoln Center’s campus in honor of World Health Day on April 7. The outdoor event kickstarted the launch of Restart Stages, an initiative that includes 10 new outdoor performance and rehearsal spaces as well as other open-air civic venues to help restart the performing arts sector and contribute to the revival of New York City. Leah C. Johnson, Lincoln Center’s Chief Communications, Marketing & Advocacy Officer, spoke at the launch, where officials included NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and Lincoln Center President and CEO Henry Timms. A Lincoln Center-commissioned installation by Basil Twist featured puppeteers, who greeted audience members with “sheep” on the Illumination Lawn. The project was financed with support from the Lincoln Center Board of Directors and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation as part of the SNF-Lincoln Center Agora Initiative, a collaboration that reimagines and reactivates public space.
