Discord over name of orchestra home
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The noises emanating from the home of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in the Lincoln Centre are suddenly less than melodious. A squabble has broken out over the name of the auditorium, Avery Fisher Hall.
Management at the Lincoln Centre is embarking on a massive refurbishment of its various performance spaces that will include a total rebuilding of Avery Fisher Hall. In the process, however, it may decide to replace Avery Fisher with a new name.
Lying behind the move – as ever in the arts community in the United States – is a question of money. Redeveloping the Lincoln Centre, expected to cost $1bn (£685m), will mean raising money from private philanthropists or corporations. Whoever gives money for the new hall will inevitably ask that their name be attached to it.
The family of Avery Fisher, an electronics tycoon who died in 1994, is unimpressed and is seeking to block the Lincoln Centre from jettisoning his name. Its lawyers argue that when Mr Fisher gave the centre $10.5m in 1973 to rebuild a hall that was originally constructed in 1962, he did so believing his name would be attached to it "in perpetuity".
While talks are scheduled between the two sides this week, the Fisher family is threatening to go to court. "At that time, it was mutually agreed that the hall in which the Philharmonic performs would be named in perpetuity for him, not merely for 29 years," a family lawyer, William Zabel, protested.
"We will try to reach an amicable agreement," a spokeswoman for the Lincoln Centre said. "Nothing is settled."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments