At the final Saturday matinee of New York City Ballet's Spring season, I brought Kokyat to watch his first performance by the Company. Much as he enjoyed the ballet, he was possibly even more taken with being in the theatre which Philip Johnson built for Mr. B. As an interior designer with a great interest in architecture, Kokyat described to me several of the details and building materials used in the Koch Theatre's lobby and Promenade spaces which I have always simply taken for granted.
Most of these photos will expand if you click on them.
During the intermission, Kokyat went off on his own to take a few pictures of Mr. B's House.
Now that the season has ended I'm really missing spending two or three nights a week at my home-away-from-home. I've always loved this theatre, ever since I first set foot in it on an historic night in 1966 when Beverly Sills became an overnight star (at age 40!)
Promenade. I'm in this picture.
Yasuhide Kobashi's sculpture Ancient Dance. Kobashi was born in Kojima, Japan in 1931. He learned printmaking from the great master Unichi Hiratsuka. In 1955 he graduated from the Kyoto College of Crafts and Textiles. Yasuhide Kobashi works as a sculptor and printmaker - a combination not to be met very often. Since 1965 the artist has lived permanently in the USA.
Kobashi's companion piece, Ancient Song: Kokyat in a hallucinatory mood.
Elie Nadelman's enormous Circus Women.
All of us who adore you want to wish you the happiest of birthdays today, dear Philip!
Posted by: Deborah | July 03, 2009 at 11:47 AM
Aw...thanks Deborah! I wish there was a NYCB performance tonight to make the day extra festive!
Posted by: Philip | July 03, 2009 at 04:42 PM
Great photos. I too think of Koch Theatre as my second home....I am always happy when I am there. There is nothing we can do but wait and suffer until November rolls around...
Posted by: Laura | July 03, 2009 at 07:32 PM
Dear Philip, *HAPPY BIRTHDAY*!!!
Best wishes and much happiness for you today, and for always!
:) Anne W.
Posted by: Anne Coburn Whitmore | July 03, 2009 at 07:58 PM
You are right about taking this space for granted visually. I go there a lot and have never really stopped to LOOK at the place. The photos are excellent. Thanks for the post.
Posted by: Gillian | July 04, 2009 at 09:00 AM
Laura,
Saratoga Springs is just 2.5 hours away. It's really fun to see our dancers in that setting. I'm going up for a few performances in just 10 days. There is public transportation too (train and bus. I'm actually driving but it's because I have to be in Albany earlier). I hope you'll consider coming. Next year we should do an Oberon's Grove field trip (I can take 3 others in my car).
Posted by: Deborah | July 04, 2009 at 09:11 AM