Lincoln Center will expand its campus with the addition of The Baron Theater, a new 2,000-seat theatre. Construction has begun on site, and the venue is expected to be ready for opening in 2028.
The new space is being made real via a $75 million gift from The Baron Family Foundation, with the space set to be a centerpiece of the new Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Gardens as the acclaimed arts institution continues to redevelop the west side of its campus.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held May 11, with community leaders, artists, donors, and Lincoln Center leadership in attendance. The celebratory event commencing the beginning of construction featured several performances, including the reading of a newly commissioned poem, The Future We Create, by Lincoln Center Poet-in-Residence Mahogany L. Browne, performed and co-written with emerging artist and oral historian Oshun Baronville. Grammy-nominated jazz pianist and composer Sean Mason played “Thelonious,” written by Thelonious Monk, as a tribute to the neighborhood of San Juan Hill, where the composer lived most of his life.
A cast of 10 dancers from the School of American Ballet also performed an excerpt from George Balanchine‘s Cortège Hongrois, and New York City Ballet dancers Harrison Coll and Peter Walker performed an excerpt from The Times Are Racing, choreographed by NYCB Resident Choreographer Justin Peck with score by composer and electronic artist Dan Deacon.
Alongside The Baron Family Foundation’s gift, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is a founding partner of the overall initiative to redesign Lincoln Center’s west side. A $75 million grant from SNF has also supported community engagement initiatives, free programming throughout Summer for the City, and the ongoing Legacies of San Juan Hill initiative. Thus, in recognition of their support, the new performance gardens at Damrosch Park (which will feature The Baron Theater along with gardens, groves, a new water feature, and gathering spaces) will be named the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Gardens.
The Baron Theater will be positioned in a way that will allow use of the groves and green spaces during performances. The SNF Gardens will also feature The Len Tow Community Stage, a performance area within the groves where performances and family programming will be created by and for the community.