Inside the New York Philharmonic’s Annual Lunar New Year Gala

Though the New York Philharmonic’s home, David Geffen Hall, is currently a mass construction site (just on the inside! The Max Abramovitz-designed facade has rightfully remained untouched in the 2-year-long renovation), the orchestra has continued to play in venues across town. From Carnegie Hall to Jazz At Lincoln Center, you could say the NYP has been on a bit of a roadshow. One of its stops this week was Alice Tully Hall, where the New York Philharmonic celebrated the Lunar New Year with its annual gala which took a brief, hiatus during the pandemic.

“It's been two years since we've had this celebration. For people of Asian descent, for many of us,” said gala co-chair and Co-Chairman of the NYP Oscar L. Tang, “The Lunar New Year celebration is really the most important holiday period on the calendar; it’s always a very uplifting forward-looking time [which coincides with] the second new moon after the winter solstice. The days are getting longer and it's a time of hope and optimism.” Tang spoke to a room splashed in red and gold—the tables were given the Midas touch with metallic sequins and red flowers of all varieties festooned the centerpieces. The guests themselves were also dressed in the hue—so too was violinist Stella Chen, who made her Philharmonic debut with Bizet’s “Carmen Fantasie.”

Earlier, guests were treated to dazzling performances. Maestro for the night was Earl Lee, who also made his NYP debut conducting the orchestra in a program filled with Asian and Western classical music. There was Chen’s incredible performance and another from soprano Hera Hyesang Park, who wore a wonderfully feathered Marchesa dress perhaps in a nod to the Korean traditional folksong she sang, “The Bird Song.”

The performance portion of the night closed off with a bit of audience participation. “We know the program has concluded,” Lee told the audience. “But we have one more song for you.” It was a mish-mash of the greatest hits from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story. (Bernstein famously dedicated his time to the NYP as a performer, conductor, and composer). Lee then encouraged the room to participate in the performance, to shout “Mambo!” during the musical’s “Dance at the Gym” song. “You can tell your friends and family you played with the New York Philharmonic,” Lee joked.

Later on at the post-performance gala dinner, in the Och Foyer at Alice Tully Hall, everyone dined on a Chinese-influenced menu of scallion pancakes and roasted duck. And as 2022 is the year of the Tiger, president and CEO of NYP Deborah Borda ended the night by lauding Tang, who was largely responsible for the success of the night. Her thanks came in the form of a four-foot-long stuffed tiger, which she had rolled out on a cart and sheathed for extra pizzazz. The night raised more than $660,000 for the New York Philharmonic.