Radio City Music Hall, which opened its doors in Manhattan in 1932, is a masterpiece that is said to have been a thing of extraordinary beauty even in its empty state at the time of its opening, part of Rockefeller Center, and for more than 80 years the theater with the largest interior space in the world.
The effects of the Radio City stage, which brought a new dimension to the modern entertainment center concept with its Art Deco interiors and machine-like stage, are still seen and felt in similar venues. So what is the history of such a revolutionary building?
It dates back to 1928 when John D. Rockefeller Jr. wanted to build a new opera house for the Metropolitan Opera. Feeling duty-bound by the economic crisis of the 1920s, Rockefeller made an agreement with Columbia University to lease a parcel of land in Midtown Manhattan in October, but the project was shelved due to disagreements within the Opera Committee and the stock market crash of 1929. This long-term lease cost Rockefeller an annual loss of $3.3 million. Rockefeller, however, denied this loss and retained the space to convey the glamor of the business world of the early 30s.
He wanted to create a structure that would join the fabric of New York, instill hope and optimism, as if re-creating the Statue of Liberty, and cleanse it of the gloom of the economic depression.
In search of a tenant that would respond to this request, Rockefeller reached an agreement with the Radio Corporation. After the 1930 agreement, S .L. Rothafel , an important radio star of the period, was signed. Rothafel, who had left NBC and the Roxy Theater, was put in charge of the theater to be built in Rockefeller Center. While this was happening, Rockefeller hired Donald Deskey, who had previously designed the rooms of his Manhattan home, to design the interior of the theater.
Deskey was a visionary and a proponent of Bauhaus principles, which stated that design should be timeless. This mindset, which fits perfectly with Rockefeller Center, is described in a book about Radio City Hall as follows:
“The progress of mankind is due to its centuries of achievement in art, science and industry.”
The building has made its way away from excessive and extravagant ornamentation with modern designs and planned constraints.
Unprecedented for the 30s, Deskey transferred this design to the more than 30 sections he designed. In addition to gold and marble, he used industrial bakelite and aluminum in the design of the building and conveyed the pomp of Art Deco through limiting elements without the need for exaggerated ornaments. Making frequent use of red and gold in the design, Deskey demolished the exotic theater structure of the period in the Radio City Music Hall and turned the building into a hotel.
He also created one of the best examples of acoustics for that period and combined technology and architecture, embedding speakers in the gold plates on the side and allowing the plaster used in other parts to absorb noise. This production, which can only be achieved today, has captured the pleasure of sensation by pushing the conditions of those times. Motors were used on the stage so that the stage could rise and fall and the curtain could open and close by itself.
Opened on December 27, 1932, the building received full marks from critics and attendees after the opening program. An article in the New York Tribune on the morning of December 28 stated, “The least important thing about last night’s event was the show itself. The New Music Hall needs no performers; its beauty and comfort are enough to please even the wildest performers.”
Over the years, the building has grown in importance and use, and to date more than 300 million people have enjoyed its shows, performances and events. The building, which has hosted the most important artists, has not moved away from its original form, unlike many other buildings, thanks to the interest and protection of the Rockefeller Group.
From the very first step, the building immerses you in its own magical world and challenges you to see every detail. Ironically, the least remarkable thing about this revolutionary theater is the show itself, and the impact of the building has been talked about for years.
What do you think? Do you think the most beloved actors, signature voices and impressive events were and are overshadowed by the “Radio City Music Hall”?
You can also check out our other theater review, Solìs Theater review.
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Architect: Edward Durell Stone & Donald Deskey
Year: 1932
Location: Manhattan, New York, USA
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