Radio City is a miraculous legacy from 1932 - but it was built to be new. In its day, it was the newest thing New York had ever seen. Over time, the spectacular interior dulled and darkened with age. Colors faded. Murals got murky. Gold ceilings turned black. As each generation replaced things that had worn out, it respectfully matched colors and patterns to the faded materials that remained. But that's precisely the problem with replacing things a little bit at a time. You cannot return them to the way they originally were because then they do not fit in with what's left around them. As a result, everything gradually gets dimmer and darker. In the seven-month, $70 million project just completed, Radio City Music Hall has undergone its most comprehensive restoration. The transformation is astonishing. Colors are brighter, patterns bolder, metals shinier, mural composition unveiled. The exuberant color may startle those grown accustomed to Radio City as a dull brown dowager. But that's not the way she was originally. This carefully researched, lovingly crafted restoration returns Radio City to its former splendor. It allows us to feel the same astonishment and wonder that its first visitors felt on Opening Night. Although it respects the past, a major restoration of this sort must also respond to the present. Changes in public expectation, building regulations and technology are reflected in the restoration's master plan. People today are accustomed to lighting levels three times as high as those in the 1930's, so lighting in the restored Hall is brighter than it was originally. Building code regulations are more stringent and infrastructure improvements have been introduced to address these issues, including access for the handicapped. Advanced technology is integral to contemporary musical performance and television transmission. State-of-the-art sound control, computerized lighting and a power room for digital cable wiring have been made part of the new behind-the- scenes equipment. The restoration process was a cross between a detective story and an archaeological dig. Researchers pored through historical archives, old photos and newspaper clippings for clues about the design of the original Hall. On-site, conservators scraped surfaces with scalpels to expose layers of paint and other finishes; used solvents to strip away coatings; and removed later-date fixtures to reveal original wallcoverings and finishes beneath. In the laboratory, technicians looked at samples under microscopes to identify the color and content of original materials. Experts in lighting, textiles, furniture and art restoration were called in. In compliance with its designation as a Historic Landmark in 1979, all work plans were approved by the New York City Landmarks Commission. Then an army of artisans went to work. The neon marquee has been restored to its original red, blue and gold glory. Seating in the auditorium has been recreated by the same company that manufactured the original. Draperies, wallcoverings and carpets have been rewoven in original patterns and colors. Murals and paintings have been cleaned and, where possible, overpainting has been removed. The Stuart Davis mural, Men Without Women, is now back in its original home after almost 25 years at the Museum of Modern Art. Gold, silver and copper leaf has been reapplied to ceilings; metal railings and decorative elements polished until they gleam; chairs, tables and casework reupholstered and refinished. And the worn stage curtain has been replaced by a totally new one, woven in a pattern that enhances its shimmering glow. |
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