NY Philharmonic's David Geffen Hall
(c) Remy Franck
After of the $100 million gift that David Geffen made this year toward the renovation of what was New York’s Avery Fisher Hall and is now David Geffen Hall, the New York Philharmonic announced that it was getting the largest individual donation in its history: a $25 million gift from Oscar S. Schafer, the chairman of its board, and his wife, Didi.
Financier Schafer said he hoped his gift would inspire donations from fellow board members and others.
The first concert in this season began with a ceremony to rename the hall for David Geffen in recognition of his donation. It is the building’s third name: It opened in 1962 as Philharmonic Hall and became Avery Fisher Hall in 1973 when the founder of the Fisher electronics company donated $10.5 million toward the first renovation.
