Music has returned to Carnegie Hall.

Carnegie Hall’s opening night featured the Philadelphia Orchestra performing works by Shostakovich, Leonard Bernstein, Beethoven, and New York City composer Valerie Coleman. Her work Seven O’Clock Shout opened the concert. It’s inspired by the pandemic ritual of applauding essential workers at 7 p.m. and includes it’s own musical cheer.

“This is awesome. If you look around, you see people who are eager and happy to listen to music live at this epicenter that is Carnegie Hall,” said Coleman before the show.

The night was filled with applause and excitement. This was Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin’s first time being in Carnegie Hall.

“This is my first and one of the reasons why I’m here on this night is because it’s so important coming back after COVID. Eighteen months they’ve been closed. Getting reopened is phenomenal and it’s part of the signal that New York is back, New York City is back,” said Benjamin.

Two world renowned opera stars were also enraptured by the music and the importance of the night.  

“It’s designed to touch our hearts and make us feel things. It’s cathartic and we all need that after this very challenging period,” said the incomparable Renée Fleming.

“It’s a huge piece of our New York culture and we wouldn’t be New York without Carrnegie Hall,” said star soprano Isabel Leonard.

Before COVID, the longest Carnegie Hall was closed was 10 days after Super Storm Sandy. Now after 572 days it’s had an incredibly reopening night.

“I’m just feeling exhilaration because the arts and particularly music is why New York is New York. The arts are at the core what makes a great city a great city and this city is a magnet for talent in every way. And without the arts it loses its soul,” said Clive Gillinson, an executive and artistic director at Carnegie Hall.

The musicians and concert goers applauded Coleman and her work at the end of the performance —but she says she doesn’t think of it as her music. She thinks of it as an anthem of solidarity for the city and because of that, it belongs to all.