Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts hosts a lot of firsts. From Jose Feliciano to Russian music institutions, many performing artists have never played in the Bronx before they come to the Center. That reality is part of what prompted its founding in the first place three decades ago, in an effort to prove that borough residents didn't have to travel to Manhattan or tunnel inside their television sets to experience diverse, live cultural programming. So far, that's included concerts by luminaries such as Smokey Robinson, Patti LaBelle, and Johnny Mathis in addition to folk dance, ballet, and Latino comedy showcases.