Alice Tully

Alice Bigelow Tully (September 14, 1902 – December 10, 1993)[1] was an American singer of opera and recital, music promoter, patron of the arts and philanthropist from New York.

Her cousin, Arthur Amory Houghton Jr., one of the founders of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, suggested that she give money for a chamber music hall, and in 1963 John D. Rockefeller III convinced her to allow it to be named Alice Tully Hall.

In 1970, Tully was awarded the Handel Medallion for her contributions to the cultural life of New York City.

Her most famous commission was for Olivier Messiaen who composed Des canyons aux étoiles... which had its first performance in the Alice Tully Hall in 1974.

William Schuman, Gian Carlo Menotti and Riccardo Malipiero dedicated works to her.