Photo Coverage: Chita Rivera Makes Her Carnegie Hall Debut!

Chita Rivera's landmark concert CHITA: NOWADAYS arrived at Carnegie Hall last night, November 7, marking the the first time the Broadway legend has headlined the iconic venue. The two-time Tony Award winner also welcomed previously- announced guests Alan Cumming, Andy Karl, Javier Muñoz and the new star of Hamilton on Broadway; and New York City Gay Men's Chorus.

CHITA: NOWADAYS - which featured signature favorites, new selections and special collaborations with her guests, plus a very unique version of the West Side Story classic "America" - was directed by Graciela Daniele with music director Michael Croiter leading a 15-piece band.

Chita Rivera, an accomplished and versatile actress/singer/dancer, has won two Tony Awards as Best Leading Actress in a Musical and received eight additional Tony nominations for an exceptional 10 Tony nominations. She recently starred in The Visit, the final John Kander/Fred Ebb/Terrence McNally musical directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Danieleon Broadway (2015), following the acclaimed production at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the summer of 2014. She starred in the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer's Life, a dazzling new musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele and the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas. She trained as a ballerina (from age 11) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from legendary George Balanchine. Chita's first appearance (age 17) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam.

Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London. Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry's Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes. Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. She received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002 and was the first Hispanic woman chosen to receive this award. In 2015, Great Performances aired their special Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' To Do, a retrospective on her extraordinary life and career nationally on PBS. Chita's current solo CD is entitled And Now I Swing. Her most treasured production is her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.

Article & Photos by: Stephen Sorokoff