People: Dec. 29, 1986

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Its warm, embracing acoustics have enhanced performances by artists as diverse as Rachmaninoff, Heifetz, Callas and the Beatles. But New York City's Carnegie Hall, built in 1891 and perhaps the nation's most famous musical showcase, has long been ripe for a major renovation. With Violinist Isaac Stern, president of Carnegie Hall, leading the effort, a seven-month, $50 million face-lifting was undertaken this year. Among the improvements: an enlarged lobby, a cream-and-gold repainting of the main hall, new seats and elevators, and a modern air-conditioning system. The reopening of the hall last week was celebrated with a gala concert that featured performances by Stern, Mezzo-Soprano Marilyn Horne, Frank Sinatra and Pianist Vladimir Horowitz. The real star of the evening, however, was the legendary Carnegie sound itself. The critical consensus: richer and more crystal clear than ever.