Mac Rating: 5.00 | Votes: 1 | Date: 10/07/2026 04:21:00

More than 3.5 million tickets sold and 2,500 artists hosted since 1990 have established the Lied Center for Performing Arts as Nebraska's premier performing arts venue and one of the top 100 theatres in the world according to Pollstar Magazine. Located at 301 North 12th Street on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, the center's main stage seats 2,258 patrons in a hall celebrated for its brilliant acoustics and striking mid-rise architecture designed by HDR, Inc. with acoustic consulting by Paul S. Veneklasen. Construction began on October 13, 1986 at the corner of 12th and Q Streets in downtown Lincoln. The facility was completed in November 1989 and made its public debut on March 17, 1990 when Opera Omaha performed Madama Butterfly. The center was dedicated in memory of Ernst and Ida Lied, whose Lied Foundation Trust provided a $10 million challenge grant that was matched by more than 2,000 individual donors and 71 corporations. The Lied Center of Kansas, opened in 1993 at the University of Kansas, is also named for the couple. Three performance spaces serve the center's programming. The main stage handles Broadway touring productions, symphonic concerts, dance, and lectures. The Johnny Carson Theater, a 250-seat black box space named after the legendary television host and Nebraska native, supports smaller and more experimental work. The Lied Commons, added in 2012, functions as a versatile space for cultural programs, educational events, and private receptions. Kimball Recital Hall, located just north of the main building and seating 850, is also operated by the Lied Center. In February 2026 the center broke ground on a $35 million privately funded expansion titled Building the Future, adding 11,150 square feet including a new entrance along Q Street, a studio theatre for students, and renovations across more than 25,000 square feet of existing lobby and circulation space. HDR returns as architect for the project, with completion anticipated in fall 2027. The center will remain open throughout construction. Each year more than 200,000 people attend Lied Center events, with attendance for curated performances doubling over the past decade.