The Angel’s Share, a new series of opera and chamber music concerts, takes place in Green-Wood’s Catacombs. One of the oldest structures in the 478-acre National Historic Landmark Cemetery, the Catacombs were built in the 1850s and are normally closed to the public. The series takes its name from the distiller’s term for whiskey that evaporates while maturing in the barrel, thus going to the angels.
Each performance includes a pre-concert reception at sunset overlooking New York harbor and the Manhattan skyline.
PLEASE NOTE: Ticketholders must be 21 years or older.
Click here for our inclement weather policy.
Burgers, Bourbon, & Beethoven
Saturday, May 25, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
This event takes place outdoors near the Gothic Arch. In case of inclement weather, a rain date has been set for Sunday, May 26 7:00 – 10:00 PM.
The Long Story
We’ll be launching Season 2 of The Angel’s Share with the first-ever “Burgers, Bourbon & Beethoven Festival.” What’s that, you ask? Oh no big deal, just literally **the best event ever conceived in the history of humanity.** It starts with Burgers – four different slider recipes, served up to you straight from the grill, which you’ll rate on the Burger Club (www.brgrclub.com) website. Then it goes to Bourbon – tasting a generous spread of top-notch spirits from some of the area’s finest purveyors. And it finishes, as all good parties must, with a rousing performance of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, performed by the String Orchestra of Brooklyn.
The Short Story
No disrespect to Bach and Brahms, but there’s a new Three Bs in town…
$75 for members of Green-Wood and BHS / $80 for non-members
Purcell: Dido and Aeneas
June 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
The Long Story
Henry Purcell wrote Dido & Aeneas in 1680, but this tragic meditation on destiny, love, and death resonates just as powerfully today. Director Alek Shrader interweaves excerpts from Christopher Marlowe’s play based on the same story, infusing a sense of agency and dignity back to the character of the wounded queen, and the terrible decision she faces when abandoned by the love of her life. With superstar Daniela Mack as Dido, you won’t want to miss her sing the heartrending final aria “When I Am Laid in Earth” (while…in…a…Catacomb!)
The Short Story
What’s left, when all hope of love is lost? Come to the operatic event of the summer and find out.
$80 for members of Green-Wood and BHS / $85 for non-members
Epilogues and Epitaphs
June 24th, 25th and 26th, 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm
The Long Story
Most people wouldn’t equate “historically-informed Baroque chamber music” with “soul-blasting, face-melting hot sauce fire”… at least not until they hear Augusta McKay Lodge. She and her band Voyage Sonique bring a gas torch to the works of a bygone era, burning a path through a series of musical monuments to grief and remembrance.
The Short Story
Sometimes before we can move forward, we must first look back to the past for a light. Let Augusta McKay Lodge and Voyage Sonique strike the match.
$80 for members of Green-Wood and BHS / $85 for non-members
Liszt: Poetic and Religious Harmonies
September 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
The Long Story
Almost no one plays the complete Poetic and Religious Harmonies by Franz Liszt. Between the sheer finger-bending virtuosity, emotionally-draining intensity, and epic length, each of the ten movements stands as its very own musical monolith. But when experienced all together, the cycle gains an almost mystical transcendence, a spiritual journey from the opening “Invocation,” the meditative glow of “The Blessing of God in Solitude,” the anguish of “Funeral,” and the quiet rapture of “Hymn of Love.” It’s a lot for one pianist to take on, and that’s why we’ve got two of ‘em: keyboard stars Adam Tendler and Jenny Lin, both bringing their unique talents and vision to their respective half of the piece.
The Short Story
Come join us on a higher plane, for ninety minutes of sheer, sublime wonder. And don’t worry, there’ll be a halftime break to catch your breath.
$80 for members of Green-Wood and BHS / $85 for non-members
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater
October 8th, 9th and 10th, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Long Story
The Stabat Mater is a medieval poem that describes the suffering of Jesus’s mother Mary as she stands at the foot of the cross. Pergolesi’s setting of the text is among the most haunting and gut wrenching compositions ever put to paper. At one point, the piece asks us if it’s possible to watch someone else suffer so deeply, and not somehow share in their sorrow. It stands as one of the purest musical depictions of empathy, and a powerful reminder that – no matter what pain we may feel in the moment – we’re never truly alone in our sadness. Performed by the String Orchestra of Brooklyn, the program will also feature Barber’s wrenching Adagio for Strings, and Arvo Pärt’s slow-burning Fratres, and if that all wasn’t enough – the entire performance will feature wall-to-ceiling film projections up and down the catacombs.
The Short Story
This is profound, cathartic music, and we can think of no more powerful way to close Season 2 of The Angel’s Share than by offering an audio-visual experience unlike any other.
$80 for members of Green-Wood and BHS / $85 for non-members