By Lori Perkins
Anyone who has spent any time with me knows that I love cemeteries. When I visit other places I like to stroll through the supermarkets and cemeteries to get a feel for the city or town. I am the keeper of the family graves.
So, when I heard that Death of Classical, a nonprofit in New York City that hosts evening of dinner and music at various crypts and cemeteries throughout the city, I really wanted to go. Last year they hosted winter music in the crypts of Trinity Cemetery in upper Manhattan where I grew up, but I was unable to make it.
Last night I was able to attend the third in a musical trilogy – Tacos, Tequila and Ravener’s Protecting Veil (the previous events were Burgers, Bourbon & Beethoven and Hot Dogs, Hooch & Handel) at Brooklyn’s Greenwood Cemetery. The evening opened with the terrific sunset swing jazz ensemble Grand Street Stompers, playing reimagined hits from the 20’s and 30 that had guests dancing the Lindy in front of the outdoor stage under the awe-inspiring spire of the cemetery (filled with a huge parrots’ nest). Libations (tequila, bourbon and Mezcal, as well as Liquid Death water) were provided with admission, and you were able to buy your own dinner from food trucks offering assorted tacos, burritos, empanadas, etc. that were scattered throughout the grounds.
The evening’s featured performance, Tavener’s Protecting Veil, was sublime under the stars featuring star cellist Joshua Roman, who also performed an original interpretation of Halleluiah to end the evening.
Future performances include
June 9-11 - We celebrate the 400th anniversary of the great Renaissance composer William Byrd, with a semi-staged performance in the Catacombs centered around his incredible Masses for 3, 4, and 5 voices.
July 5-7 - Superstar Norwegian violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing will perform her Arctic program, from her acclaimed Sony debut album, in the Catacombs.
Sept 20-22 - The Calidore String Quartet play Beethoven's transcendent Op 130 quartet with Grosse Fuge to close our Catacombs season.
Mark your calendars because this is a spectacular New York experience.