Try something new this year and spend a hauntingly boo-tiful evening enjoying some of your favorite Halloween classics with Candlelight. The wildly popular concert series is back for another year, offering its unique take on live music. but this time with a sinister twist. Introducing Candlelight’s spine-tingling gigs! This fall, let the ominous yet melodic sounds of the violin and cello possess you as you rediscover your favorite Halloween classics surrounded by a sea of candles.
Highline String Quartet, some of the most sought after musicians in the city, will perform classical takes on blood-curdling music, including the themes from Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice and The Exorcist, or Día de los Muertos staples like La Martiniana, as well as dark-themed compositions by timeless composers in the likes of Schubert, Mussorgsky and Saint-Saëns. We couldn’t ask for a creepier plan and this year.
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Friday the 13th Special
If you’re particularly superstitious, on Friday, October 13, the unluckiest day of the year, listen to eerie tunes from some of the scariest movies in the history of filmmaking, that have now become Halloween classics. From Pan’s Labyrinth andThe Rocky Horror Picture Show to A Nightmare on Elm Street, these familiar, bone-chilling melodies will resound in the Sheen Center. Originally a Mission church for Italian immigrants and a school for children, the current cultural center has a turbulent and spooky history.
It served as a religious hotspot for many years, but was closed during the Great Depression. After being bought by Catholic charities, it was transformed into a residence for homeless men. This wouldn’t last long however, for during the mid 1980’s the building was foreclosed and was moved into the chapel of the Holy Name Centre. In 2015 the church faced yet another change, where it turned into the official Arts Center of the Archdiocese of New York. This haunting concert will bring an extra chill to the already eerie venue, making for the perfect place to spend the dark dark day.
Dia de los Muertos: Celebrating the Day of the Dead
Who says that death has to be a mournful event that we can’t even bare to think about? This November, Candlelight invites you to celebrate the Day of the Dead in a somewhat unlikely way. Forget the calaveras and pan de muerto, this year, we’re listening to popular songs played on the day of the Mexican celebration.
Think “Dios Nunca Muere”, a Mexican waltz composed by Macedonio Alcalá, or the iconic “La Bruja”, a popular Mexican song with unknown composer attributed to Andrés Henestrosa, and even carefully selected songs form the blockbuster Coco. The Williamsburg Hotel will be bathed in the glow of a sea of flickering candles, ideal for fans of the dark and mystery.
A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
At Candlelight Halloween: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics, the Highline String Quartet will send shivers down your spine with their chilling renditions of Danny Elfman’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Suite and the Addams Family theme, Chopin’s ghastly “Marche Funèbre” and plenty more spooky songs.
Taking place at two gorgeous yet atmospherically chilling venues, namely the historic Church of the Heavenly Rest and St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, the two New York architectural gems will receive a scary makeover and be enveloped in the warm light of hundreds of glistening candles. Sit back, relax and beware of the evils that may be lurking in the dark!
This Halloween season, lighting up some of the most spectacular and spine-chilling venues in the city, these ghostly music shows will transport you to some of the most memorable on-screen moments and bring forth memories of prior spooky season celebrations.
Typically each evening has two performances planned and each concert will last 65 minutes. So, sit back, relax and dip your toes in the cool waters of the darkness.
Note: For the safety of our audience, all of the candlelight will be provided through flameless candles.