Brooklyn Academy of Music

History

Original facility

On October 21, 1858, a meeting was held at the Polytechnic Institute to measure support for establishing "a hall adapted to Musical, Literary, Scientific and other occasional purposes, of sufficient size to meet the requirements of our large population and worth in style and appearance of our city." The group applied to the New York State Legislature for a charter in the name of Brooklyn Academy of Music. The New York Legislature passed the bill to incorporate the Brooklyn Academy of Music on February 16, 1859. The group raised $60,000 by November 22 and another $90,000 by March 16, 1859. The Brooklyn Academy of Music opened on January 15, 1861.

At the inaugural address on the opening, the management announced that no dramatic performance should ever be held within its walls. The first concert opened with the overture to Der Freischütz, followed by arias and excerpts from various operas, including the William Tell Overture which opened part 2 of the concert.

Founded in 1861, the first BAM facility at 176–194 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights was conceived as the home of the Philharmonic Society of Brooklyn. The building, designed by architect Leopold Eidlitz, housed a large theater seating 2,109, a smaller concert hall, dressing and chorus rooms, and a vast "baronial" kitchen. BAM presented amateur and professional music and theater productions, including performers such as Ellen Terry, Edwin Booth, and Fritz Kreisler. On her lecture tour of the United States in 1889-1890, Egyptologist and founder of the Egypt Exploration Society Amelia Edwards gave her first and last lectures here, in November and March, respectively.

Current facilities

After the building burned to the ground on November 30, 1903, BAM made plans to relocate to a new facility in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Herts & Tallant designed the new building. The cornerstone was laid at 30 Lafayette Avenue on May 25, 1907.

A series of opening events were held in November 1908; the first opera to be staged there was the Metropolitan Opera production of Faust. It was also used for religious services during the early 1900s, when Charles Taze Russell, founder of the bible students movement (now Jehovah's Witnesses and International Bible Students Association), gave sermons there.

1960s to 1990s

The Waltann School of Creative Arts (WSCA), founded in 1959, located at 1078 Park Place, Brooklyn, was a BAM venue during the 1960s and 1970s. One of the dance teachers there was African American contemporary dancer Carole Johnson, and the Eleo Pomare Dance Company performed there in 1967.

In 1967, Harvey Lichtenstein was appointed executive director and during his 32 years in that role, BAM experienced a turnaround, attracting audiences with new programming and establishing an endowment. BAM established a shuttle bus service to Manhattan, the BAMbus, which ran from 1968. BAM began hosting the annual Next Wave Festival in 1983, featuring performances by international and American artists.

The Chelsea Theater Center was in residence from 1967 to 1977. The Harvey Theater was completed in 1987.

2000s to present

From 1999 to 2015, Karen Brooks Hopkins was president, and Joseph V. Melillo was executive producer through 2018. 30 Lafayette Avenue's facade was restored for $8.6 million in 2004. Due to low ridership and increasing expenses, the BAMbus service was discontinued in 2013.

In 2012, BAM opened its Richard B. Fisher Building, which includes a 250-seat experimental theater. A regular event at the time was BAMcinemaFest, a festival focusing on independent films. Katy Clark was president from 2015 and left the institution in 2021. The BAM Strong complex opened in October 2019, and a renovation of the Harvey Theater was finished at that time. The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted BAM's finances. BAM KBH, which includes a black box theater and an archives space, opened in early 2025. The New York Times wrote the same year that, while many of BAM's previous executives (including Melillo and Hopkins) had worked there for several decades, their successors had left after only a few years.

Gina Duncan served as president from 2022-2025. David Binder served as artistic director from 2019-2023. Amy Cassello served as interim artistic director from 2023-2024 until she was announced as artistic director in 2024.

People

Artists who have presented work at BAM include Philip Glass, Trisha Brown, Peter Brook, Pina Bausch, Merce Cunningham, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, Laurie Anderson, Lee Breuer, ETHEL, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Steve Reich, Seal, Mark Morris, Robert Wilson, Peter Sellars, BLACKstreet, Ingmar Bergman, David Van Tieghem, Michael Moschen, Twyla Tharp, Ralph Lemon, Ivo van Hove, and the Mariinsky Theater.

American punk band Hole recorded their live album at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) on February 14, 1995. Singer-songwriter Tori Amos performed for MTV Unplugged at BAM in 1996. Alice in Chains recorded their live album Unplugged on April 10, 1996, at BAM’s Harvey Theater for MTV Unplugged, and Alanis Morissette recorded her live album MTV Unplugged at BAM on September 18, 1999.

Facilities

The Peter Jay Sharp Building in the Fort Greene Historic District houses the Howard Gilman Opera House and the BAM Rose Cinemas (formerly the Carey Playhouse). It was designed by the firm Herts & Tallant in 1908, in the renaissance revival style. It is a U-shaped building with an open court in the center of the lot between two theater wings above the first story. The building has a high base of gray granite, with cream colored brick trimmed in terracotta with some marble detail above. The Howard Gilman Opera House has 2,109 seats and BAM Rose Cinemas, which opened in 1998, comprises four screens, and primarily shows first-run, independent and repertory films and series.

Also within the Peter Jay Sharp Building is the Lepercq Space, originally a ballroom and now a flexible event space which houses the BAMcafé, and the Hillman Attic Studio, a flexible rehearsal/performing space.

The BAM Strong, an array of spaces, includes the 874-seat BAM Harvey Theater at 651 Fulton Street. Formerly known as the Majestic Theater, it was built in 1904 with 1,708 seats and eventually showed vaudeville and then feature films, and was named in Lichtenstein's honor in 1999. A renovation by architect Hugh Hardy left the interior paint faded, with often exposed masonry, giving the theater a unique feel of a "modern ruin". In April 2014, CNN named the BAM Harvey as one of the "15 of the World's Most Spectacular Theaters". The complex also features a dedicated art gallery.

The BAM Fisher Building, opened in 2012, contains Fishman Space, a 250-seat black box theater, and Fisher Hillman Studio, a flexible rehearsal and performance space, as well as administrative offices. The BAM Hamm Archives are located in BAM KBH inside of the L10 Arts and Cultural Center at 300 Ashland Place, and the Shelby White & Leon Levy BAM Digital Archive is available online.

The BAM Sharp and Fisher Buildings are located within the Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District created by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1978; the BAM Strong is not. BAM is adjacent to downtown Brooklyn, near Atlantic Terminal, the Barclays Center arena, and the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower (once the tallest building in Brooklyn). BAM is part of the Brooklyn Cultural District.

Notable productions

References

References

1. {{NRISref
2. "[https://appext20.dos.ny.gov/corp_public/CORPSEARCH.ENTITY_INFORMATION?p_token=55A4F4AF1AAE0770DB2194DF68FD12F219F621D0D0F5E3423A470F131CCC790B192B036FC38FF17E00B63F595D666E0D&p_nameid=A7ECAEE8A65505BB&p_corpid=CE9F283A668C75CA&p_captcha=18034&p_captcha_check=55A4F4AF1AAE0770DB2194DF68FD12F219F621D0D0F5E3423A470F131CCC790B32F3D4C3ECD3574612FBDAAF94F94EF7&p_entity_name=%62%72%6F%6F%6B%6C%79%6E%20%61%63%61%64%65%6D%79%20%6F%66%20%6D%75%73%69%63&p_name_type=%41&p_search_type=%43%4F%4E%54%41%49%4E%53&p_srch_results_page=0 The Brooklyn Academy of Music, Inc. DOS ID #: 282057]". ''Entity Information''. New York State Department of State, Division of Corporations. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
3. "[https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/displayAll.do?dispatchMethod=displayAllInfo&Id=671424&ein=112201344&country=US&deductibility=all&dispatchMethod=searchAll&isDescending=false&city=&ein1=&postDateFrom=&exemptTypeCode=al&submitName=&sortColumn=orgName&totalResults=1&names=Brooklyn+Academy+of+Music&resultsPerPage=25&indexOfFirstRow=0&postDateTo=&state=All+States Brooklyn Academy of Music Inc. EIN: 11-2201344]". ''Tax Exempt Organization Search''. [[Internal Revenue Service]]. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
4. "[https://www.newspapers.com/image/50469430/?terms=%22BROOKLYN%2BACADEMY%2BOF%2BMUSIC%22 A Brooklyn Academy of Music]". ''[[The Brooklyn Daily Eagle]]''. October 22, 1858. p. 2.
5. "[https://www.newspapers.com/image/50469486/?terms=%22BROOKLYN%2BACADEMY%2BOF%2BMUSIC%22 Local Improvements and Rent Estate in Brooklyn]". ''The Brooklyn Daily Eagle''. November 8, 1858. p. 2.
6. "[https://www.newspapers.com/image/20603841/?terms=%22BROOKLYN%2BACADEMY%2BOF%2BMUSIC%22 New-York Legislature]". ''The New York Times''. February 11, 1859. p. 1.
7. Times Union]]'' (Brooklyn, New York). November 22, 1856. p. 2.
8. "[https://www.newspapers.com/image/321441146/?terms=%22BROOKLYN%2BACADEMY%2BOF%2BMUSIC%22 Items of Interest]". ''The Evansville Daily Journal'' (Evansville, Indiana). March 16, 1859. p. 2.
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12. Sharon. (September 5, 2011). "BAM blog: Introducing The BAM Hamm Archives".
13. Gray, Christopher. (1995-08-06). "Streetscapes: The Brooklyn Academy of Music; Restoring the Crown to a 1908 Queen of a Building". The New York Times.
14. (1907-05-26). "For the New Academy Cornerstone Is Laid". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
15. (1907-05-26). "Cornerstone Laid". New-York Tribune.
16. (1908-11-14). "Musical Notes". The Standard Union.
17. Colby, F.M.. (1917). "The New International Year Book: A Compendium of the World's Progress....". Dodd, Mead.
18. "Waltann School of Creative Arts (Brooklyn, NY): tenth anniversary luncheon, 1969". [[Amistad Research Center]].
19. (8 November 1970). "WSCA presents Allen Brown, pianist, Jane Judge, soprano".
20. "Johnson, Carole (1940–)".
21. (12 November 1967). "Production : The Eleo Pomare Dance Company [1967f.01828]".
22. (October 3, 1976). "Dance Mailbag". The New York Times.
23. Lee, Felicia R.. (October 5, 2004). "Endowment Doubles for Brooklyn Academy". The New York Times.
24. Pogrebin, Robin. (2025-03-23). "The Brooklyn Academy of Music Is Fighting to Regain its Mojo". The New York Times.
25. Libbey, Peter. (September 13, 2018). "How Next Wave Is It? Joseph V. Melillo Picks His Kind of Show From His Final Program". The New York Times.
26. Barone, Joshua. (October 23, 2018). "A 100-Dance Merce Cunningham Celebration Is Coming to BAM". The New York Times.
27. Pogrebin, Robin. (February 4, 2014). "President of BAM Will Leave Next Year". The New York Times.
28. (May 4, 2017). "Joseph V. Melillo to Depart Brooklyn Academy of Music".
29. Collins, Glenn. (2004-05-17). "A Brooklyn Landmark Gets Its Crown Back; At Music Academy, Color Supplants Grime". The New York Times.
30. Barron, James. (October 10, 2013). "In a Safer Brooklyn, the End Nears for an Outbound Bus".
31. Dailey, Jessica. (June 14, 2012). "BAM Ready to Raise the Curtain on New Experimental Theater".
32. Pogrebin, Robin. (2012-06-13). "BAM's New Hall Offers Flexibility". The New York Times.
33. Scott, A. O.. (June 19, 2012). "BAMcinemaFest, With Jonathan Caouette and Others". The New York Times.
34. Pogrebin, Robin. (April 9, 2015). "Brooklyn Academy of Music Chooses New President". The New York Times.
35. Bahr, Sarah. (2020-11-10). "Brooklyn Academy of Music President to Leave Next Year". The New York Times.
36. Roundy, Bill. (October 28, 2019). "Going Strong: BAM opens its new venue".
37. (October 16, 2019). "Brooklyn Academy of Music Opens BAM Strong And 2019 Next Wave Festival".
38. Chau, Mandie. (February 26, 2025). "BAM brings back pre-pandemic programming, including free concerts".
39. Stevens, Matt. (2022-02-08). "BAM Taps Former Leader of Its Film Program as Its Next President". [[The New York Times]].
40. Paulson, Michael. (February 7, 2018). "Broadway Producer Named BAM's New Artistic Director". The New York Times.
41. "Amy Cassello, Artistic Director".
42. Kathy Howe. (September 1996). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: New York SP Brooklyn Academy of Music". National Archives and Records Administration.
43. "BAM Rose Cinemas".
44. Newman, Andy. (November 12, 1998). "More Than Just a Movie House; A Magnet for Brooklyn's Young Is in Place, but Will It Work?". The New York Times.
45. (December 15, 1973). "New Theater Unveiled At Brooklyn Academy". The New York Times.
46. (March 29, 2011). "BAM Hillman Attic Studio {{!}} Theater in Fort Greene, Brooklyn".
47. Markisch, Erwin. "[https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/7104 BAM Harvey Theater]". ''Cinema Treasures''.
48. Berkvist, Robert. (February 11, 2017). "Harvey Lichtenstein, Who Led Brooklyn Academy of Music's Rebirth, Dies at 87". The New York Times.
49. Tamara Hinson. (April 22, 2014). "15 of the world's most spectacular theaters". [[CNN]].
50. Passy, Charles. (November 4, 2019). "Brooklyn Academy of Music Set to Open Art Gallery". [[The Wall Street Journal]].
51. "BAM Fisher Hillman Studio".
52. (September 26, 1978). "Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District Designation Report". [[New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission]].
53. (2018-08-15). "Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District {{!}} HDC".
54. "Paul Mescal to Star in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' in New York and London".
55. Marius, Marley. (April 4, 2023). "Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan Bring a Rarely Seen Lorraine Hansberry Gem Back to New York".
56. "James McAvoy Is Our Generation's Great Cyrano".
57. "Read Reviews for BAM's Medea, Starring Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale".
58. "Rupert Everett Fully Inhabits Oscar Wilde in The Judas Kiss".
59. "'Richard II': Theater Review".
60. Hetrick, Adam. (January 7, 2014). "''King Lear'', Starring Frank Langella, Arrives at Brooklyn Academy of Music Jan. 7".
61. Hetrick, Adam. (February 11, 2011). "Geoffrey Rush Pens ''The Diary of a Madman'' at BAM Beginning Feb. 11".
62. Hetrick, Adam. (August 22, 2008). "''A Streetcar Named Desire'', with Cate Blanchett, to Play Kennedy Center and BAM".