Tag Archives: Entertainment

ROSSANO SPORTIELLO and the ANDERSON BROTHERS at FEINSTEIN’S 54 BELOW

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I heard these three tonight at Feinstein’s 54 Below….Rossano Sportiello, William Reardon Anderson and Peter Reardon Anderson. If you’re looking for a fabulous evening of music…you couldn’t do better. Talented musicians and a wonderful program.
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We’re thrilled to announce that Charles R. Hale Productions and Musica Solis will be presenting these wonderful musicians in this season’s series “Classically Exposed: Musical Crossroads,” at The Cell.
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More series’ info to follow shortly.

JENNY LIND, CASTLE GARDEN and MY ANCESTORS

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Castle Garden, which was originally built as a fort in 1811, ostensibly to protect New Yorkers from the British in the run up to the war of 1812, was leased to NYC as a place of entertainment in 1821. In 1850 Castle Garden was the site of two extraordinarily successful concerts given by the Swedish soprano Jenny Lind.

When I’m in Battery Park, where Castle Garden is located, I think of my ancestors who came to New York City between the 1840s and 1890. None of them came through Ellis Island. A few would have come to the docks and been met by customs agents prior to 1855, including the Hales, who arrived in 1854, but most of them came through Castle Garden, which opened in 1855. Pretty humbling.