Halloween has always been a time of year filled with magic, mischief and mystery. However, this year adding to the usual dressing up, the decorations and trick or treating is a set of enchanting and eerie Candlelight concerts paying tribute to some of the most recognizable Halloween classics and horror-themed compositions.
Some of these stories and music are based on folklore, others on true stories. Some of them are things we simply can’t explain that’s inspired storytellers, filmmakers and composers to create iconic movies and music in the likes of Halloween, The Exorcist, Stranger Things, Psycho and “Thriller”. This spooky season, you can experience these and many more, as you’re surrounded by a sea of twinkling candles at some of the most hauntingly beautiful spaces in DC, including St Francis Hall and National City Christian Church.
A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
Relive some of the most terrifying and gruesome on-screen moments, as you listen to classical renditions of scores in the likes of “Tubular Bells” from The Exorcist, the Ghostbusters theme and the deeply unsettling Psycho theme. Part of the Candelight Halloween Special, these two concerts take place at the striking St Francis Hall and the historic Howard Theatre. Performed by the brilliant Kennedy String Quartet, you’ll be transported to other worlds as you listen to the eternal melodies of Halloween classics, surrounded by the warm glow of hundreds of candles.
The Phantom of the Opera (1925) Film Screening with Live Organ
If you’re a big mystery and horror-movie fan, then you’re definitely familiar with The Phantom of the Opera. Inspired by the fiction book of the same name by Gaston Leroux that was published in 1910, this Hollywood silent classic tells the story of the deformed Phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House. The filming of the movie was characterized by many issues and internal conflicts between the actors and the initial director. The film was eventually released by Universal studios in 1925, with the studio installing a full organ at the Astor just for the event.
This fall, experience The Phantom of the Opera just as audiences did when it first came out 98 years ago, accompanied by a live organ score played by the incredibly talented Tedde Gibson.
There’s no better holiday than Halloween, when we all get to connect with our dark side, dress up in funny and scary costumes and enjoy sweet and savory treats guilt-free. This spooky season, why not spice things up with a spine-tingling and magical concert at some of the city’s most haunting spaces?
There are typically two performances scheduled each evening, at 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm, which gives you plenty of time to enjoy a pre- or post-show dinner with your loved ones. Grab your friends and family for these concerts promise to be boo-tiful!