BAM's Opera House is housed in the Peter Jay Sharp Building. The same building also houses:
• BAMcafe • BAM Rose Cinemas • BAM Box Office • Administrative Offices
The 1908 building was designed by Herts and Tallant—premier theater architects of the period. Its eclectic Beaux Arts style is also seen in other Herts and Tallant designs in New York, including the Lyceum Theatre and the New Amsterdam Theatre. Featuring polychrome terra-cotta and finished in light-colored brick, the building anchors the Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District—designated a New York City Landmark in 1978. The main entrance opens on to Lafayette Avenue with five large double doors embellished with cherub figures. Five corresponding double-height windows extend across the second floor façade. A recent estoration has reclaimed the original building’s elaborate terra-cotta cornice—composed of surprisingly brilliant colors and set with 22 full-sized lions’ heads.
Dating from its first performance in 1861, BAM has grown into a thriving urban arts center that brings international performing arts and film to Brooklyn. BAM's current programming consists of the Next Wave Festival each fall; a spring season of international opera, theater, and dance; a comprehensive Education & Humanities program, and a variety of community programs. Recent additions include BAMcafé, a restaurant and live music venue, opened in 1997 in the third floor Lepercq Space, and BAM Rose Cinemas, a four-screen theater which opened in 1998. One screen is devoted to BAMcinématek, offering daily screenings of repertory classics and special festivals, with frequent guest speakers. The Shakespeare & Co. BAMshop features books, recordings, videos, and gift items geared to BAM's audiences.
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