I attended a book talk at the Bam Howard Gilman Opera House for the Alchemy tour. The book talk was motivational, inspiring, and the venue really did help this event come to life. The venue was a bit difficult to find as per my own personal experience. Once I arrived, I was given a copy of the book as per my ticket stated I was going to receive a book. I was directed to the direction of my seat and then I took the elevator to my get there quicker as I was running a bit late. It was my first time at this opera house and I enjoyed the sound, the seats were comfortable. One thing I gotta mention is that there aren't railings on the seats so you have to watch your step carefully going up and down the seats. Probably not the most ideal situation for an elderly person not having a railing to hold yourself against to. Overall, great opera house to come and catch an interesting event. 10/10 opera house rec. read more

Came here for an Andre 3000 event. FIRST AND LAST TIME. Boy was I wrong thinking this would be anything like broadway. I would've thought that an opera house would have that 'luxurious' feel to it but it was mid. The operation of it needs more maturing. Seating was too tight and clumpy. The seats were not designed efficient to where you could amply see behind larger people sitting in front of you. I had to lean and sit towards the side of my seat the whole time to grasp any type of view. My back and side were hurting for days as a result. The service from the workers here were not great at all. Trash. They couldn't do their job to seat people efficiently...they were messing up on pointing to/ directing people to the correct aisle. The workers would pick and choose who to let record the performance although there was no photography allowed of any kind. What really had me disappointed was the hour and a half wait to start the show!! It was absolutely unbecoming. The show was expected to start at 7pm. The first act, which to me was very unexpected, didn't start until around 8:15pm, over an hour after show time. There was an intermission that was more than 20 mins. The main act didn't start until 9:15 pm and lasted until 11 pm. There was no way I was going to make any type of dinner reservation that night. UNACCEPTABLE. Idk what was up but tickets were way too pricey to receive that poor quality in service. Not to mention there were no programs or pamphlets available with an itinerary of any kind nor further information about the show or acts. Just weird. Felt like a rinky dink off-broadway theatre for indie music bands. People were strolling in late and also directly during the act(s). It was very distracting to have people going back and forth between the aisles during the performance. It was a performance where you would want all of your undivided attention to be able to tap into your subconscious mind and I felt that people were inconsiderate of themselves and others during a time to be mindful. Now don't get me wrong. Andre 3000 and his hand picked crew was AMAZING and the only thing saving this review. The flutes, drums, gongs, etc was like a large live sound healing experience. The sound quality of the acoustics and speakers were very poor. Absolutely would see him again but NEVER in this facility. read more

This theather is beautiful inside. I was surprised at how big it was once i entered with 3 floors of seating. I had come to this theather to go to the Jimmy Kimmel Brooklyn show. I had gotten there to get there early and get good seats, which i was in the forth row in the orchestra seating!! The lines for the restroom were to long and I couldn't fond another which is my only downside. But such a beautiful theather regardless. read more

See all

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House has been a place that I have frequented multiple times to see performances and events. Located in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a hop, skip and jump away and is accessible via MTA Buses and the 2,3,4,5,B,Q,D,N,R trains & the Long Island Railroad. BAM is also near Atlantic Mall as well as many other great places to hang out along Flatbush Ave, Lafayette Ave, etc. which include Brooklyn Moon Cafe, Habana Outpost & Slutty Vegan as well as home to Not Ray's which has some of the best Pizza that I always go to eat. BAM is so close to all of this and so much more which makes me throughly enjoy the area. BAM Howard Gilman Opera House is housed inside the same building that has BAM's Movie Theater and BAM Live where there are Music/Band/DJ performances throughout the year. The Howard Gilma Opera House seats over 2,000 people in the venue and has velvety cushioned seating along the carpeted theater. I have been able to see the stage from every vantage point to enjoy every show I have attended. DanceAfrica has been held here for many years and I have seen some beautiful performances. The Black Comci Expo was definitely a great event held here some years ago and it was amazing. The MLK Holiday Concert is here every single year in January to celebrate Martim Luther Kings Birthday. During some of those special celebrations that I attended, The Interdenominational Choir & Martha Redbone were favorites that sang so beautifully their dynamic voices filled the venue. The sound quality w/ in BAM Howard Gilman Opera House is truly wonderful. Recently, I was there to see Jimmy Kimmel Live in Brooklyn on 9/29/22. Jimmy Kimmel Live In Brooklyn was phenomenal and he & Guillermo are both hilarious. Special guests Ben Stiller, Desus Nice and the musical band Yeah Yeah Yeahs were all fantastic. BAM Staff are great as they have helped me find my ticketed seating w/ ease, gave me clear instructions on how to get to the bathroom facilities, etc. Website - www.bam.org Instagram - @bam_brookllyn On the website, there is information on how one can find out about renting the venue and there is a Rental Inquiry Form. BAM has so many lovely shows throughout the year and prices are affordable based on seating. I am sure that I will be back there very soon and for many more years to come... read more

See all

Beautiful venue! Walk from the subway wasn't too bad. Lots of waiting space on second level with nice bathrooms and atmosphere. Only issue was ushers directed is to the wrong place so we accidentally sat in someone else's seat. We moved without an issue, but ended up cutting close to the show start time. read more

See all

It's a very pretty opera house, I was in the mezzanine the view is pretty good, decent leg room as well. read more

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House - Performing Arts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

Very poorly managed facility. Sorry. Dirty. Acoustics reeked. Management didn't care. Bathrooms were filthy. First and last time. Bye bye. read more

BAM Opera house once again was the host of the Jimmy Kimmel Live in Brooklyn production. The Opera House of course is wonderful and BAM is a Brooklyn landmark to say the least. However, this review is for the Jimmy Kimmel Live, which bestie and I, scored tickets to for the second time. Getting tickets is a bit of a process and you definitely have to put your request in early for a max of two. This year I was only able to score tickets for one day and of course like 2015, missed out on the performers that I really wanted to see. In 2015 it was Brooklyn's own Jay Z and this year it was the infamous Wu Tang Clan. Nonetheless, the show was great and both the BAM staff and Jimmy's crew work seamlessly to make the process most enjoyable. There was once again photo opps in the lobby once you pass through security and several people available to point you in the right direction. This year was an upgrade in our seat location however the seats themselves will make your hips wish you skipped the complementary bread at dinner everyday of your life. (ouch) Overall a good experience, and somewhat of a tradition now for bestie & I. Hopefully next time we score tix on a day where we get to see the performers of choice.... hey you never know 3rd time is a Charm! Just A Note: Even with tickets the line is a chore, wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather bc the wait is long. Souvenirs are available to commemorate your experience, prices ($$$) are relative to the individual. read more

See all

BAM, as a whole, is a remarkable and wonderful establishment for the arts and performance. I've yet to experience a performance of theirs that has not blown me away! If you have never been (or heard about them), let them be yet another reason why Brooklyn is a place you must experience in full. BAM is one of their jewels! Glad to be here tonight and I hope you will visit them too! read more

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House - Here tonight watching the Great Tamer; I've been told (by my sister in law, who saw it last night) that it's a remarkable performance. - Performing Arts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

BAM has been a part of my entire life. Growing up in Brooklyn I've had the pleasure of coming to this amazing institution often. When I was a little girl in took tap and ballet at a spot on St. Felix that was tucked into BAM. I have no idea if they were affiliated to BAM...but just imagine a lil chocolate girl in her tute and dance tights... sooooo cute. Anywho, having BAM so near I've walked to see many shows from the nutcracker w/ Misty Copeland, the Mark Morris Dance Comapny to support one of my friend's in the company, choir performances, and of course Dance Africa. Tiniest complaint...and I think this goes for every theater....BATHROOMS!! Why do they have to be so small and so few... lol. Other than that, I love this place! read more

I'm kind of surprised this place isn't on yelp; I guess most people just lump it under the BAM umbrella... Regardless, It deserves to be recognized on its own. The Bam Howard Gilman Opera House (or Bhgoh, as the kids call it) is one of the cities best venues. The beauty of it's century-old architecture and design is only rivaled by its percussion. The sound here is incredible and far better than most of it's more modern competitors in NYC. I saw Dan Aurbach and Dr John perform their album in full. I would almost venture to say that there isn't a bad seat (2,109 to be exact) in the house. But, there might be an exception for being up front in the first few rows (AA BB CC) of the orchestra and in the 20's. For most shows it would be perfect, as you get a clear, close, vantage of 80% of the stage. But for a performance where over a dozen musicians are on stage, you may miss a bit of the action (the horn-section in my case). Either way, this is one of the most magnificent, well-rounded venues in all of the city. Be sure to check out Bam-Cafe while you're there. read more

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House - Ceiling - Performing Arts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

They have a lot of great shows here. The inside is beautiful and clean. Unfortunately if you don't get a front orchestra seat or a center row seat you will have a hard time viewing the stage. Forget about the balcony those seats are horrible. Also, the seats are not comfortable and there's limited leg room. But it is an older theater so unless they renovate it can't be helped. Sound system is ok. I come most Memorial Day weekends during Dance Africa. That show is always awesome. I encourage anyone reading this review that has never been to make a day of it. There's plenty of vendors selling food, music, jewelry and clothing. You can also participate in the free drum/dance workshops. I usually take part in the street fair, come inside to see the DanceAfrica show and then hit BAMCafe for the free after party. read more

So glad my friend invited me to a wonderful dance performance here, and the building is historical and gorgeous. Just a lovely time all around and balcony seats were great, in my opinion. I agree w/other folks that the lobby area/elevator thing is--a lil messy, haha. But once we sat up there and watched the show, all of that was forgotten for me. read more

I feel bad saying this, but I'm not in love with this theater. Okay, don't get me wrong the lobby is gorgeous but there are so many things that are lacking here. First of all, the elevators can only hold about five people comfortably. You literally have to press your body up against 4 random people in those tiny little spaces. Then there's the seats in the theater. I am only 5'4 and I feel like I can't move my legs more than an inch in any direction. The two times I've been here, I was on the top level pretty far back. I understand that I'm not going to be able to see the whole stage, but the second somebody in front of me leans forward, the stage is completely hidden from my view. I would have hoped that the person designing this theater would have accommodated for that. And if not, there should be seat belts that force everybody to sit back in their seats. read more

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House - Performing Arts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

I love this theatre and the varied productions that they offer. I mostly buy season tickets, and the prices are so reasonable that you can take chances and see innovative performances, opera, dance, theatre, or music from another part of the world that will surprise and enlighten you. Some of the best things I've ever seen were staged here. This theatre also houses the movie theatre. The balcony seats are a bit steep, and you have to take a small, crowded elevator up to them. The seats are also narrow, but I suppose theateregoers used to be thinner. The bathrooms are clean and the lines move quickly. My only complaint is that the lobby before a show is a total clusterf*ck. It was less stressful even a few years ago. I think it's the combination of more one-time visitors from Manhattan, more late arrivals, and more merchandise available downstairs. It might make sense for the theatre to say, "no late arrivals," like many others do. The architecture is beautiful and the sound is unparalleled. Also, why don't they sell tickets for the wing seats? Empty, yet awesome. read more

Breathtakingly gorgeous. The architecture, stonework and high ceilings all make it feel luxurious and palatial. Came here to watch a play with a good friend of mine recently and there really isn't a bad seat in the whole Opera House. I tend to visit BAM Rose Cinema for the movies but I will definitely be taking more advantage of this gorgeous theatre. read more

Leron's Lesson: Increible venue!! Stunning architecture, fantastic staff and consistently captivating performers. Full Review: Had the honor of seeing the William Onyeabor tribute concert here recently and I was blown away. The entire audience was captivated by the quality of entertainment we were treated to. The entrance process was seamless and the staff helped locate your seats immediately. I truly hope to see another performance here in the near future. read more

I went here to see Jimmy Kimmel Live and I loved the venue. BAM is huge and has a lot of seats, 3 floors worth. The staff is really friendly and nice. There are a lot of public restrooms. I would definitely go here for another performance. Would recommend checking this place out. read more

See all

I was so anxious to attend the BAM DanceAfrica Festival and when I finally did...oh what an experience. Due to the large crowd, it got a little hectic near the box office as I left some tickets for Will Call. One of the ushers directed me to another usher who was already overwhelmed, and struggling to maintain her professional demeanor. Once inside, it was a more pleasant experience. This venue is gorgeous. I could definitely use a lot more legroom given my height (6'0). The seats were at least comfortable for the two hour show. The sound was great. I loved that this space is easily accessible, just blocks away from the subway. You can't beat free wi-fi either. read more

so, so gorgeous. this theater is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. it's an opera house, so going to a concert here is a bit formal, even if you're not actually there for the opera. I usually like my shows more relaxed, but when you're someplace adorned with stained glass and intricate stonework, velvet seats are a must. read more

Had a fantastic time seeing the Nutrcracker here this past winter. It was a bit drafty, but the American Ballet Theatre did a great job. I got tickets last minute for the end seats in the second level. They were a good $40 bucks cheaper than the other seats in the row and the view was perfect. read more

I have been going here since mid1980s, and now that I live in the Bronx it takes a very special show to attract me, but that still happens once or twice a year. As someone who more often goes to Lincoln Center, I am always amazed that the hall is small, and especially that there is really almost no leg room. Also, I find the lobby a madhouse and the tiny and slow elevators for balcony access very annoying. Weirdly, there is almost always a ruckus in the audience during shows. Not just cell phone ringing but people walk in late or early or get into loud squabbles. Maybe it's more of a tradition in Brooklyn to drink a lot before shows? Lastly, the box office and ticket taking is annoyingly goofy. On a recent occasion, one of my 3 printed out tickets was "not scanning the barcode" and I was sent all the way back to box office? Really? At the Met there is a manager type right there with a laptop to help. Once I even accidentally showed up on the wrong night and he arranged an exchange on the spot. (Plus the Met has great coat check and lost and found.) Brooklyn, and BAM, you still have a long way to go on the classiness and customer service fronts, but don't let go of the startlingly fine art sensibility on the way. read more