I lived in Boston for 25 years and attended almost every H&H concert. They are perhaps the best…read moresmall orchestra devoted primarily (but not exclusively) to pre-19th C music. I cannot imagine they have deteriorated to the 1- and 2-star ratings seen here from 2017. I would hate to see them slide so, and have no idea who's in charge now (I left in 2001) or maybe my standards have slipped (though New World Symphony in Miami can stand up to any orchestra I've seen). Anyway, take this for what it's worth and make up your own mind.

Thinking about recent H & H concerts and can't stand how much better it could be. Look at Handel &…read moreHaydn leadership photos and what do you see? Boring white guys who forget that the place should be about the music and the musicians. The CEO couldn't manage his way out of a paper bag, chews up creative people and spits them out in case they offer more flair or interesting approaches than he has (that is, if he actually knew something about early music practices and what the era offers). If you want incredible Baroque and early Classical music, turn instead to Boston Early Music Festival, Boston Baroque, or some of the small groups and world class instrumentalists Boston's music schools and Baroque music scene keep cranking out. We have some of the world's young (and established) greats, not that H & H highlights that, gives them a platform, or does much more to further Boston's musical community beyond wrapping itself in the eternal shroud of the Messiah. They have become an opportunity lost.

I saw Sara Bareilles here recently and was quite impressed with the venue. I had no idea that the…read morespace was that small (in a good way) until I showed up. It also totally explained why the show sold out quickly and my friends and I had single seats for the performance. In the end, it was totally worth it. It is a small , intimate space seating about 500-600 people. The seats were comfortable, but standard fare for a university auditorium. One of my friends commented that even if you were sitting further back, the view of the stage was excellent. The Balcony seats are located immediately behind the orchestra section and are about 5-6 steps higher. The staff did a great job escorting people to their seats in an efficient manner. Additionally, when there was a potential medical issue during the performance (luckily not the case), there were plenty of staff rushing to the scene and the house lights came on immediately. Turned out it was just an over-anxious Sara B fan. I would definitely go see a performance there again. It's easy to get to, and there are plenty of pre-gaming options in nearby Kenmore Square beforehand (5 minute walk or so). The BU East T stop is right there as well for easy access as well. The acoustics in the auditorium were fantastic as well.

Ah, the Tsai Center... I can't think of any other theatre in Boston that you can drive to & get a…read morefree parking spot right outside the door 10 minutes before the show starts:) That is the #1 reason why I give this venue 5 stars. As far as the venue itself goes, it is small and intimate. I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. Since it is part of Boston University, the seats have little desks attached in case you need to do some homework before the show starts;) Overall, a very nice venue to see a repertory dance performance, or music ensemble. You can also book the venue for your own events!

I spend most of my time on campus at the BU dance theater both as a performer, and a patron, so I…read morehave enough experience to review the space as both. It is a quaint little spot to see your favorite college dancer developpe all over the place, but not much more than that. If you see a show here you probably also know some one in the show, so the accommodations are not the attraction. It is more of a black box theater with stadium seating than any thing else. The seats will be folding chairs on risers, so come to terms with that. The audience gets a clear view of the whole stage though, because the theater can seat 250 from what I remember. No one is more than fifty feet from the stage. Backstage performers roam the halls, and get to admire plaques for the dance faculty on their dark, and empty offices. It is a rather bland service corridor leading to dressing rooms for males, and females. The female dressing room is twice the size as the male room, because dancer demographics. Otherwise they are clean, well lit, and great places to relax, and socialize between acts. The stage has only a single entrance, so performance, and audience alike get to delight with the traffic jams that occur at the one door to back stage. Using this space for performance was clearly an afterthought, but such is life. Remember why we are here: favorite college dancer, developpes, right. As a rehearsal space, the theater is actually pretty great. The risers recede into the wall, exposing a huge dance floor. It is great for teaching a large class, or getting your friends together to stage a WWI dog fight. Bring your scarves, goggles, and go nuts with plane noises.

Alright, I work here, so I might be a little bias - but Emmanuel Music really is a hidden gem of…read moreBoston since the 70s! Emmanuel Music, while it is the orchestra and chorus in-residence at Emmanuel Church, is not a religious organization. Since the 1970s, Emmanuel Music has been presenting weekly performances of the cantatas of J.S. Bach in the liturgical setting for which Bach intended. These performances are free and open to the public, and take place on Sundays (September-May) at 10 am following the liturgy. Although I am not a particularly religious person, there is something very honorable and virtuous, even restorative about hearing such dynamic and eloquent music - as Bach intended, echoing throughout the sanctuary of a beautiful church. The fall schedule for the cantatas can be found here: http://www.emmanuelmusic.org/concerts/cantatas.htm Emmanuel Music also presents various series showcasing different types of chamber music and larger works. The Schumann Chamber Series is in its fourth year exploring the complete vocal, piano, and instrumental chamber works of Robert Schumann as well as works by Clara Schumann. These concerts take place on October 14, 21 and March 30 and April 6 at 4:00 pm. The Evening Concert Series features two of Bach's large choral works: the St. John Passion (March 8, 2008 @ 8 pm) and the Mass in B minor (April 12, 2008 @ 8 pm). The Russell Sherman Series (Janury 26, February 2, and February 9) features renowned pianist Russell Sherman performing the complete English Suites of J.S. Bach. Each program will also include one of Bach's three Viola da Gamba Sonatas and Bach-Busoni Chorale Preludes. At any rate, there is a lot of good music to be heard at Emmanuel Music (many concerts are free to the public and all of the other ticketed concerts offer $10 student admission). All of the concerts take place at Emmanuel Church, located in the last block of Newbury Street (next to the Taj, former Ritz Carlton) by the Public Gardens. It was the first building on Newbury Street in 1860 and one of the firsts in Back Bay. It's worth checking out the architecture even if you don't get a chance to hear the music (the acoustics are great too). Check out the website for more info: www.emmanuel-music.org Or call Emmanuel Music for a brochure (I'm usually the one to pick up the phone, with our whopping full time staff of two and part time of three): 617.536.3356

Are you too broke to go to BSO? Then come here, instead!!…read moreAlthough I am not Christian, I find this place as my sanctuary to wash out all the stress that cumulated over the week with very soothing and spiritual cantata music. They aren't pushy but very laid back so it's very comfortable being there. I think this is why I find this place like sanctuary regardless. Their ensemble is superb. Simply superb. Be there around 11am on Sunday so that you won't miss their performance.

I had no idea there was theater space in the Lynn Arts building until I attended a performance of…read more"Evil Dead the Musical" there as part of the "Arts After Hours" program. (I'd been to art shows at Lynn Arts before, but never something like this.) Evil Dead the Musical was hilarious and I recommend attending to anyone who likes campy horror and/or musicals. The first 2 rows were the "splatter zone" where attendees were given ponchos. (And as the show progressed, they needed them.) The theater was small, but even from the last row I could see and hear the musical well. I've had the song "All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed by Candarian Demons" stuck in my head since the performance. I grew up in a city next to Lynn, so it's very nice to see a resurgence in the art scene. Don't be scared off by "Lynn the city of sin" and check out an Arts After Hours performance. You'll be glad you attended.

They always put on a great show and do far more than they should be able to with sets in the space…read morethey have. I try to get to at least one show a year, and you can't go wrong with any of them. My favorites have been their Shakespeare productions and ones done around Halloween. This and dinner at one of the restaurants downtown make for a very enjoyable night out.

The Ward Eights were truly spectacular and everything we could ask for in a wedding band…read more Professional, helpful in making sure we thought of everything for the big day, and most importantly - put on an amazing performance! So many guests came up to us afterwards and told us they were the best band they've seen at a wedding. They managed to get nearly everyone on the dance floor. We are so happy we picked them for our special day. They made sure the entire reception went perfectly from cocktail hour to send off. Can't recommend enough!

The Ward Eights played our wedding reception last September, and they were absolutely fantastic…read morefrom start to finish. Some highlights: -- Bill & Chris were very easy to work with booking the band and handling all the logistics. -- They were super flexible the day of the wedding (we started late, had to move their setup, and had them plugged into an old gas-powered generator). -- They played an epically-long (nearly 2-hour) set without taking a break. -- They had the entire place dancing like crazy people. I've had so many friends & relatives tell me how "awesome your band was" after the fact -- I would definitely recommend them to anyone who is looking for an incredible band for the wedding/event.

This group is fantastic! I went and saw their show last summer, Burning the Barn, and I was…read morethoroughly entertained! For a brand new play to be so impressive is no small feat. After seeing the impressive set and lighting design, I was surprised to hear from the group's representatives that they had only been established a year ago! Truly talented folks at Vagabond.

We went to the black box theater for a showing of Albatross, a world premiere play that is based on…read more"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." This theater is actually a part of the Paramount Theater, which is a part of Emerson College. My sister's college English class was lucky enough to obtain free tickets to see this play, which was organized by her professor. Fantastic opportunity! The theater is a bit formal, with a really interesting mural as a backdrop for where it says "Black Box Theater." I really liked the classy, clean, well-kept atmosphere. There were two friendly ticket-takers before we entered the theater. The stage is pretty big, but it's still pretty intimate. We were in the second row (no one opted to sit in the first) and at times, the actor (it was an amazing one-man show) flecked some spit into us by accident. Talk about breaking the fourth wall! What I really likes about this production is that hey collected donations for a marine life environmental group at the end of the play, this connecting real life issues to an older poem like "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." I really respect that Black Box is dedicated to bringing such plays to it's stage and I would thoroughly enjoy supporting similar productions at this theater in the future.