By Dirk Langeveld

NEW HAVEN — The New Haven Symphony Orchestra will play a concert in a new outdoor performance venue this week, bringing its music to The Estate.

Garden Concert at The Estate will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 15th. 

Elaine C. Carroll, CEO of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, said the group is not new to outdoor concerts, having put on a Family Concert Series and performed at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas. However, she expects that The Estate will offer another venue where the orchestra can grow in the future.

“Garden Concert at The Estate represents an exciting new opportunity for your Symphony,” said Carroll. “We are always looking for ways to bring music into new spaces, to meet people where they are, and to create meaningful experiences for our community.”

Plan for the evening

Audiences can arrive early if they choose, with the ornate grounds of The Estate opening at 6 p.m. The Townshend family first purchased the property in 1797, with a home built on the site in 1804 and upgraded in the Carpenter Gothic style in the 1850s. The Townshends continued to live or vacation at the residence for more than two centuries, until the family’s heirs put it on the market in 2021. It now serves as an event venue.

Music Director Perry So leads a program that includes Spanish-inspired works for orchestra, guitar, voice, and dance. Mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala and dancer Eva Conti will perform El Amor Brujo, a piece drawing on Andalusian folk traditions and culminating in the “Ritual Fire Dance.” Guitarist Andrea Gonzalez Caballero will perform Joaquin Rodrigo’s classical concerto Fantasia para un Gentilhombre.

The concert’s VIP Tent experience — a fundraiser that includes access to the mansion, pre- and post-concert hospitality, and reserved seating — has already sold out, which the New Haven Symphony Orchestra says reflects “strong support for the Symphony’s artistic and educational mission.” A wait list is available here.

The concert also offers lawn tickets, with concertgoers invited to bring blankets, chairs, and picnics. These tickets are $20 for adults, which youth under age 18 admitted free with the purchase of an adult ticket.

Awards presentation

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra will present several awards during the concert to honor individuals and organizations whose work has strengthened the Symphony and the broader New Haven community. 

Dr. Rita A. Landino, a longtime faculty member at Southern Connecticut State University, will receive the Wattles Award – the Symphony’s highest honor. Other awardees include:

• Quartet Award for Artistry: Shining Light on Truth Exhibitions
• Quartet Award for Education: LEAP (Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership)
• Quartet Award for Historic Impact: Jesse Hameen II
• Quartet Award for Innovation: AZA Lab

For more information, visit newhavensymphony.org.

Garden Concert at The Estate

Friday, May 15
7:30 pm (grounds open at 6:00 pm)
The Estate
709 Townsend Avenue
New Haven

Expanded coverage of Fairfield County cultural events is made possible with support from the Fairfield University Quick Center for the Arts.

Dirk Langeveld

^{_{Dirk Langeveld has worked as a news reporter, content marketing specialist, and freelance writer. He is the author of “The Artful Dodger: The 20-Year Pursuit of World War I Draft Dodger Grover Cleveland Bergdoll” and has contributed to several books on Connecticut history.}}