Designed to be enjoyed from the comfort of home, Hidden Newport features performances by the Newport String Quartet filmed in eclectic spaces around Newport.
Clingstone
Clingstone, the famed "house on the rocks", is the stunning setting for a performance by the Newport String Quartet of evocative works by Eduard Toldrà and Evrim Demirel.
Read more about this storied home here
Fort Adams
For the first installment, the quartet plays at the historic Fort Adams - the massive fortress standing guard at the entrance to Narragansett Bay. Once called “The Rock on Which the Storm Shall Beat”, Fort Adams is home to intricate architectural work, most notably its arches, bastions and crownwork. To learn the full history of Fort Adams, visit fortadams.org.
Tune in for the premiere at Fort Adams below, which aired Sunday, January 17th at 2pm, featuring works by Haydn, George Walker and Komitas.
Belmont Chapel
The Newport String Quartet plays at the Belmont Chapel. The August Belmont Memorial Chapel was constructed in 1866, commissioned by Mr. and Mrs. August Belmont, Sr as a memorial to their daughter Jane who died at a young age. Of the many gorgeous features in the chapel, some of the most striking are the fourteen stained glass windows and stone carved altar. Despite falling into disrepair in recent years, the Belmont Chapel Foundation was established in 2012 to restore and preserve the chapel for future generations. To find out more about the chapel and the foundation, click here.
The quartet is delighted to play in such a beautiful space, with works by Caroline Shaw and Andrea Tarrodi. This virtual premiere, linked below, aired Sunday, February 7th at 2pm!
Newport Congregational Church
This next Hidden Newport event brings the quartet to the sanctuary of the Newport Congregational Church, the only surviving comprehensive architectural interior by the renowned American artist John La Farge. La Farge, who lived from 1835 to 1910, patented a new ‘colored-glass window’ in 1880 that softened direct light. For the contract with Newport Congregational Church, La Farge was inspired by geometric patterns of Byzantine, Moorish and Persian tiles in his designs. To learn more about the La Farge Restoration Fund and Newport Congregational Church, visit http://lafargerestorationfund.org/
Music for this event includes works by Henry Purcell, Alan Hovhaness, Komitas and an arrangement of the Unst Boat Song from the Shetland Islands. The premiere, linked below, aired Sunday February 28th at 2pm.
Chapel by the Sea - Seamen’s Church Institute
Join the Newport String Quartet at the Chapel by the Sea at the Seamen’s Church Institute. Named by Mercury Magazine as one of the “seven quiet places to gather your thoughts and nourish your soul,” a description that rings true upon entering the space. The exquisite paintings in the chapel, done by Durr Freedley in the early 1900’s, pay a visual homage to Christian saints associated with the sea - Saints that were commonly called upon by mariners in need of strength and guidance. To learn more about the chapel and Seamen’s Church institute, visit https://seamensnewport.org/ .
The program for this Hidden Newport performance features solos and duos by Bach, Beethoven and Piazzolla. The premiere, linked below, aired on Sunday March 21st.
Touro Synagogue
The Newport String Quartet plays at the Touro Synagogue, a site of deep historical prominence with the Jewish community in Newport. The Touro is the oldest synagogue building still standing in the United States, and the only surviving synagogue in the country dating to the colonial era. Considered British architect Peter Harrison’s most notable work, the Touro’s interior is flanked by twelve Ionic columns, signifying the twelve tribes of ancient Israel. To learn more about the synagogue and its history, visit https://www.tourosynagogue.org/
The program for this Hidden Newport performance includes Haydn, Schlulhoff, Gershwin, and more. Stay tuned for the virtual premiere linked below, which will air Sunday, April 25th at 2pm.
