Autumn belongs to Edgar Allan Poe, one of America’s best and best-known authors, who specialized in mystery, macabre and Gothic writing. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the poet’s birth, and Baltimore, where he lived the last years of his short life (he mysteriously died in 1849 at the age of 40), has a series of cool and eerie celebrations lined up to honor the man. Here are a few highlights.
Photo: Public Domain, C.T. Tatman
Performance of Edgar Allan Poe’s Bérénice
National Museum of Dentistry
Sept. 25, 2009; 7 p.m.
Dare to discover one man’s maniacal obsession with his betrothed’s gleaming white teeth in a performance of Edgar Allan Poe’s controversial horror story Bérénice. Doors open at 6 p.m. for an after-hours opportunity to explore the galleries. The performance begins at 7 p.m., followed by refreshments. The galleries will remain open until 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available at the Museum box office. www.dentalmuseum.org
Art of Darkness: Inspired by Poe
Baltimore Museum of Art
Oct. 4, 2009 to Jan. 17, 2010
This dramatic exhibition showcases works by some of the greatest artists of the 19th and 20th centuries who were inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling and unforgettable tales. Drawn largely from the BMA’s renowned collection, these rarely seen prints, drawings and illustrated books explore the enduring legacy of Poe’s dark fiction on modern artists such as Edouard Manet and Paul Gauguin. Three thematic areas are explored in the exhibition—love and loss, fear and terror, and madness and obsession—with compelling images inspired by The Raven, The Black Cat, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum and other Poe classics. www.artbma.org
Edgar Allan Poe’s Funeral Service
Westminster Hall
Oct. 10, 2009; two services: noon and 4:30 p.m.
A horse-drawn funeral hearse will bring Poe’s “body” from his home on Amity Street to the Westminster Hall for burial services. A drum and fife corps will lead the procession. The funeral service will include musical selections, guest speakers and dramatic reenactments as well as representatives from the literary, stage and movie industries presenting their own eulogies. Invited representatives from the literary, stage and movie industries will present their own eulogies for Poe. www.nevermore2009.com
For more information, visit the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association, www.baltimore.org.
