The sounds of Niagara's past return to life at Castellani Art Museum

By the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University (CAM), in collaboration with the Lewiston Council on the Arts (LCA), invites the community to step back in time with “Niagara Follies: Music from the CAM Collection,” from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24.

Presented as part of the museum’s “CAM Meets” series, this one-of-a-kind performance blends music, dance, history and storytelling to celebrate the rich cultural history of Niagara Falls through the popular entertainment of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Inspired by historic sheet music preserved in the museum’s renowned Charles Rand Penney Collection of Historic Prints, the evening will feature live performances of “Table Rock Schottisch” (1852) by John Cook and “A Trip to Niagara, March and Two Step” (1908) by William J. Cornish, alongside other Niagara-themed compositions, including the lively “Cataract Galop” from 1868. Audiences will also enjoy favorites from the era, from Stephen Foster classics and barbershop harmonies to ragtime melodies and the Charleston, creating an entertaining glimpse into the music that once filled parlors, theaters and gathering places across America.

John Cook, composer, “Table Rock Schottisch” (1852). This chromolithograph is a generous donation from Dr. Charles Rand Penney, partially funded by the Castellani Purchase Fund, with additional funding from Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Lytle. (CAM2006.001.179)

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Adding to the immersive experience, dancers Adeline Glenn and partner will perform period-inspired choreography, while costumes provided through Niagara University’s Department of Theatre will help transport audiences to another era.

“For as long as I’ve worked with the Charles Rand Penney Collection, I’ve wanted to hear the sheet music in our collection performed live,” said Mary Helen Miskuly, registrar at the Castellani Art Museum. “These pieces were meant to be experienced, not simply preserved on paper. Bringing them back to life allows us to connect with the people, places and stories that inspired them in a completely new way.”

Miskuly credits the collaboration with the Lewiston Council on the Arts for making the program possible.

“I knew Maria Fortuna Dean and the Lewiston Council on the Arts would know exactly the right musicians to help bring this vision to life,” she said. “Together, along with support from Niagara University’s theater program, we’ve created an evening that celebrates both our collection and our community.”

“Niagara Follies” is part of “CAM Meets,” the museum’s ongoing series of lectures, conversations, films and performances that explore art, history and culture through historical perspectives. The series invites audiences to examine the stories that have shaped our understanding of the past while discovering the voices and experiences that continue to enrich it today.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children, and free for members of the Castellani Art Museum and the Lewiston Council on the Arts.

For tickets and additional information, visit the CAM or register online at castellaniartmuseum.org.

More about the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University: CAM is a center for art and learning where people of all ages can discover, create and connect. Through exhibitions, educational programs and community partnerships, the museum brings people together to inspire dialogue, creativity and lifelong learning. Admission is always free because art is for everyone.

More about the Lewiston Council on the Arts: LCA is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all by nurturing a thriving environment for the arts and for cultural activities, promoting opportunities for artists, encouraging public participation in the arts, and actively advocating for the arts.