THE CASA DUSE SALON SERIES 〉

Autographed photographs of Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, Noël Coward, Charlie Chaplin, Enrico Caruso, Zinka Milanov, Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Giuseppe Verdi, and Arturo Toscanini hang throughout. Sutherland and Pavarotti, on their way to Casa Duse, would stop for birthday cakes at Monteleone's Bakery, still standing today on Court and President streets.

Today, Casa Duse continues that legacy through a partnership with New Place Players: the Casa Duse Salon, a series of cultural events centered on chamber performance — theater, music, and dance, often woven together. We gather weekly, mostly on Thursdays (and occasionally Fridays), and take pride in championing emerging artists alongside cross-generational programming. Our hope is to make Casa Duse a place where community and art grow together.

Casa Duse is a historic parlor townhouse in the heart of Park Slope, facing Prospect Park across from the Brooklyn Library and Grand Army Plaza — now reimagined as an intimate performance space.

The house takes its name from the legendary Italian actress Eleonora Duse (1858–1924), its original owner, and still carries her spirit in every room. Portraits of Duse line the walls, and the house is practically a living museum of opera and theater history.