Carnegie Hall Announces Open Gallery Hours for The Beatles Hidden Gallery--An Exhibit of Rare and Intimate Photos by Paul Berriff Featuring the Young Iconic Rock Group

Carnegie Hall today announced that it will open its doors for free open gallery hours on four consecutive Saturday mornings in November and December for The Beatles Hidden Gallery—an exhibition of more than 30 recently-discovered candid images of the seminal rock group, photographed in 1963 and 1964 by British photographer and award-winning cinematographer Paul Berriff. These intimate photographs—shot in England around the time of the group’s first tour of the United States which included two landmark performances at Carnegie Hall—showcase the young band on the cusp of superstardom, just prior to the world-wide eruption of “Beatle-Mania.”

The Beatles Hidden Gallery exhibit will be open to the public for free viewing from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. onSaturday, November 26; Saturday, December 3; Saturday, December 10; and Saturday, December 17. Admission is free, with tickets available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office beginning at 10:00 a.m. each Saturday. Tickets for open gallery hours are limited, and patrons will be accommodated on a first come, first served basis.

In 1963, Paul Berriff—a 16-year-old boy with a big passion for photography—approached the managers of local Yorkshire theaters who granted him a coveted place on several backstage pass lists. He soon found himself behind-the-scenes at numerous concerts, featuring Roy Orbison, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, among others. Berriff formed a good relationship with the Fab Four, returning to photograph them again in 1964. He was able to capture many candid moments with the type of backstage access that was later unheard of as the group became more popular, and photo shoots were restricted to a small cadre of pre-approved professional photographers. He notes, “Sometimes they would pose for me, but most of the time I would just take the pictures in their unguarded moments—they looked more natural.”

Amazingly, Berriff forgot about his photos and more than 850 negatives lay stored in a small box until he rediscovered them while clearing out his attic in 2009. Among them were nearly 40 images of The Beatles, seen by the public for the first time last year.

In addition to the open gallery hours, ticketholders for all Zankel Hall performances are invited to view The Beatles Hidden Gallery exhibit, pre-concert or during intermission, through December 17.

The Beatles made their Carnegie Hall debut on February 12, 1964, following only two other live performances in the U.S., including a concert at the Washington Coliseum in Washington DC and their famed performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in New York City.

The Beatles Hidden Gallery exhibit is presented by Carnegie Hall in conjunction with The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool, England. For more information on The Beatles Hidden Gallery collection, please visit www.the-beatles-hidden-gallery.com.

About the Photographer
Paul Berriff is one of the UK’s leading cinematographers, with a career spanning over 45 years. Berriff started his career as a copy boy and press photographer at the Yorkshire Evening Post, but soon moved into the world of moving pictures—becoming the youngest ever cameraman for the BBC at the age of 21. Since then, Berriff’s career has taken him to such far-flung destinations as Nicaragua and Borneo, earning the nickname of “The Indiana Jones of Television.” Among his many successes, Berriff is credited for pioneering the “fly-on-the-wall” reality documentary—a format now seen on television channels the world over. His unique eye for a good story, coupled with an exacting standard of professionalism, has earned him a total of 19 industry awards, including a BAFTA for Best Factual Program and a BAFTA nomination for Best Cinematography.

Program InformationSaturday, November 26, 2011, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 3, 2011, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 10, 2011, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 17, 2011, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Zankel Hall (Parterre & Mezzanine Levels)

THE BEATLES HIDDEN GALLERY
An Exhibit of Recently Discovered Images of The Beatles: 1963-1964

Presented by Carnegie Hall in conjunction with The Beatles Story in Liverpool, England.

Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.