Death of Classical has announced a brand new series of concerts for its 2021 season.

We will focus solely on vocal performances in this article, though it is worth noting that the series will feature collaborations with the New York Philharmonic, violinist Gil Shaham, pianist Min Kwon, the PUBLIQuartet, the Ulysses Quartet, and pianist Simone Dinnerstein.

But for opera lovers, the big draw will be the season-ending showcase on Oct. 21-23 featuring Cantori New York. The ensemble will perform an outdoor, candlelit performance of Fauré’s “Requiem,” under the direction of Mark Shapiro. The performance will be given in honor of all those lost during the pandemic, “while also reminding us that there is always light in the darkness.”

There will also be a filmed performance series entitled “From the Catacombs” that will be broadcast via WNET Group’s ALL ARTS TV and via the ALL ARTS app.

“Over the past year, we have been through a trial together. A seemingly endless barrage of suffering, fear, anger, and sorrow. But now that we see light at the end of this long, dark tunnel, it’s vital that we pause to process and reflect on what we’ve experienced,” said Andrew Ousley, Death of Classical’s Founder and Artistic Director in a press release. “The music in these programs offers an opportunity both to mourn and to move forward, to grieve for all that is lost, but also to honor the moments of heroism and selflessness, the fearlessness of our first responders, the quiet humanity of one neighbor helping another in a time of need. After everything, more now than ever, I have hope for the future.”