Damien Sneed Brings New Generation of Black Voices Together for Performance Honoring MLK Day
Created and directed by composer, conductor, and multi-genre musician Damien Sneed, Our Song, Our Story is an evening of music highlighting some of the world’s most well-known arias, art songs and spirituals, Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at 7:30PM. Tickets are on sale now at the official source to purchase Wharton Center tickets online, whartoncenter.com, at the Auto-Owners Insurance Ticket Office, or by calling 517-432-2000 or 1-800-WHARTON.
Honoring MLK Day, the concert brings together two of today's most exciting voices in a diverse and powerful event. Featuring co-founder of the Black Opera Alliance and social justice advocate in opera, Raehann Bryce-Davis, whom The New York Times calls “A striking mezzo-soprano”, and Brandie Inez Sutton, whom The New York Times calls “a warm, ample voice with a ravishing performance and distinctive earthy coloring”. She was one of Aretha Franklin’s picks in her national competition to find the next opera star to sign to Franklin’s label.
Each singer brings their colorful artistry to the table with solo performances as well as duets and trios. This event will also be paying homage to Marian Anderson and Jessye Norman, who paved the way for other African American opera singers. The repertoire features compositions by Handel, Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Strauss, Gershwin, Margaret Bonds, Harry T. Burleigh, Richard Smallwood and a newly commissioned work from Damien Sneed.
Damien Sneed is a pianist, vocalist, organist, arranger, producer, and so much more. His work spans multiple genres, working with Grammy Award® winning performers from Diana Ross to operettist J’Nai Bridges. Sneed joined the faculty at Michigan State as an artist-in-residence for the 2020-2021 academic year working with Wharton Center and MSU College of Music, helping to bring social impact programming and advancing progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Please visit the Wharton Center website at whartoncenter.com/covid-19 to review the most up-to-date information and requirements pertaining to COVID-19.
