LONG-AWAITED: After witnessing her glorious star-studded appearance with her Underground Railroad at The Metropolitan Opera House back in 2016, Ms. Battle returns in a ‘portrait’ concert on Mother’s Day, May 12, 2024 at 5 PM.
LEAD PHOTO: Legendary soprano Kathleen Battle takes her bow before the capacity audience at The Metropolitan Opera House in 2016.
by Patrick D. McCoy
When soprano Kathleen Battle returned to the Metropolitan Opera back in 2016, it seemed like her loyal following came from all of the corners of the Earth. During her concert at The Kennedy Center back in 2018, Battle hearkened back to how that performance at The Metropolitan Opera House came to be. What was clear then as it is now: this return is on her terms!
“I just want to say something. So people have been asking me about this ‘so-called choir’ I don’t think this is any choir that I have ever heard. (applause)…I am going to use the term to describe this group as supremely talented and gifted musicians (applause). And how we all came together was last year when I had the invitation to return to a place that I had not been in 22 years…It was my choice about how, what, when, EVERYTHING. So I put out a call to a group of friends, 6 individuals involved, plus myself….and I asked do you have singers, not talking about a choir, I am talking about singers.”
For this upcoming concert, Ms. Battle will perform works by Purcell, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Fauré, Villa-Lobos, and Rodrigo, as well as selected spirituals. As a great collaborator with diverse musicians, she will be joined by noted harpist Bridget Kibbey and two-time Grammy-nominated guitarist Chico Pinheiro. It has been truly a joy to hear and witness the artistry of soprano Kathleen Battle over the years. Whether it has been at The Music Center Strathmore, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center of this second return to The Metropolitan Opera House, this program will be one for the ages.
Soprano Kathleen Battle at the end of her 2018 presentation of “Underground Railroad” at The Kennedy Center. PHOTO: Patrick D. McCoy)
TICKETS: CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS:
Tickets go on sale to the general public, Friday March 22. (Patrons, Met members at the Supporting level ($150), and Subscribers are eligible to purchase single tickets now.)
PHOTO CREDIT: Christian Steiner
A native of Petersburg, VA, Patrick holds a BM in Vocal Performance from Virginia State University and a MM in Church Music from Shenandoah Conservatory. Formerly the Performing Arts Columnist for Washington Life Magazine, he currently is a freelance writer, publishing articles for several noted publications and organizations, including The Washington Post, Early Music America, Classical Music Voice North America, The Afro-American Newspaper, Prince George’s Suite Magazine, CBS Washington, Examiner.com and Washington Classical Review. He holds membership in the Music Critics Association of North America, National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc., American Choral Directors’ Association, Association of Anglican Musicians, a former member of the Shenandoah University Alumni Board of Directors, a member of the Shenandoah University Black Alumni Network, a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and a member of the Sigma Zeta Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America. As an alumnus of Shenandoah, he was named to the Dean’s Circle of the Shenandoah Conservatory Advisory Board. He enters his 7th year as Organist/Choirmaster at Saint John’s Episcopal Church, Zion Parish in Beltsville, MD and is the newly hired Development and Communications Manager for Washington Conservatory of Music in Glen Echo, MD. Patrick is the host of “Across the Arts” both a live and virtual media platform covering the performing arts. Visit http://patrickdmccoy.com and follow him on Facebook and Twitter @PatrickDMcCoy, IG: PDM06. and subscribe to “Across the Arts” on YouTube.