Events
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Marian's Song: A Musical Opera Storytime
Saturday, May 20, 2023 | 10:30 AM
African American Museum in Philadelphia
Registration information to come
Megnot Toggia, vocalist
Cookie Diorio, vocalist
Jinhyun Park, piano
This free event is a reading of the children’s book When Marian Sang about the life of contralto Marian Anderson. Compositions by Florence Price and Margaret Bonds are interwoven throughout the storytelling, creating an event for all ages.
Past Events:
The Sankofa Project: A Journey Through Black Music and Artistry
Saturday, September 10, 2022 | 5:00 PM
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
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In the West African tradition, the Adinkra symbol of “Sankofa” depicts a bird with its head turned backward while its feet face forward carrying a precious egg in its mouth. The word itself means “go back and fetch it” and is further understood as “looking back to move forward”. The Sankofa Project: A Journey Through Black Music and Artistry explores the rich tapestry of vocal music created by African Americans. Originally planned for Black Music Month,the program features music by and tributes to Black musical figures in many genres such as Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, Curtis Mayfield, and The Impressions, including Price and Bonds performed by five young HBCU alumni artists making major impact in the performing arts world. Along with the powerful music, audiences will be treated to the powerful stories of these legendary artists through narration and dramatic interpretation. The music and artistry of African people are much like that precious egg in the mouth of the bird, full of vitality and sustainable resources. In experiencing this program, all will be inspired by these pivotal artists of the past and determined to move forward in creating a brighter future for us all.
Conceived and curated by Patrick Dailey, artist-in-residence at St. Luke’s.
Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest
Saturday, September 17, 2022
Kimmel Center Plaza
Free
Musicians from Opera Philadelphia and the National Marian Anderson Museum highlight the music of Florence Price and Margaret Bonds during the 2022 Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest.
Thank you to our generous partners at The National Marian Anderson Museum and ONEcomposer.
When Marian Sang: Opera Storybook Time
Saturday, September 24 | 10:30 AM
Marian Anderson Recreation Center
Saturday, October 1, 2022 | 10:30 AM
The Fellowship Room, Wharton-Wesley United Methodist Church
Join the National Marian Anderson Museum and Opera Philadelphia as they present a reading of When Marian Sang by Pam Muñoz Ryan. The Marian Anderson Museum & Historical Society will display items of Marian’s – letters, dresses, and sheet music – to bring the story of the Philadelphia luminary to life.
This event is designed with all students in mind, but geared for Pre-K to 1st grade.
We Dream a World
Sunday, November 6, 2022 | 3:00 PM
Old First Reformed UCC
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Singing City Choir
Nate Zullinger, conductor
This concert produced by Singing City, our partners in the T-VOCE program will feature contributions to the choral art from women, all within the last 75 years. A highlight will be the premiere of a new work by Philadelphia composer Melissa Dunphy.
Marian's Song: A Musical Opera Storytime
Thursday, November 17, 2022 | 10:30 AM
Trinity Center for Urban Life
Megnot Toggia, vocalist
Cory Walker, vocalist
Jinhyun Park, piano
This free event is a reading of the children’s book When Marian Sang about the life of contralto Marian Anderson. Compositions by Florence Price and Margaret Bonds are interwoven throughout the storytelling, creating an event for all ages.
Register through Trinity Center for Urban Life at events@trinityphiladelphia.org or 215-732-2515.
Reflection and Revision: Margaret Bond's Credo Roundtable
Thursday, February 2, 2023 | 5:00 - 6:00 PM
Free and open to the public
Join us for a one-hour panel discussion and Q&A session to learn more about Margaret Bonds’ Credo, and how the prose poem by W.E.B. Du Bois, an affirmation of racial justice, peace, and Black pride, resonates in our current time.
Panelists: Lina González-Granados, Brandie Sutton, and Ifetayo Flannery, Ph. D
Moderator: Veronica Chapman-Smith, Opera Philadelphia Vice President of Community Initiatives
Hold Fast to Dreams
Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 | 3:30 PM
Rock Hall, Temple University
Michele Kennedy, soprano
Grant Loehnig, piano
On February 14, 2023, Soprano Michele Kennedy and Pianist Grant Loehnig will present Hold Fast to Dreams — a recital featuring works by Florence B. Price, Margaret Bonds, Julia Perry, Tania León, and Nkeiru Okoye. A celebration of perseverance and strength of vision in hard times, this recital illuminates each of these trailblazing Black female voices from the 20th and 21st-centuries across the seasons: from the summertime of first love and fervent hope to a winter of introspection and grief, to a springtime of resilience, faith, and rebirth in new season.
The performance will have an interactive Q & A, and will highlight some outstanding attributes of these works, including text setting, word painting in both voice and piano, lyricism, and the intimacy of storytelling through the medium of art song.
Free and open to the public. This is not a ticketed event.
Marian's Song: A Musical Opera Storytime
Sunday, April 16, 2023 | 2:00 PM
Presser Hall, Settlement Music School Mary Louise Curtis Branch
Registration information to come
Megnot Toggia, vocalist
Cookie Diorio, vocalist
Jinhyun Park, piano
This free event is a reading of the children’s book When Marian Sang about the life of contralto Marian Anderson. Compositions by Florence Price and Margaret Bonds are interwoven throughout the storytelling, creating an event for all ages.