Soprano Angela Brown named McCormack Visiting Artist

Famed opera singer Angela Brown, the spring 2012 McCormack Visiting Artist-in-Residence at Skidmore College, will perform in concert at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 5, in the Arthur Zankel Music Center, Ladd Concert Hall. Admission is free and open to the public. 

The Thursday night performance will include two dynamic pieces that showcase Brown's unique and rich vocal talents. The first was originally released as an album in 2010 and titled Opera from a Sistah's Point of View, a look at opera from a contemporary perspective, combining classical arias with African American spirituals. The goal of the piece is to teach a variety of groups how to appreciate opera by exposing and eliminating racial and socio-economic barriers that often make opera appear elitist and unappealing. With its witty commentary and impressive musical performances, Opera from a Sistah's Point of View is relatable and entertaining for all groups of people, regardless of how much experience they have with opera.

The second part of the April 5 program is A Woman's Life, written expressly for Brown by celebrated composer Richard Danielpour and author Maya Angelou.

Earlier on Thursday, Brown will participate in a panel discussion with Danielpour (himself a former McCormack visiting artist as well as a Yaddo fellow). The discussion is scheduled for noon April 5 in Elisabeth Luce Moore Hall (Room 117) in the Zankel Music Center. Other McCormack residency activities include master classes and private lessons with Skidmore music students, and outreach in the Saratoga Springs School District.

Angela Brown personifies the ideal American dramatic soprano: sheer vocal power; luxurious finesse; shimmering, high pianissimos; and a charming, larger than life personality. Her highly successful Metropolitan Opera debut in 2004 sparked media excitement with reviews from The New York Times: "At last an Aida"; the Associated Press: "she combines a potent, dusky lower register with a striking ability to spin out soft high notes of shimmering beauty. There's no doubt her voice is powerful enough for Verdi"; CBS Evening News: "the future of opera has arrived"; and features in The New York Times, Oprah magazine, Essence magazine, Ebony magazine, Classical Singer,Reader's Digest,and Psychology Today. In fall 2009, Brown received the Governor's Arts Award from the Governor of Indiana, a Spirit of the Prairie Award fromConner Prairie in Indiana, and was inducted into the Indianapolis Public Schools Hall of Fame.

Brown comes to Skidmore as part of the McCormack Visiting Artist-Scholar Residency, which allows the collegeto continue its rich artistic summer programming during the academic year in classes, interactions with faculty and students, performances, readings, exhibitions, and other venues. The residency is designed to provide total immersion for both the artist and the Skidmore community. The artist teaches and sits in on classes and seminars, supervises students, consults with faculty, and demonstrates his/her talents

Although admission for the April 5 performance is free; tickets are required. For advance reservations click here or call the Zankel box office (518) 580-5321 for more information. The Zankel Music Center is wheelchair accessible and offers listening devices for the hearing impaired. For more information, please click here.