Feb. 5, 2018
Then Sings My Soul Inspirational Concert February 9
Inspirational American music including Broadway, jazz, spirituals, and American art song will be featured in a soul-stirring concert Friday night. Cheryse McLeod Lewis brings her entertaining solo show, Then Sings My Soul, to the Central Washington University Music Building Concert Hall at 7:00 p.m. on February 9. Admission is free for this event as part of the Guest Artist's Series supported by the CWU Music Department.
Every Then Sings My Soul performance has its own unique character. Ellensburg audience members can expect to hear such popular tunes as "Ride On, King Jesus," "The Impossible Dream" (The Man of La Mancha), "You'll Never Walk Alone" (Carousel), and Lee Hoiby's stirring musical setting of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
CWU's very own Chamber Choir will also join Lewis at the end of the program to perform two spirituals. Lewis enjoys interacting with the audience from the stage and narrates the concert with anecdotes throughout the evening.
Mezzo-soprano Lewis is an award-winning performing artist who has created a uniquely diverse performance career. Trained as a classical singer, Lewis is an accomplished performer in opera, concert, recital, and Broadway musical genres. She has performed on the 1st National Broadway Tour of The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess as understudy Bess and Ensemble Swing. While on tour, she appeared in the title role of Bess numerous times to critical acclaim.
This year, Lewis will make her Seattle Opera solo debut singing the role of Annie in Porgy and Bess and her Village Theatre debut singing Cinderella's Stepmother in Into the Woods. Some of her numerous principal roles have included the title role in Carmen; Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia; and Papagena in The Magic Flute.
Lewis has performed as a soloist with Orchestra Seattle, Boise Philharmonic, Olympia Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Concert Choir, Kirkland Choral Society, Philharmonia Northwest, Gettysburg Festival, Eastern Music Festival, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Greensboro Symphony, New Britain (CT) Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Mansfield Symphony, Piccolo Spoleto Festival, MOJA Festival, and Greensboro Oratorio Society.
Parking in the CWU lots is free after 4:30 p.m. and on weekends, except in specially marked spaces and residence hall lots.
Media Contact: Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu