During the Civil War there was an underground network of people who would provide transportation that assisted slaves from the South make their way safely to the North. With Underground Railroad – A Spiritual Journey, legendary soprano Kathleen Battle celebrates these unknown men and women with a program of Spirituals, gospel and other more traditional pieces performed as only Ms. Battle can. The concert takes place on Thursday night at The Soraya/Valley Performing Arts Center.
For this performance, which was highly acclaimed when she performed it at the Met in New York, Ms. Battle will be joined on piano by Joel A. Martin. She will also have the Albert McNeill Jubilee Singers backing her. And serving as narrator for the concert will be actress Angela Bassett.
These shows are deeply personal for Ms. Battle, as she explained in this 2014 interview for a performance in Philadelphia.
Amongst the songs listed on this program are: “Lord, How Come Me Here?,” “Roll, Jordan, Roll,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “I Don’t Feel No-Ways Tired,” “Farther Along,” “Fix Me, Jesus,” “Balm in Gilead,” “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn You Me Roun’,” “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hand,” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Ms. Battle does not perform in Los Angeles very often. This is a rare opportunity to see a deeply passionate performance from one of the greats of opera.