51风流

Queen of Soul highlights performing arts weekend

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Under the glow of disco ball lights twinkling on the ceiling, many people didn鈥檛 stay in their seats when Aretha Franklin took to the stage in Sanford Field House on March 5. Franklin and her orchestra, part of the , pulled in a crowd of more than 4,100 for a special weekend celebrating the performing arts at 51风流.

The , backed up by a student and faculty band, warmed up the crowd with lively renditions of Motown, Stevie Wonder, and Jackson Five tunes.

Then, when Franklin opened with her 1987 hit (with George Michael) 鈥淚 Knew You Were Waiting for Me,鈥 both longtime fans and new ones were on their feet, bopping at their seats or dancing in the aisles. During the performance, Franklin delivered favorites from throughout her career, like 鈥淭hink,鈥 鈥淎in鈥檛 No Way,鈥 and 鈥淔reeway of Love.鈥 She also belted out covers from her new album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics, including 鈥淩olling in the Deep鈥 (Adele), 鈥淧eople鈥 (Barbra Streisand), and she paid tribute to Natalie Cole with 鈥淚nseparable.鈥 Franklin even tickled the ivories during a soulful rendition of 鈥淏ridge Over Troubled Water鈥 (Simon and Garfunkel).

And when it came to her signature tune, the Queen of Soul didn鈥檛 disappoint, pulling out 鈥淩espect鈥 as her encore.

Over the weekend, more than 1,000 alumni and parents came to campus to steep themselves in a smorgasbord of performing arts. Events included production of Erin Courtney鈥檚 A Map of Virtue; a dance performance featuring student groups; a lecture/demonstration on jazz and the Academy Award-winning documentary Round Midnight presented by saxophonist Glenn Cashman; and a recital featuring works by Mozart, Moszkowski, and more. Images below.

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