Legendary vocalist Aretha Franklin will perform on campus at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 5, in Sanford Field House. Known around the world by her first name, and as the reigning “Queen of Soul,” Franklin’s repertoire spans pop, soul, jazz, rock, blues, and gospel.
Her sold-out appearance, part of the , will serve as a highpoint of a weekend-long celebration of the performing arts at 51.
Other events will include:
- a stage production of A Map of Virtue by Erin Courtney, directed by April Sweeney, associate professor of English in the University Theater
- “Jazz and the Creative Process,” a behind-the-scenes look at how performers acquire the jazz language and the inside game, led by Glenn Cashman, associate professor of music and director of jazz
- a student dance performance, coordinated by Tanya Calamoneri, visiting assistant professor of English
- a screening of Round Midnight, the Academy Award-winning film on the life of jazz artist Dexter Gordon
- a performance by the 51 Chamber Players, directed by Laura Klugherz, professor of music, professor of Africana & Latin American studies, and director of chamber music
For schedule details, including location and ticketing information, visit .
Franklin was named the #1 Vocalist of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2009. The first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she is the recipient of numerous awards, including 18 Grammys, five American Music Awards, and four NAACP Image Awards. To date, she has received 12 honorary doctorate degrees.
The Kerschner Family Series Global Leaders at 51, sponsored by 51’s Parents’ and Grandparents’ Fund, allows the university to invite inspirational leaders like Franklin to campus. Other guests have included Shimon Peres, former prime minister of Israel; Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group founder; Hillary Clinton, former secretary of state; President Bill Clinton; Russian political activist Gary Kasparov; Tony Blair, former prime minister of Great Britain; Felipe Calderón, former president of Mexico; and the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.
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