Under the musical direction of Maestro Jesus Beltran Acosta Ruiz, and the stage direction of Andre Largen, The Lydian Singers holds its Jubilee Concert series at the Little Carib Theatre from August 22 to 25.
Jubilee conjures up images of a trumpet blast for liberty, a shout for joy, a celebration of an anniversary, and all three come together in the concerts.
The concert features negro spirituals, the music created by enslaved Africans in the American South and performed for their own spiritual sustenance. These are the first redemption songs and after Emancipation, the first songs of freedom of the New World.
The concert series marks the second anniversary of the death of Dr Pat Bishop, the revered musical director of the Lydians for over 25 years, and whose stamp on the choir's vision, direction, repertoire and ethos is indelible.
Spirituals have always enjoyed pride of place in the Lydian concert repertoire. Bishop was an ardent admirer of Paul Robeson and Marian Anderson and a host of other black singers. These great voices have inspired the Lydians to imbue these songs with a remarkable understanding of their deeper significance.
Principal soloists Eddie Cumberbatch and Joanne Pyle, whose wonderful negro spiritual repertoire is well known, will be joined by a number of other talented Lydian soloists in these productions.
Staged from the perspective of a dignified free people with a hard-earned sense of self-worth, this production will be enhanced with appropriate readings, costumes and stage setting.
This is the first of a planned annual season of negro spirituals and it is anticipated that these productions will in time rival The Lydians annual Christmas concerts on the cultural calendar.
Venue: The Little Carib Theatre, Woodbrook
Dates: Thursday, August 22; Friday, August 23; and Sunday, August 25, 2013
Gala performance in aid of the Palm Foundation Saturday, August 24
Tickets: Available at Signature 2000, The Normandie; La Tropicale Flower Shop, St James; The Little Carib Box office and Lydians members.
Ticket hotline: 338-6024
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