University Arts Series will celebrate Black History Month with Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh’s ‘Let My People Go’ Feb. 17
The University Arts Series will commemorate Black History Month with the Mendelssohn
Choir of Pittsburgh’s “Let My People Go” Sunday, Feb. 17 at the WVU Creative Arts
Center. Showtime is 3:30 p.m. Donald McCullough’s “Let My People Go” celebrates
two of America’s most venerable cultural treasures – the African-American spiritual
and the Underground Railroad. Tickets are on sale now at the Mountainlair and CAC
box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and by phone at 304-293-7469 and 800-745-3000.
This choral performance explores the ingenuity of America’s slaves, who created code
songs that contained hidden messages within much of their music. These messages
not only inspired fellow slaves to escape but also instructed them in when, where
and how to use the Underground Railroad in their freedom flight.
Four soloists (Elisabeth Stevens, Soprano; Demareus Cooper, Mezzo-soprano; Donovan
Elliott-Smith, Tenor; Gregg Baker, Bass-baritone) and actors Hope Anthony and Charles
E. Timbers will lead the audience along the Underground Railroad through storytelling.
The actors will illuminate the secret codes used by those who traversed the Railroad
and explain the importance of the era’s songs.
The 110-year-old Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh (MCP) is critically acclaimed as
one of the finest choruses in the country. The choir’s 100-plus members are everyday
community members from diverse backgrounds and professions who give generously
of their time and talent to create powerful, unexpected, and deeply moving moments
of musical discovery. Matthew Mehaffey is in his third season as the MCP’s Robert
Page Music Director. Mehaffey also serves as the music director to The Oratorio
Society of Minnesota.
Tickets start at $24 for the general public and at $10 for WVU Students. Tickets
are on sale now at the Mountainlair and CAC box offices, online at ticketmaster.com,
and by phone at 304-293-SHOW (7469) and 800-745-3000. WVU Student discounted tickets
are limited to one per valid WVU Student ID or offer code. Discounted rates for
groups of 10 or more are available by calling 304-293-8221.
The University Arts Series is produced by WVU Arts & Entertainment and presented
by University Toyota. Stay connected with the latest event updates through Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram by following @wvuevents.
-WVU A&E-
ksg/01/31/19