Auditorium Theatre 2019-2020 Too Hot - Jazz-Gospel Messiah

8 | TOO HOT TO HANDEL | JANUARY 18+19, 2020 BIOGRAPHIES Alfreda Burke ( Soprano ) has a voice that has been described as “voluptuous, creamy, and luxuriant” by the Chicago Tribune. She has appeared in concert throughout North America and Europe. Burke made her Carnegie and Orchestra Hall debuts in Strauss’ Elektra with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, led by Daniel Barenboim. Highlighted performances include the Chicago Symphony at Ravinia under Erich Kunzel; Cincinnati Pops Symphony Orchestra; Michigan Opera Theatre/Detroit Symphony Orchestra/ Rackham Choir; Royal Philharmonic (London); Prague Philharmonic; Umbria Music Festival (Italy); TodiMusicFest (US); Miss World 2012, 2014, 2016 (China, UK, US); Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, Miss World Beauty With A Purpose and Rise Against Hunger Gala events in 2017 (South Africa); Holders Season Gala (Barbados); Lancaster Festival; Corrales Cultural Arts Council (New Mexico); Grant Park Music Festival; Millennium Park Gala; Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; Kennedy Center; Auditorium Theatre; Auditorium Theatre 125 th Living the History celebration; Orpheum Theatre (Memphis); Chicago Opera Theater; Chorus Angelorum; Chicagoland Pops Orchestra; Old St. Patrick’s Siamsa na nGael ; and the NATO Chicago Summit, among others. Burke filmed the Prague PBS special Hallelujah Broadway (Mind the Gap Films, Dublin) and recorded it on the EMI/ Manhattan Records label (Czech National Symphony Orchestra Studios, Prague). Burke and Rodrick Dixon sang at the historical inauguration of Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot at Chicago’s Wintrust Arena in 2019. She is honored to be a Historic Maker and a permanent part of their collection at the Library of Congress. Burke’s oratorio, opera, concert, and musical theatre engagements include the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts broadcast on WFMT-FM; Mozart’s Requiem, Mass in C Minor and Coronation Mass in C Major ; Handel’s Messiah ; Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream ; Beethoven’s Mass in C ; Poulenc’s Gloria ; Schubert’s Mass in G ; Mahler’s 2nd and 8th Symphonies ; Strauss’ Elektra ; Puccini’s Turandot (Liu); Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta ; Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 ; Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors ; Rutter’s Requiem ; Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem ; Boulez’s Le Visage Nuptial , under the baton of Pierre Boulez; Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess ; Bernstein’s West Side Story ; Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar (Mary Magdalene); Christianson and Anderson’s Too Hot to Handel ; and Kern’s Show Boat (Kennedy Center/national tour and at Auditorium Theatre with her son, Dean), directed by Harold “Hal” Prince. A cycle of Paul Laurence Dunbar songs was written for Burke by Dr. Edward Hart of the College of Charleston in 2015, in addition to spiritual settings arranged for her by Belford Hernandez in 2017. She was featured in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony Center Inaugural Festival and Radiothon. She has also performed for Francis Cardinal George, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, and the Office for Immigrant Affairs’ Keep Hope Alive benefit. Burke’s work in recordings, music video, television, radio, film, and commercials includes soprano vocals on the Dawa movies soundtrack featuring Ramsey Lewis, Maestro James Mack, and members of the CSO; a Bobby Lewis release; Celine Dion and R. Kelly’s I’m Your Angel video; and numerous classical/crossover, sacred/ secular profiles and broadcasts. Films include The Visit , The Visitors , Unconditional Love , and U.S. Marshals . Burke has made guest soloist appearances on the WTTW/Odyssey broadcast of 30 Good Minutes and performed the National Anthem for the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Fire. Burke received rave reviews for the Community Concerts national tour and Following in the Footsteps concert with tenor Rodrick Dixon. Her discography includes her solo debut CD From the Heart and Hallelujah Broadway (EMI/Manhattan Records). She recorded and performed the Chicago Olympic 2016 Bid Anthem “I Will Stand” at the Millennium Park Gala and served on the city’s Arts & Culture Advisory Council. Recent and upcoming engagements include productions of Too Hot to Handel at the Michigan Opera Theatre/Rackham Choir (18 years) and the Auditorium Theatre (15 years), where the production will be livestreamed to prisons across the country, thanks to the Auditorium Theatre and Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church; Orpheum Theatre (Memphis); City Lights Orchestra; Deck the Hall ; Variety Children’s Charity Telethon; Tuba Bach Festival; Hannibal Lokumbe’s Crucifixion Resurrection ; the Royal Philharmonic (London); and the Auditorium Theatre and DiBurke, Inc. co-produced duo show and subsequent CD release. Burke received master’s and bachelor’s degrees in music from Roosevelt University and served as Alumna Ambassador for Roosevelt’s 60 th Anniversary. She currently serves on the Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts Advisory Board as the Community Engagement Committee Chair and served on the Auditorium Theatre’s 125 th Anniversary Season Committee. Visit SopranoAlfredaBurke.com and TheHistoryMakers.org. Follow Burke on Facebook and Twitter at @ AlfredaBurke17. The talent, support, and encouragement of Alfreda Burke’s beloved parents ignited her passion for music. Her performances are dedicated to the life, love, legacy, and cherished memory of Pastor John H. Burke Jr. and First Lady Mamie R. Burke.