Evening Of Opera, Gospel With Morris & Friends Coming To Takoma Park

TAKOMA PARK, MD — The Anna H. Wang Concert Series is hosting Morris & Friends: An Evening of Opera & Gospel in Takoma Park on Saturday, Feb. 3.

Opera singer Morris Robinson will host and curate a special, one-night concert linking two musical genres, covering opera during the show’s first half and Black gospel in the second half.

The concert performance will feature Morris’ friends and guest soloists and singers, including soprano Brandie Sutton, soprano Michelle Bradley, tenor Aaron Crouch, countertenor and NBC’s “The Voice” finalist John Holiday, and conductor, composer and pianist Brandon Waddles.

The Anna H. Wang Concert Series will host public events in the days leading up to and following the concert, including a public forum in partnership with Maryland-based Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts featuring Morris Robinson and Brandie Sutton on Jan. 31 at 11 a.m. at the CAAPA Cultural Center in Fort Washington.

Two free masterclasses, with Brandie Sutton on Thursday, Feb. 1 at Howard University and with Morris Robinson on Friday, Feb. 2 at Washington Adventist University also are on the agenda.

Many of the artists have local connections to the region, including Sutton as a Catholic University alumnus, Crouch who was raised in Bowie, and Holiday who is a University of Maryland School of Music associate professor.

The main event will take place at the Takoma Park Seventh-day Adventist Church on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. The church is located at 6951 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912.

Tickets are $35 for general admission and $100 for concert and VIP reception.