LEGENDARY SOPRANO KATHLEEN BATTLE MAKES HER AUDITORIUM THEATRE DEBUT WITH UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

Legendary soprano Kathleen Battle makes her debut at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, the Theatre for the People, on Saturday, September 30, with the program Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey. The five-time Grammy award winner and opera star breathes new life into this program of spirituals inspired by the Underground Railroad, the secret network that helped bring 19th-century slaves to freedom.

Battle will be backed by a hand-picked group of top Chicago choir singers, led by Jonita Lattimore, an adjunct professor of voice at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of the Performing Arts.

“Kathleen Battle is one of the most legendary opera singers of all time,” says Tania Castroverde Moskalenko, Auditorium Theatre CEO. “To have her perform this inspirational program at our historic theatre, accompanied by the most talented Chicago voices, will be a very special occasion.”

The program includes songs like “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Wade in the Water,” as well as “I Been ‘Buked” and “Lord, How Come Me Here.” Battle performed a similar program when she made her triumphant return to the Metropolitan Opera in the fall of 2016 to rave reviews.

“[She] sent high phrases soaring and sang with ethereal elegance.” – The New York Times

“Almost anything sounds good dressed in Battle’s tone, and it is a rare event to sit and wallow in the presence of a voice that is, without qualification, one of the very few most beautiful in the world.” – The Washington Post

Battle’s repertoire spans from the Baroque era to the contemporary, and she is the recipient of five Grammy awards. She has performed at venues including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, and the Royal Opera House, among many others, and has collaborated with artists including Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, Wynton Marsalis, and Itzhak Perlman.

Event Information

Kathleen Battle – Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey

Saturday, September 30 | 7:30PM

Tickets start at $36 and are available online at AuditoriumTheatre.org, by phone at 312.341.2300, or in person at the Auditorium Theatre Box Office (50 E Congress Parkway). Kathleen Battle – Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey is part of the American Music Series, which offers a 30% discounted subscription. The evening may also be added to the Select Your Own subscription, discounted at 20-25%. Discounts available for groups of 10+.

Auditorium Theatre’s 2017-18 Season Upcoming Performances

August 19: Dance for Life

September 7: The Vietnam War – An Evening with Ken Burns and Lynn Novick

September 11: A Conversation with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

September 19: Jonathan Lee

September 20: Father John Misty

September 23-24: Shen Wei Dance Arts

September 30: Kathleen Battle – Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey

October 6: Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater

October 18-29: The Joffrey Ballet – Giselle

About The Auditorium Theatre

The Auditorium Theatre, located at 50 E Congress Pkwy in Chicago, is an Illinois, not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to all of Chicago and beyond as The Theatre for the People. The organization is also committed to the continued restoration and preservation of the National Historic Landmark.

The Auditorium Theatre 2017-18 Season is made possible in part with support from the MacArthur Foundation and the Palmer House Hilton. Michigan Avenue is the official magazine sponsor. For more information about programming, volunteer, and donor opportunities or theatre tours, call 312.341.2310 or visit AuditoriumTheatre.org. For a complete listing of events at the Auditorium Theatre, please click here.

Kathleen Battle, photo courtesy of Kathleen Battle. | Auditorium Theatre, photo by Carlos Rosas.