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MARIAN ANDERSON AWARD ANNOUNCES GALA PROGRAM
Stars of Stage & Screen, Opera, Broadway and Gospel To Gather on November 17.
Philadelphia, October 13, 2008 – The Marian Anderson Award has announced the
artists who will participate in the upcoming Award Gala planned to honor dual
Award recipients Maya Angelou and Norman Lear on November 17, 2008, at The
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. In announcing the program, Award Chair
Pamela A. Crawley noted, "All of our Gala evenings are very special but this
year we have assembled an amazing groups of artists. It’s our 10th anniversary
and 2008 marks the first time we are presenting two Awards in a single year.
This year’s Gala is also a heart felt thank you to Governor Edward G. Rendell as
founder of the Award and for his longtime support. To begin, I am very excited
to announce that the critically acclaimed actress, CCH Pounder, known for her
extensive film, television and stage work and also for her Emmy nominated
performance as Captain Claudette Wyms on the FX television series, The Shield,
will host this year’s Gala. Ms. Pounder is deeply involved in international
humanitarian efforts. She is a Founding Board Member of Artists for a New South
Africa
and a Board Member of the African Millennium Foundation. We are thrilled to have
her with us as this year’s host. Our inaugural Award recipient Harry Belafonte
will participate and The Philadelphia Orchestra will perform with Maestro Thomas
Wilkins who is a great favorite with our audiences. The Orchestra will also be
joined by the exciting young opera star Nicole Cabell, winner of the 2005 BBC
Cardiff Singer of the World competition and another guest star with the
Orchestra will be the Broadway legend and Tony Award winning song and dance man,
Ben Vereen. 2007 double Grammy winner Kirk Franklin, one of Gospel music’s
current super stars will perform with a full gospel choir as the finale of the
musical portion of the program. This year for the first time the Award Gala will
include spoken word artists Steve Connell and Sekou ‘that Misfit”. Maya Angelou
and Norman Lear are both big fans of Steve Connell and Sekou so we are very
excited to have them participate in the tribute. As in previous years, the
multi-media Gala will feature special video presentations on the remarkable
careers of this year’s prize recipients. It promises to be an amazing evening.”
Tickets for the Marian Anderson Award Gala can be purchased by calling Ticket
Philadelphia at 215 893-1999 or by going to The Philadelphia Orchestra web site,
www.philorch.org.
MARIAN ANDERSON AWARD
The Marian Anderson Award sponsored by Wachovia honors artists whose leadership
on behalf of a humanitarian cause(s) or issue benefits society. Previous
recipients include Richard Gere (2007), Sidney Poitier (2006), Ruby Dee and
Ossie Davis (2005), Oprah Winfrey (2003), Danny Glover (2002), Quincy Jones
(2001), Elizabeth Taylor (2000), Gregory Peck (1999), and Harry Belafonte,
(1998). No award was given in 2004.
Created in 1998, the Award is named for the great Philadelphian and American
singer Marian Anderson, and is produced and administered under the direction of
J. Patrick Moran. Since its inception, the Award program has provided more than
$450,000 in free public programs, residencies, commissions, and grants to young
artists. American Airlines is the official hotel of the Marian Anderson Award
and Sofitel Philadelphia is the official hotel of the Marian Anderson Award.
MARIAN ANDERSON
Marian Anderson, the most celebrated contralto of the 20th century, was born in
Philadelphia on February 27, 1897, to an African-American family of modest
means. Recognized for her extraordinary musical talent, as well as her
generosity and commitment to others, Ms. Anderson was a master of repertoire
across operatic, recital, and American traditional genres. Throughout her
musical career, she played an incalculably vital role in the acceptance of
African-American musicians in classical musical and in other previously
segregated performing arts genre.
In 1957 Ms. Anderson was appointed by the U.S. Department of State to serve as a
Special Envoy to the Far East, and the following year President Dwight D.
Eisenhower named her to the post of delegate to the General Assembly of the
United Nations. She sang at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961; in
1963 President Lyndon B. Johnson bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom upon
her. On her 75th birthday, in 1974, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution
ordering a special gold medal minted in her honor. On April 8, 1993, Marian
Anderson died at the age of 96 in Portland, Oregon.
# # #
Press Contacts only:
Susan Buehler
Bellevue Communications
215 893-4284
Patrick Moran, Ex.Dir,
Marian Anderson Award
215-370-5417
Katherine Blodgett, Dir. Pub./Media Relations
The Philadelphia Orchestra
215 893-1939
For photos:
Lauren Saul, Public Relations Coordinator
The Philadelphia Orchestra
215-875-7657 |
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