December 15, 2008

Reflect and Rejoice. Download image.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Alys Stephens Center presents "Reflect & Rejoice: A Musical Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, at the Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. S., Birmingham. Tickets are $15; students $7. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org for more information.

The Alys Stephens Center proudly continues the tradition of honoring Dr. King through music and spoken word. The ASC partners with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and Alabama Symphony Orchestra in a joyous program of music to remember the past and imagine the future.

On the program are traditional songs such as "Ride on King Jesus," as well as Hale's "Lift Every Voice," Copland's "The Tender Land" excerpts, "Fanfare for the Common Man" and "Zion's Walls," excerpts from Previn's "Honey and Rue," Sadin's "You Say I Believe," Wood's "Kum Ba Yah" and others. The program is conducted by Leslie Dunner with Bronwen Forbay, soprano, and Elias Hendricks, tenor, with orator Dennis Pope and the Alabama A&M Concert Choir. The program is designed to honor the past and celebrate the present. This event also will begin the BCRI's inauguration activities.

Elias Hendricks has performed in the Opera Birmingham and Dallas Opera productions of "Porgy and Bess," and portrayed Romeo in the International Opera Theater's world premiere of "Romeo and Giulietta." On the concert stage, Hendricks has performed with the Dallas and Alabama symphony orchestras. At Adam Guettel's request, Hendricks sang the composer's works in the Van Cliburn series at the Fort Worth Modern Museum of Art. He is a student in vocal performance at Southern Methodist University.