Washington National Opera Presents
Marian Anderson Vocal Award Recital featuring
Key’mon Murrah
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
December 17, 2024
(WASHINGTON)—On Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 7:30p.m., countertenor Key’mon Murrah, the 2024–2025 Marian Anderson Vocal Award winner, will make his Kennedy Center recital debut, presented by Washington National Opera. The program, Joy, ranging from Baroque to contemporary, from classical to spiritual, will feature pianist Brian Zeger and a guest appearance by his brother, tenor Kay’mon Murrah.
Named for the groundbreaking African American contralto, the Marian Anderson Vocal Award recognizes a young American singer in opera, oratorio, or recital repertory. Given annually by the Kennedy Center since 2003, the award offers a cash prize, a residency at Washington, D.C.’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and a recital presented by Washington National Opera. Prior recipients include Leah Hawkins, Frederick Ballentine, Will Liverman, Soloman Howard, Ryan Speedo Green, Denyce Graves, Eric Owens, Lawrence Brownlee, J’Nai Bridges, Janai Brugger, Justin Austin, and others.
American countertenor, Key’mon Murrah, heralded for “voluptuous tone throughout his enormous range and phrasing with the feel of fine silk” by Opera News, has performed across the world on top opera, oratorio, and concert stages including Bayerische Staatsoper, Metropolitan Opera, Theatre du Capitol de Toulouse, Komische Oper Berlin, LA Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and San Diego Opera. He has won the Giulio Gari Competition, Belvedere Competition, NYIOP International Vocal Competition, Houston Grand Opera Concert of Arias, and was a finalist of the Operalia Competition.
Murrah named his award-winning recital “Joy.” He shares that “even though it is a simple word, it has the power to transform a person's life,” said Murrah. “In today's world, many people are struggling with depression due to the political and economic climate of our country. I believe that music can help ease these difficult times for everyone. With this program, I simply want to share the joy that has been given to me, hoping that through song, I can brighten the audience’s day just a little.”
PROGRAM
Key’mon Murrah, countertenor
Brian Zeger, piano
Tuesday, December 17, 2024 7:30p.m.
Gioachino Rossini “Riedi alsoglio” from Zelmira
1792–1868
George Frideric Handel “Ombra mai fú” from Rinaldo
1685–1759 “Fermati” from Rinaldo
with Kay’mon Murrah
“Dopo notte” from Ariodante
Richard Strauss “Allerseelen”
1865–1949 “Morgen!”
“Cäcilie”
Ricky Ian Gordon “Will There Really Be a Morning?”
b. 1956 “Joy”
Leslie Adams “Prayer”
1932–2024
Melina Tsui “Mother to Son”
b. 1993
Traditional Spiritual “I Don’t Feel Noways Tired”
Arr. Jacqueline Hairston
b. 1932
Traditional Spiritual “My Souls Been Anchored in de Lord”
Arr. Florence Price
1887–1953
Artists and program are subject to change.
ABOUT KEY’MON MURRAH
American countertenor, Key’mon Murrah, heralded for his wide range and “voluptuous tone throughout his enormous range and phrasing with the feel of fine silk” by Opera News, performs across the world on top opera, oratorio, and concert stages.
Murrah has performed at the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre and the Bluegrass Opera. He was selected in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute for a masterclass with Joyce DiDonato in 2019 and continued his studies at the International Vocal Arts Institute. He has won the Annual Concert of Arias of the Houston Grand Opera, the Premiere Opera Foundation + NYIOP International Vocal Competition, Sullivan Foundation Award, Career Bridges Award, Belvedere Singing Competition, Giulio Gari Vocal Competition, and was finalist and Encouragement Award winner of Operalia. He also won first place in the 2020 Camille Coloratura Competition and was a semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions after winning the Nashville District Auditions.
He has sung Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice at Seattle Opera, the role of Leonardo in a new production of Babriela Lena Frank’s El último sueño de Frida y Diego with San Diego Opera and LA Opera, Hyacinthus in Mozart’s Apollo and Hyacinthus with America Baroque Opera Company, the Sorceress and Spirit in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas at Bayerische Staatsoper, the title character of Handel’s Xerxes at Detroit Opera, Hamor in Jephtha at Komische Oper Berlin, John Adams’s El Niño at the Metropolitan Opera, and Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. This season he will premiere a new, one-man opera composed by Jake Heggie at the Fort Worth
Symphony Orchestra.
ABOUT WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA
Washington National Opera (WNO) is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. Under the leadership of General Director Timothy O’Leary and Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, the company presents compelling works at the highest levels of artistry across the Kennedy Center, balancing the standard repertory with new and infrequently performed works. Each season the WNO seeks to shape the future of opera through commissioned American works and a variety of special concerts, youth operas, and events.
Founded in 1956 and an artistic affiliate of the Kennedy Center since 2011, WNO has a storied legacy of groundbreaking world premieres and new productions, digitally streamed content, and innovative education and community-engagement programs. In recent years, WNO has championed diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging onstage by championing artists and creators who identify as BIPOC, women, and non-binary.
Recent artistic highlights include a new production of Puccini’s unfinished opera Turandot with a world premiere ending by Christopher Tin and Susan Soon He Stanton; the world premiere of Grounded by Jeanine Tesori and George Brandt; a new production of Strauss’ Elektra starring Christine Goerke; the D.C. premiere of Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson’s Blue, commissioned by Zambello; Terence Blanchard’s Champion, commissioned by O’Leary; and the WNO’s first complete Ring Cycle, helmed by Zambello.
WNO is committed to expanding opera’s reach and fostering new generations of artists and audiences. The Cafritz Young Artists program is one of the most sought-after training residencies for singers and pianists on the verge of international careers. WNO’s other initiatives include the American Opera Initiative, the annual Marian Anderson Vocal Award, the Artist Ambassador program, and the True Voice Award.
WNO education programs include in-person and digital Opera Look-In performances, WNO Opera Institute, Opera in the Outfield®, free pre-concert lectures and post-show Q&As after many shows, and the Let’s Go There discussion series.
Funding Credits
The WNO Season Sponsor is General Dynamics.
The Official Airline of the WNO Season is American Airlines.
Major support provided by Jacqueline Badger Mars and Mrs. Eugene B. Casey.
Additional support provided by Chevron.
Additional support provided by Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.
Ticket Information
Tickets may be purchased online at kennedy-center.org, in person at the Kennedy Center Box Office, or by calling (202) 467-4600.
Media Contacts
David Hsieh
Senior Press Representative, Classical
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
(202) 416 8093
[email protected]
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