Soprano Karen Slack Announces 2024/2025 Season Highlights, National Tour of African Queens

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Katy Salomon | Primo Artists | VP, Public Relations 
katy@primoartists.com | 212.837.8466 

---

 Soprano Karen Slack 2024/2025 Season Highlights

World Premiere U.S. Tour of Slack’s Commissioning Project African Queens
Celebrates the Legacy of Seven African Queens through New Songs 
by Jasmine Barnes, Damien Geter, Jessie Montgomery, Shawn 
Okpebholo, Dave Ragland, Carlos Simon, Joel Thompson and Will Liverman

Named Artist-in-Residence at Lyric Opera of Chicago for 2024-2025 Season

Artistic Collaborator and Dramaturg for Arizona Opera’s Aida 

Debut Album, Beyond the Years, with Michelle Cann – Out July 2024
Featuring World Premiere Recordings of Rediscovered Songs by Florence Price, 
Carefully Restored by ONEcomposer 

Debut with Virginia Opera in the World Premiere Production of Loving v. Virginia,
Co-Commissioned by Virginia Opera and Richmond Symphony

Artist in Residence at Babson Entrepreneurship College in Massachusetts

"Warmly expressive especially in her vibrant top" – The New York Times

www.sopranokarenslack.com 
 

New York, NY (June 20, 2024) – As part of her expansive 2024/2025 season, “feisty, rich-voiced soprano” (The New York Times) Karen Slack will be featured in a range of programming spanning the recital, orchestral, and operatic worlds. Following her debut with the New York Philharmonic in May 2024, highlights of Slack’s 2024-2025 season include the world premiere of her new recital program African Queens at the Ravinia Festival, which commissioned the work alongside the Aspen Music Festival and School, Tanglewood Music Festival, 92NY, Washington Performing Arts, Denver Friends of Chamber Music, and Newport Classical Festival; performances in Mahler: Here and Now with the Fresno Philharmonic; the world premiere of Loving V. Virginia with the Virginia Opera and Richmond Symphony; and the role of Mama in Minnesota Opera’s production of The Snowy Day. Slack has also been named Lyric Unlimited Artist-in-Residence at Lyric Opera of Chicago for the 2024-2025 season and serves as Artist-in-Residence at top entrepreneurial institution, Babson College, through the end of 2024. On Friday, July 26, 2024, Slack releases her debut commercial recording, Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs by Florence Price, in collaboration with ONEComposer and pianist Michelle Cann on Azica Records.

On Thursday, August 1, 2024 at Martin Theatre, Slack is supported by pianist Kevin Miller in the world premiere performance of her spectacular new recital program, African Queens. This brilliantly curated program of world premiere commissions reflects the beauty, humility, passion and power of seven iconic queens through eight new songs written for Slack by some of today’s most acclaimed composers- Jasmine Barnes, Damien Geter, Jessie Montgomery, Shawn Okpebholo, Dave Ragland, Carlos Simon, Will Liverman, and Joel Thompson with text by Lorene Cary, Alicia Haymer, Tsitsi Ella Jaji, Deborah D.E.E.P Mouton and Creative Collaborator for the African Queens project Jay Saint Flono. 

The genesis of this special project was birthed during the pandemic when Slack hosted an episode of her #kikikonversations YouTube show, inviting these composers for a Composers Roundtable moderated by composer Terence Blanchard. Each new vocal work will focus on a different queen, and the connective tissue between each story and song will be woven together through interspersed narrative text. Queens celebrated in this project include the Queen Mother of the Zulu Nation, Amanirenas- Kingdom of Kush, Ufua (Akhilomen) of Uromi in Esanland in the southern part of Nigeria, Nzingha- Queen of Ambundu/Kingdoms of Ndongo and Matamba, Queen of Sheba, Aminatu Zaria (Nigeria), and Nanny of the Maroons Jamaica.

After the world premiere in Chicago, Slack brings African Queens to the Aspen Music Festival and School on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 7:30pm, before touring the program at other venues including Friends of Chamber Music Denver on Wednesday, October 2, 2024; Washington Performing Arts on Sunday, March 9, 2025; 92NY on Tuesday, March 11, 2025; Nashville Symphony on Sunday, March 16, 2025; and Tanglewood Music Festival and Newport Classical Festival in summer 2025. 

Slack has been named Lyric Unlimited Artist-in-Residence at Lyric Opera of Chicago for the  2024-2025 season, reflecting Lyric’s ongoing commitment to advancing the art form of opera while providing the foundation for an exceptional artist to develop original work. As part of her residency, Slack will serve as an advocate and ambassador for Lyric Unlimited, engaging in civic activities and participating in programming efforts, concerts, and community partnerships to strengthen the connection between Lyric and the residents of Chicago. She will curate a diverse range of programs to include forums, educational masterclasses, and performances. These activities will engage a variety of audiences, from students in grades K-12 through collegiate levels, to Lyric patrons.

In addition, Slack's residency will spotlight her active participation in various performances and events which includes a special solo performance at Lyric’s annual Sunday in the Park with Lyric concert in Millennium Park on Sunday, August 25, 2024 at 7:00pm; OPERA Insights presents KiKi Konvos, a programing which will be a continuation of her popular opera-focused Facebook Live chat show #KikiKonversations with plans to include live streamed discussions and explorations of select operas in Lyric’s upcoming 2024/25 Season; Message in the Music, a series of public programming currently being planned that leverages partnerships to explore and celebrate the essential messages and human stories in opera music; collaborative masterclasses with artists and students at local universities; and Artist Talk-Backs an audience program hosted by Slack before and after selected Lyric main stage opera performances, designed to offer insights into the works and the creative process, directly from the artists involved.

Slack shares, “I’m thrilled to return to Chicago and embark on this journey as Lyric Unlimited’s Artist-in-Residence. Lyric Opera holds a special place in my heart, and I am honored to contribute to its legacy and work to deepen and broaden the company's civic footprint by meeting audiences where they are and helping them feel connected to the art form."

On Friday, July 26, 2024, Slack releases her debut commercial recording, Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs by Florence Price, in collaboration with ONEComposer and pianist Michelle Cann on Azica Records. The album comprising 19 unpublished songs of Florence Price includes 16 world premiere recordings, highlighting Price’s oeuvre and affinity for themes of faith, nature, love, and loss. Read more.

Slack is also the first ever Artist in Residence at top entrepreneurship school Babson College, Slack will offer a series of workshops, masterclasses, recitals and speaking engagements throughout 2024. 

On Saturday, January 18, 2025 and Sunday, January 19, 2025 at the Paul Shaghoian Concert Hall, the Fresno Philharmonic presents Karen Slack in Berstein and Mahler, where she will perform Mahler’s Rückert-Liede in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Conducted by Tito Muñoz, the program opens with Nkeiru Okoye’s Voices Shouting Out and Bernstein’s jazzy ballet score Fancy Free brings this celebratory concert to a close.

On Saturday, February 8 to Sunday, February 16, 2025, Minnesota Opera presents The Snowy Day, an opera based on the award-winning book by Ezra Jack Keats by Joel Thompson and Andrea Davis Pinkney, at the Ordway Music Theater. Conducted by Kelly Kuo, The Snowy Day features Slack as “Mama,” bringing to life  the fleeting but indelible magic of childhood, where a young boy wakes to find that the first snow of winter has fallen overnight– an exciting day of adventure awaits. Peter delights in making footprints in the snow and meeting new friends, before returning home to the cozy embrace of Mama and Daddy. 

On Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 7:30pm and Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 2:00pm at the Symphony Hall in Phoenix; and Saturday, April 19, 2024 at 2:00pm in The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall in Tucson, Slack will be featured as a dramaturg and artistic collaborator for Arizona Opera’s Aida. Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece will feature some of the most breathtaking music in the operatic repertoire, and tells the story of forbidden love amidst political intrigue and war. In addition, stunning new cinematic projections supported by artificial intelligence in a first-of-its-kind approach will be created by David Murakami, whose incredible visuals brought Arizona Opera's 2018 production of Das Rheingold to life. 

On Friday, April 25, 2025 at 7:30pm and Sunday, April 27, 2025 at 2:30pm at the Harrison Opera House in Norfolk, Slack joins Virginia Opera in their 50th Anniversary season for the highly anticipated world premiere of Loving v. Virginia, co-produced by the Minnesota Opera. Conducted by Adam Turner and directed by Denyce Graves, this operatic retelling is based on the true story of Mildred and Richard Loving, where a young couple’s interracial marriage in 1958 sparks a case that leads to the Supreme Court and a victory for civil rights in the United States. Commissioned by Virginia Opera and Richmond Symphony in partnership with ICA at VCU, the program appears at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University in Fairfax on Saturday May 3, 2025 at 7:30pm and Sunday May 4, 2025 at 2pm before heading to Dominion Energy Center in Richmond on Friday May 9, 7:30pm, Saturday May 10 at 7:30pm and Sunday May 11 at 2:30pm.

Karen Slack 2024/2025 Season Highlights

Ravinia Festival presents African Queens
ThursdayAugust 1, 2024 at 7:30pm
Martin Theater at Ravinia | Highland Park, IL
Tickets: $40-60
Link: https://ravinia.org/Online/Article/080124-KarenSlackAfricanQueens 

Aspen Music Festival and School presents African Queens
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 7:30pm
Harris Concert Hall | Aspen, CO
Tickets: $55
Link: www.aspenmusicfestival.com/events/calendar/african-queens-a-recital-by-karen-slack-soprano-and-kevin-miller-piano-1/ 

Friends of Chamber Music Denver presents African Queens
Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at 7:30pm
Gates Hall, Newman Center | Denver, CO
Link: https://newmancenter.evenue.net/events/friends-of-chamber-music 

Fresno Philharmonic presents Bernstein and Mahler
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 2024 at 7:30pm
Sunday, January 19, 2025 at 3:00pm
Paul Shaghoian Concert Hall | Fresno, CA
Link: https://fresnophil.org/events/bernstein-mahler/ 

Minnesota Opera Presents The Snowy Day
Saturday, February 8, 2025 at 7:30pm
Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 7:30pm
Saturday, February 15, 2025 at 5:30pm
Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 2:00pm
Ordway Music Theater | Saint Paul, MN
Tickets: $96
Link: https://mnopera.org/season/2024-2025/the-snowy-day/ 

Washington Performing Arts presents African Queens
Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 2:00pm
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater | Washington D.C.
Link: www.washingtonperformingarts.org/event/karen-slack-soprano/

92NY presents African Queens
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at TBC
Kaufmann Concert Hall, 92NY | New York NY
Link: www.92ny.org/event/karen-slack

Nashville Symphony presents African Queens
Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 7:30pm
Schermerhorn Symphony Center | Nashville, TN
Link: www.nashvillesymphony.org/tickets/concert/2024-2025-season/african-queens-karen-slack/ 

Arizona Opera presents Aida
April 12-19, 2025
Symphony Hall | Phoenix, AZ
Link: https://azopera.org/2024-25-season 

Virginia Opera and Richmond Symphony Present Loving V. Virginia 
Friday, April 25, 2025 at 7:30pm
Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 2:30pm
Harrison Opera House | Norfolk, VA

Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 7:30pm
Sunday, May 4, 2025 at 2:00pm
Center for the Arts at George Mason University | Fairfax, VA

Friday, May 9, 2025 at 7:30pm
Saturday, May 10, 2025 at 7:30pm
Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 2:30pm
Dominion Energy Center | Richmond, VA
Link: https://vaopera.org/loving-v-virginia/ 

Summer 2025
Tanglewood Music Festival presents African Queens
Newport Classical Festival presents African Queens

About Karen Slack
Known for performances that “ripped the audience’s hearts out” (Opera News), Karen Slack is “not only one of the nation's most celebrated sopranos, but a leading voice in changing and making spaces in classical music” (Trilloquy). She is known for her dynamic and passionate performances in both lead operatic roles and on the concert stage; as a sought-after collaborator, curator, and artistic advisor; and for her ground-breaking approach to engagement. A recipient of the 2022 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, Slack possesses a voice of extraordinary beauty and has garnered international renown for her charisma and entrepreneurial endeavors. 

Highlights of Slack’s 2023-2024 season included her solo debut with the New York Philharmonic at David Geffen Hall, and her debut as a guest artist with Chamber Music Detroit, where she gave masterclasses and performed two programs: her acclaimed solo recital Of Thee I Sing and a program alongside the Pacifica Quartet. She performed in two productions of Shawn Okpebholo’s Songs in Flight, returned to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, returned to Colombia for the Festival Internacional de Música Sacra Bogotá, and continued her collaboration with the Pacifica Quartet at the Denver Friends of Chamber Music. 

Slack has amassed a body of work reflecting her dedication to premiering works by living composers, with particular focus on using her platform to elevate works by Black artists. In recent seasons, she premiered Songs in Flight at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, appeared in two separate world premieres by Hannibal Lokumbe with the Nashville Symphony and Oklahoma City Philharmonic; debuted Jasmine Barnes’ Songs of Paul with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra at Carnegie Hall; premiered Damien Geter’s Justice Symphony with the Fresno Symphony and The Washington Chorus; and made her Houston Grand Opera debut in the premiere of Joel Thompson and Andrea Davis Pinkney's A Snowy Day.

When the pandemic limited live performances, Slack was featured in digital performances with Houston Grand Opera, Madison Opera, and Minnesota Opera; starred in a new production of Driving While Black, presented by UrbanArias; and launched a digital talk show, #kikikonversations. She co-created and performed in #saytheirnames – Women of the Movement, a film recital and production in partnership with Philadelphia’s Lyric Fest, performed in recital for Opera Philadelphia. Appearing alongside actor/narrator Liev Schreiber, she was the featured vocalist in Orpheus Chamber Orchestra’s Speaking Truth to Power, hosted on Idagio. 

She has performed on the stages of the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, Scottish Opera, San Francisco Opera, Dallas Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Austin Opera, New Orleans Opera, Minnesota Opera, Vancouver Opera, Edmonton Opera, Sacramento Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Madison Opera, and Arizona Opera, among others. She has appeared with the Melbourne Symphony, Sydney Symphony, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestras, and St. Petersburg Philharmonic. Slack made her Carnegie Hall debut with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and performed as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra in the world premiere of Hannibal Lokumbe’s Healing Tones with conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

A native Philadelphian, Slack is a graduate of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, as well as the Adler Fellowship and the Merola Opera Program at the San Francisco Opera. She is an Artistic Advisor for Portland Opera, serves on the board of the American Composers Orchestra and Astral Artists, and holds a faculty position at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. For more information, please visit www.sopranokarenslack.com 

*Photographer Credit: Kia Caldwell

# # #