Communication Associate: Public Relations | Lori Melton | lmelton@d.umn.edu | (218) 726-8830
March 27, 2012 Sherise Morgan | School of Fine Arts | 218 726-8564 | smorgan@d.umn.edu
Elias Mokole | Music Instructor | 218 726-7426 | emokole@d.umn.edu
Cheryl Reitan | Assoc. Director of External Affairs | 218 726-8996 | creitan@d.umn.edu
UMD Diversity Dialogue With Visiting Professors
On Friday, March 30, UMD's Elias Mokole is trading his spot in a concert hall where he performs opera in his rich, warm baritone, for the role as host for a presentation on diversity.
Mokole will introduce the acclaimed American soprano Geraldine McMillian and pianist David Mayfield as they speak about their professional and personal journeys. "There are more musicians of color working in classical music than ever before, but they often find themselves blazing trails," said Mokole. "UMD is working toward making the campus more inclusive. Hearing Geraldine and David tell their stories is just one additional way for faculty, students and the community to gain a better understanding about how to welcome diversity.
McMillian and Mayfield will speak at the event, "Diversity Dialogue...through Concert & Conversation," at noon on Friday, March 30 in the Tweed Museum of Art Lecture Gallery. The format for their talk is reminiscent of "Inside the Actor's Studio," and is hosted by Elias Mokole. A reception with light refreshments will follow in Tweed Activity Gallery. The event is made possible by a UMD Diversity Grant.
Geraldine McMillian and David Mayfield will perform at the Ovation Series Artist Concert on Wednesday, March 28, at 7:30 pm in the Weber Music Hall. Geraldine McMillian made her debut with the New York City Opera as Mimi in La Bohème, and has performed with orchestras including the Chicago Symphony and Hamburg Orchestra. Her diverse repertoire includes Treemonisha with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Elisabeth in Don Carlos with Minnesota Opera, Madame Lidoine in Poulenc's Dialogue of the Carmelites, with Central City Opera and Aïda, which she has sung to acclaim with Nashville Opera, Memphis Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Minnesota Opera and Opera Omaha. In February 2008, and in October 2009 she made her debut with Cape Town
Opera as Aïda. Mr. Mayfield's time in New York is primarily occupied with working with individual singers in the areas of performance style, language and interpretation, both privately and at Manhattan School of Music. McMillian and Mayfield will perform works by Beethoven, Debussy, Strauss, Berlioz, and Duparc. For tickets ($5-$19) call 218-726-8877.
McMillian and Mayfield will also present a Talk and Master Class, on Thursday, March 29, 2012, from 12 - 2:30 pm in the Weber Music Hall.
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