In celebration of George Gershwin's centennial, Ragtime stars Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell will join opera star Frederica von Stade, pianist Garrick Ohlsson and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra for the Sept. 23 Carnegie Hall concert, "George Gershwin at 100." The event will open the famed hall's 108th season.
McDonald and Mitchell will sing selections from Gershwin's masterpiece, the opera Porgy and Bess. McDonald will give voice to "Summertime," "My Man's Gone Now" and duet with Mitchell on "Bess, You Is my Woman Now." Mitchell will sing solo on "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York." Mitchell and McDonald currently play the doomed couple Coalhouse Walker, Jr. and Sarah in the hit musical Ragtime.
The San Francisco Symphony will also perform the overture to the Pulitzer Prize-winning Gershwin musical Of Thee I Sing, the Second Rhapsody, "An American in Paris," and selected songs, which will be sung by von Stade with Michael Tilson Thomas on piano.
The concert will coincide with the release of RCA Victor Red Seal all Gershwin recording featuring the orchestra, Tilson Thomas, McDonald, Mitchell and Ohlsson. The album will feature most of the same music played at Carnegie Hall.
For gala benefit tickets to the concert, which range from $400 to $2,500, and include prime seating and a dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, call (212) 903-9650. For no-frills tickets ($30-$120), call (212) 247-7800.
