Lincoln Portrait & Ellington Harlem

Aaron Copland’s timeless tribute to the nation’s 16th president anchors a powerful program spanning multiple generations of American composers. Chicago native and Tony Award-nominee Harry Lennix — most recently seen in The Goodman's production of Inherit the Wind and also known for roles in The Blacklist, The Matrix franchise and the DC Universe — lends his commanding voice and presence to the piece as the narrator. Works by Ellington and former Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery reflect on the ideals of freedom and equality, Ives salutes his beloved New England, and Martinů honors Plymouth Rock, symbolizing the opportunities America offered him.
Performers
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Joshua Weilerstein conductor
Harry Lennix narrator
Program
Montgomery Banner
Martinů The Rock
Copland Lincoln Portrait
Ives Three Places in New England
Ellington (orch. Henderson & Mauceri) Harlem
Sponsors
These concerts are generously sponsored by Zell Family Foundation.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
These concerts are generously sponsored by an anonymous donor.