Voices at BGSU to perform March 16

Choral ensemble joins opera star Kathleen Battle

Voices at BGSU, a student choral ensemble, will join Metropolitan Opera star and Ohio native Kathleen Battle in her performance at the Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle March 16.

"Underground Railroad – A Spiritual Journey" will take place at 7:30 p.m. Performed only in cities along the Underground Railroad, the event includes stories and spirituals inspired by the journey to freedom during times of slavery. The performance will also include the Clarence Smith Community Chorus.

Voices at BGSU, which includes a concert choir, a ladies’ ensemble and a men’s ensemble, performs a variety of songs with an emphasis on Negro spirituals. The choir is open to all majors across campus and consists of 40-50 members each semester.

"Underground Railroad – A Spiritual Journey" is part of the Toledo Symphony’s new North Star Festival, which highlights the local connection to the Underground Railroad, a 19th-century network that helped many slaves escape to freedom. It also celebrates the musical contribution of black Americans throughout history. The festival runs through April and includes a series of concerts and collaborations, presenting music by black American composers and about black American history.

More information and tickets are available at the Toledo Symphony.