A New World A-Comin’

Broadway legend and two-time Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell and trailblazing pianist Lara Downes (“2022 Classical Woman of the Year” NPR’s Performance Today) join together for a revelatory evening of music and conversation reflecting on the transformative expansion of music from the first half of the 20th century. Celebrate the musical legacies of George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and other pivotal composers who shaped the sound and spirit of American music as we know it today. Accompanied by the Musicfest Pops Ensemble, the artists will perform beloved classics including “Sophisticated Lady,” “Lush Life,” and “Rhapsody in Blue,” as well as rare musical gems.