DePauw Stories

Renowned tenor Lawrence Brownlee, hailed by The Guardian as “one of the world’s leading bel canto stars,” will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Kresge Auditorium stage as part of the Green Guest Artist Series.

Brownlee’s voice has been praised by NPR as “an instrument of great beauty and expression … perfectly suited to the early 19th- century operas of Rossini and Donizetti.”

The concert, presented as a part of Black History Month, will feature “Cycles of My Being,” composed by Tyshawn Sorey with lyrics by award-winning poet Terrance Hayes. 

“Working with Terrance Hayes and Tyshawn Sorey – two extraordinarily insightful and talented black men at the pinnacle of their respective art forms – has allowed each of us to bring our different perspectives to this piece and to find a common ground in both our shared cultural history and the unique individual paths that have brought us to this point,” Brownlee said. “Together, we have tried to create something that speaks to the day-to-day life of a black man in the United States, and the thoughts and questions he experiences as he moves through the world.

“The ideas, themes and experiences that make up ‘Cycles of My Being’ have been on my mind for quite some time. As I’ve watched men of color endure undeserved aggression, incarceration, brutality and even death, I’ve been forced to consider my thoughts and questions around what it means to be a black man in America today, and how we as a people are viewed and treated.”

Tickets are $20 for general admission and free for seniors, youths and all students. Tickets can be purchased online at music.depauw.edu or in-person at the Green Center Box Office. For more information about DePauw School of Music events, visit music.depauw.edu or follow the School of Music on Facebook and Instagram @DePauwMusic.