Mezzo Soprano Erica Papillion-Posey to Perform Across Colorado This Month

September will be a busy month for Erica Papillion-Posey described as "...a living tribute and testimony to the memory of the great Ms. Marian Anderson, the legendary opera superstar and African-American trailblazer [Denver Weekly News]. The celebrated mezzo-soprano will usher in autumn with a number of performances throughout the Denver Metro area.

This September Ms. Papillion-Posey will make her debut at Dazzle Jazz, Denver's premier jazz lounge; accompanied by Denver bassist extraordinaire, Ken Walker (Ken Walker Sextet) and the phenomenal father and son Louisiana jazz duo, Chester Daigle II, piano and Jarius Daigle, violin (City Heat and Jazz in the Arts). Exclusive excerpts from her upcoming album The Standard Reimagined will be performed live. In anticipation of the upcoming musical collaboration Ms. Papillion-Posey exclaimed, "Dazzle is considered one of the top 100 jazz clubs in the world. It is a privilege to perform at this landmark and venue of such importance that has featured the likes of Rene Marie, Freddy Cole, Kevin Mahogany, and Dianne Reeves."

The Erica Papillion-Posey Quartet will be featured at Dazzle Jazz (930 Lincoln St, Denver, Colorado 80203) on Monday, September 14, 2015 at 7:00pm. Tickets are $15.00 and are available for purchase at the door and in advance purchase at www.dazzlejazz.ticketfly.com/calendar.

Ms. Papillion-Posey is also slated to reprise The Heritage Anthology during September with soprano Oaklea Rowe; a deeply moving nationalist concert program celebrating the African- American musical heritage and the influences of the German cultural heritage accompanied by pianist, Mila Startsev.

"We have assembled a unique program of absolutely stunning music. The first half will highlight German lieder by noted composers such as Robert Schumann and Richard Strauss." Ms. Papillion-Posey commented while discussing the repertoire selected for the concert. "During the second half, we've programmed African-American spiritual arrangements that we hold dear to our hearts. It is fascinating to see the connections and cultural influences throughout these musical selections."

The Bethel Lutheran Church (1450 Airport Boulevard, Aurora, Colorado 80011) will host the Heritage Anthology on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 6:00pm. Tickets are $15.00 and can be purchased prior to the concert.

Ms. Papillion-Posey will close the month with her participation in the Dedication and Unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Statue at the MLK Library in Aurora, Colorado. Her performance will take place during this event, which will be held at 9800 East Colfax, Aurora, Colorado 80012 on Friday, September 25, 2015 at 12:30pm. This event is free and open to the public.

"It is an honor to participate in a ceremony of such historical significance in the very community in which I live. Ms. Papillion-Posey noted, "I am looking forward to singing African-American spirituals which will celebrate the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr., a monumental leader in the civil rights movement."

A complete list of Erica Papillion-Posey's events follows, and additional information may be found at www.epapillionposey.com.

2015 DATES:

September 12
Aurora, Colorado
The Heritage Anthology
Bethel Lutheran Church
Oaklea Rowe, soprano
Mila Startsev, pianist

September 14
Denver, Colorado
Dazzle Jazz
Erica Papillion-Posey Quartet
Chester Daigle, piano
Ken Walker, upright bass
Jairus Daigle, violin

September 25
Aurora, Colorado
Performance at the Martin Luther King Statue Dedication & Unveiling
Martin Luther King Library

October 30
Denver, Colorado
Baur's
CD/ Book Release Party
Chester Daigle, piano
Ken Walker, upright bass
Jairus Daigle, violin

November 6
Lake Charles, Louisiana
The Heist
CD/ Book Release Party
Chester Daigle, piano
Ken Walker, upright bass
Jairus Daigle, violin

December 5
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Jazz in the Arts
Chester Daigle, piano
Ken Walker, upright bass
Jairus Daigle, violin

December 12
Washington, DC
W.B. Sports Cancer Survivors Brunch
The Howard Theatre
The Howard University Gospel Choir & Band

ABOUT ERICA PAPILLION-POSEY

In 2013, mezzo-soprano Erica Papillion-Posey made her professional North American debut in what has become her signature role of Carmen, where she, ".... captured Carmen's slinky sexiness, radiating allure and trouble... She had the vocal power to sing a soft, seductive "Habanera" in a hall-filling, rounded voice, lingering over the phrases as the men in the square watched. She snapped off the Spanish-style ornaments of the "Seguidilla", and was especially compelling in the lower register, where Carmen's sultriness comes through..." ..." [South Florida Classical Review]. After being hailed as, "... the best Carmen this city has seen in decades" [Miami Herald], companies nationwide have taken notice and she is scheduled for a performance of Carmen in Boulder, Colorado in May 2015.

With roots in jazz music, Ms. Papillion-Posey is regularly engaged to return to her first musical love. Most recently, she dazzled in the bayou of Louisiana as the featured guest artist at the Jazz in the Arts Black Tie Dinner, an engagement she is slated to repeat in 2015. Embracing the blurred lines between the classical and jazz genres, she has developed a groundbreaking new crossover concert series. The first of which, The Salon, Reimagined Tour, will debut in 2015 and be performed throughout Europe and the United States.

In 2010, Ms. Papillion-Posey made her international operatic debut as Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica at the Tuscia Opera Festival, under the baton of maestro Stefano Vignati. The demand for her "wonderful voice... full of grace and sensuality" [El Nuevo Herald] and her fierce commitment to character keeps European audiences coming back for more. Memorable European performances include the title role of Carmen, the Third Lady in Die Zauberflo?te both with the Tuscia Opera Festival, Annina in La Traviata with Teatro Kizmet Opera, and Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro with Siena Opera.

Stateside, Ms. Papillion-Posey's notable roles include her portrayal of Princess Akara in the world premiere of The Lady or the Tiger, an adaptation of Frank Stockton's beloved short story by composers Cherise Leiter and Leanna Kirchoff. Ms. Papillion-Posey's "purely exciting and rich voice" [Arte & Musica Magazine] was also featured as Baba in The Medium, Dorabella in Cosi fan Tutte, and in the title role in The Rape of Lucretia.

A prolific concert artist and recitalist, Ms. Papillion-Posey's repertoire includes performances of Handel's Messiah, Pergolesi's Stabat Mater under the direction of Timothy Le?on in Tarquinia, Civita di Bagnoregio, Castilione, Capranica and Ronciglione in addition to several solo recitals.

Most recently, Ms. Papillion-Posey was named a semi-finalist in the Paris Opera Awards. In 2013, Ms. Papillion-Posey was named a Continuo Arts, Milton Cross Young Artists Winner after being named the organization's Rising Star Young Artists Winner in 2012. Other accolades and awards include first and second place winner of the Vocal Arts Competition of Colorado,

respectively in 2005 and 2006, International Lyric Academy of Rome e Viterbo Award, AMICI of Denver Scholarship, Dante Alighieri Music Scholarship Competition, Jeff Bradley Music Scholarship Fund, E. Stoddard Young Endowment Scholarship, Stratton Faulhaber Scholarship, Coulter Norbloom Scholarship Grant and Joseph Docksey Career Development Fund Award.

Ms. Papillion-Posey earned a Master of Music degree and Advanced Certificate in Vocal Performance (both with honors and distinction) from the University of Denver, Lamont School of Music. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Metropolitan University of Denver. She currently studies with renowned mezzo- soprano Grace Bumbry.

Learn more about Erica at www.epapillionposey.com.

ABOUT OAKLEA ROWE

Soprano, Oaklea Rowe has had the pleasure of performing with various opera companies and organizations since she began her professional career including Opera Colorado, The Spirituals Project, and the Colorado Chamber Ensemble, to name a few. While living and studying in New York, she was selected to be a Resident Artist at the Opera Company of Brooklyn and performed in concerts of Le Nozze di Figaro (Countess), and L'elisir d'amore (Gianetta). Ms. Rowe has been a District and Regional Finalist in the prestigious Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions, and a Finalist and Award Winner in the Denver Lyric Opera Guild Competition, Harlem Opera Voice Competition, The National Association of Negro Spirituals Competition, and the West Valley Symphony Young Artist Competition. She has performed in Italy and toured South American and throughout the United States performing roles such as The Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Bess in Porgy and Bess. Her New York recital debut was in 2008 where she sang on the Mannes College stage. Ms. Roe made her Lincoln Center debut in Handel's Messiah under the baton of Jonathan Griffith with Distinguished Concerts International New York in 2011. Last spring, Oaklea debuted the role of Suor in Suor Angelica with New York Lyric Opera Theatre. She studied vocal performance at the University of Denver, Lamont School of Music under the vocal instruction of bass, Ken Cox.