Lizz Wright & Raul Midon to Open Ordway's World Music and Dance Series, 10/25

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts' Target World Music and Dance Series opens on Friday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m. with performers Lizz Wright and Raul Midón. The singer-songwriters share the Ordway Stage with their combined talents to present an intoxicating collection of contemporary songs that deftly span the genre of jazz, R&B, soul and gospel.

On the heels of a successful European tour, these two masters of song share their effortlessly magnetic stage presence with the Ordway audience. "These performers bring such a sense of intimacy to the audience you forget that you're not the only one watching," said Dayna Martinez, Director of World Music and Dance.

Raul Midón, a New Mexico native, started his career as a backup singer for musical artists like Shakira and Julio Iglesias before recording three major label records. He incorporates a genre-defying musical blend of soul, pop, folk, jazz and Latin elements while engaging crowds through humorous storytelling. Midón's musical collaborators include Jason Mraz, Marcus Miller and Roberta Flack. The Huffington Post says "he plays with such freedom and joy that his hands smile."

Lizz Wright has been the recipient of nonstop critical acclaim and ever-increasing audiences, since her Verve debut "Salt" in 2003. Wright continues her genre-defying journey with her latest album "Fellowship," a nod to her roots in gospel on the one hand and her gospel of eclecticism on the other. Growing up the daughter of a Georgia pastor, Lizz Wright wasn't allowed to listen to popular music. "In all of my adventures in music, I've been drawn in by sparks of the familiar inside of the unfamiliar. For example, when I first heard what people were calling the blues, I was taken aback, because I had heard that sound all my life. That was how the mothers sang in church." Wright has transitioned from her gospel roots to her acclaimed bluesy and jazz sound hypnotic to all audiences.

The Ordway is widely recognized as one of the nation's leading nonprofit performing arts centers and Saint Paul's most elegant and inviting performance space. The Ordway's Music Theater and McKnight stages attract diverse audiences with an array of productions showcasing the finest in American musical theater, world music, dance and vocal performance. Education and community engagement are integral to the Ordway's mission, with major initiatives including the annual Flint Hills International Children's Festival and Ordway Education programs that serve more than 50,000 students annually. The Ordway also serves as authorizer for the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, a professionally guided academic and artistic environment that trains aspiring pre-professional performing artists. Together with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Opera and The Schubert Club, the Ordway is a member of the Arts Partnership and serves as the principal venue for their performances.

To post a comment, you must register and login.