Sopranos Slayed!
Color Came To The Classics in Bowie
Miss America Nia Franklin inspires young women through mentoring and CAAPA’s Sopranos Slay concert. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CATRILIA WATSON
By D.A. Phillips // Photography By Catrilia Watson
Neither rain, nor hail, nor sleet, nor snow could keep eight Divas from bringing color to the classics! As the first big snow storm of the year was gearing up to drop some eight inches of snow on the region, the voices of eight angels rose in song at the Bowie Center for the Performing Arts. The third annual “Sopranos Slay” concert went on as scheduled. And it slayed!
Presented by the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA), these very talented women came together for an evening of song that erased all concern for the weather. All classically training sopranos, their repertoire included music by Bernstein, Mahler, Verdi, Gershwin, and Lin Manuel Miranda among others.
The performers for the evening were Nicole Butler, Anamer Castrello, Dara Rahming, Karla Rivera, Pamela T. Simonson, Dr. Monique Spells and special guest performer 2019 Miss America Nia Franklin. Talented and polished, these artists were joined by youth performer Amber Rogers, a 17 year old first soprano completing her senior year at Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
Dr. Lester Green, on staff with CAAPA, served as artistic director and pianist.
Concert attendee T. Frazier found the performance dazzling, “It is not often that we are fortunate enough to see women of color sing their operatic hearts out. It was a dazzling night of brilliant singing.”
“If ever there was a night to be enthralled by operatic talent, it was tonight. And boy what a night!” said another concert attendee, “I look forward to seeing them again next year.”
CAAPA Co-Founder, Chairman of the Board and Soprano Performer, Pamela T. Simonson added, “Having Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin has truly been an honor for CAAPA at the 3rd annual Sopranos Slay Concert and the CAAPA Master Class at Suitland High School. She exemplifies all CAAPA is trying to do to help “Bring Color to the Classics!” Her platform is also parallel in ways to CAAPA’s in advocating for the arts for youth. CAAPA is also all about providing community outreach, arts education, audience development, performance opportunities and arts partnerships for black classical musicians, youth, and others in the performing arts.”
