NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Music master Eric Jennings is returning to the Ossie Davis Theater at the New Rochelle Public Library to perform, Come Back to Us: The Songs of Burton Lane and Johnny Mercer, on Sunday, October 26, from 1:30 – 3:30 pm. Mr. Jennings, tenor and pianist, will be joined by soprano Geraldine McMilllian.
What do Burton Lane and Johnny Mercer have in common? They were two music legends of the 20th century. In addition, Burton Lane discovered 13 year old Frances Gumm, who became singing legend Judy Garland. Johnny Mercer loved Judy and wrote “Skylark” for her. In this program of live and recorded music, Ms. McMillian and Mr. Jennings will explore well-loved songs by these two great musicians and their contemporaries.
Eric Jennings received an undergraduate degree in Music History with piano and voice minors from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Music from Manhattan School of Music in Vocal Performance. He sang professionally in the opera before retiring in 1998 to pursue a career as a minister. He is also a guest lecturer at local colleges and adult education programs on classical music.
Geraldine McMillian has had an active career in concerts and operas since the mid-1980s. After graduating from the Juilliard School, she made her professional opera debut in 1986 at the Houston Grand Opera as Annie in Porgy and Bess. In 1990 she made her debut performance at the New York City Opera (NYCO) as Mimi in La Bohème, and went on to perform and tour with the NYCO for many years. She has also performed with the Boston Lyric Opera, the Minnesota Opera, the Nashville Opera., Opera Colorado , Opera Omaha, the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Central City Opera, Connecticut Opera, and other prestigious companies.
Seating is one a first-come, first-served basis to the capacity of the Ossie Davis Theater. The program is made possible by the generosity of the Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library organization. A donation of $2.00 is suggested at the door.