Karen Slack is set to take center stage in Opera Philadelphia's presentation of "To Sit and Dream" as part of its Sounds of America series. The event will take place on Sunday, March 17, 2024, at 3:00pm, hosted at Philadelphia's Tindley Temple United Methodist Church. Slack, a distinguished recipient of the 2022 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, is renowned for her dynamic presence and innovative approach to audience engagement, showcasing a repertoire that emphasizes contemporary compositions. Collaborating with the Philadelphia Opera Chorus and the Wharton-Wesley Faith Ensemble, Slack will feature prominently in a program celebrating the works of Black composers, with a focus on Langston Hughes' poetry. The repertoire includes pieces such as Undine Smith Moore's "Dream Variations," Florence Price's "Interim" (transcribed for string quartet by Joe Williams), and H. Leslie Adams' "Sense You Went Away."

A native of Philadelphia and an alumna of the Curtis Institute of Music, Slack returns to her roots for this 90-minute performance under the batons of Opera Philadelphia's Elizabeth Braden and Theodore Thomas, Jr., Director of the Wharton-Wesley Faith Ensemble. The program is thoughtfully organized into thematic sections inspired by Hughes' evocative lines and titles, exploring the themes of dreams, hope, and resilience in the face of adversity. Alongside Moore, Price, and Adams, the concert features compositions by an array of talented artists, including Charles Albert Tindley, Rosephanye Powell, Michael Reid, Nolan J. Williams, Jr., Christopher H. Harris, André J. Thomas, Carol Cymbala, Bradley Knight, Trey McLaughlin, Thomas Whitfield, Victor C. Johnson, and Roland Carter.