Coming up in Philly music: The sounds at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Tired of all things presidential? Don’t let that keep you away from Lyric Fest’s Music in the White House. The last time Lyric Fest devoted a concert to music played in the White House, they staged a time-hopping variety show that sampled American musical tastes from 1783 to the present. Did you know Lincoln was an opera lover? And that Andrew Jackson favored a song by Baroque composer Henry Purcell? For the 2017 edition, half the 27 selections will be new; the composers will range from Mozart and Handel to Duke Ellington and Dave Brubeck. Charlotte Blake Alston will narrate and the Singing City Choir will reinforce Lyric Fest’s talented soloists.

Co-director Suzanne DuPlantis says Lyric Fest started planning this program 18 months ago, “knowing only that we would be inaugurating the 45th president on January 20th. Who knew we would find ourselves in such a contentious situation? I guess we need to realize this is an opportunity for Lyric Fest to truly embrace its mission — to connect people through song. I hope our audience will come away from the concert feeling renewed and consoled by the long arc of our history and hopeful about more unified days ahead."

Lyric Fest will present Music in the White House on Saturday, January 28th, at 7:30pm at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Wayne, PA, and on Sunday, January 29, at 3pm at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia. Tickets are $25 in advance online and $30 at the door ($10 student tickets available at the door with ID).