Joyce DiDonato
A Queen and Kings Make Holidays Regal
The Harriman-Jewell Series is adding a touch of royal splendor to the holidays with two concerts in December: Joyce DiDonato and Kings Return Dec. 9 at Helzberg Hall and The King’s Singers Dec. 19 at the Folly Theater. Both concerts will feature vocalism of the highest order, with opera diva and Prairie Village native DiDonato and two groups of male vocalists with very different styles.
“I can’t imagine the holiday season without music,” Clark Morris, executive director of the Harriman-Jewell Series said. “Music gets you out of your normal mode and into a spirit of remembrance and celebration. I know people who start listening to Christmas music early in the season, as soon as they turn the calendar to November, but we try to wait until December.”
To mark its 60th anniversary season, the Harriman-Jewell Series is celebrating the spirit of collaboration. No concert better exemplifies that spirit than the collaboration between DiDonato and Kings Return, an African American a cappella vocal quartet.
“We’ve actually had the privilege to talk to Joyce about this concert when she was beginning to think about it,” Morris said. “Through social media, she had connected to this group, Kings Return, which is a quartet from Dallas. She wrote to them and said, ‘Let’s do a project together.’ That has become this project.”
The Series has a longstanding relationship with DiDonato. She has often spoken of the formative experience of attending Harriman-Jewell concerts when she was a girl. Although she is now an international opera superstar, Morris says that she is still very much a down-to-earth girl from Kansas.
“Joyce is an incredible human being who is as genuine and warm and friendly as the person you would want for your next-door neighbor,” Morris said. “I think her willingness to collaborate with all kinds of different artists is really fantastic.”
Morris says he hasn’t seen the final set list, but the program will include traditional, classic and modern holiday music.
“Part of the glue that is holding this project together is pianist and arranger Craig Terry,” Morris said. “Craig has been on the Series multiple times with various artists, and he’s a fantastic musician. He’s the top arranger and vocal coach with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. I know he’ll be able to pull Joyce and Kings Return together.”
More kings are coming Dec. 19 when The King’s Singers perform at the Folly.
“It’s a special season of royalty, right?” Morris said. “The King’s Singers are one of the premier a cappella groups in the world, and we’ve had the privilege of presenting them 10 times. This will be the 11th.”
When The King’s Singers put on a holiday concert, they always bring the festive cheer. Founded in 1968, the various members have changed over the years, but according to Morris, this group is perhaps the best ever.
“This will be the third time we’ve presented the current configuration, and it’s a really incredible version of The King’s Singers,” Morris said. “They are at a new level of craftsmanship and sound. “They’re incredible gents who have a great sense of humor. They’re always cracking jokes in-between numbers.”
Kings Return, with its African American heritage, and The King’s Singers, British, classically-trained and rooted in the English boy choir tradition, will offer audiences a contrast in musical styles.
“I’d recommend going to both,” Morris said. “They’re going to be very different and both very satisfying.”
The King’s Singers will be the last concert of the year for the Harriman-Jewell Series, and Morris says he’s looking forward to 2025 and sharing the second half of the Series’ big anniversary season with Kansas City.
“We want everyone to have an incredible holiday season,” he said. “We believe that the greatest gift that we can give is the gift of these concerts and the opportunity to experience these world-class musicians in these really exciting programs.”
Joyce DiDonato with Kings Return and pianist Craig Terry, 7 p.m. Dec. 9. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
The King’s Singers in Holiday Concert, 7 p.m. Dec. 19. Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th St.
For more information, hjseries.org.
–Patrick Neas
