HADESTOWN Star André De Shields To Host ORPHEUS SINGS At Orchestra Lumos

After acting as narrator of the Orpheus myth in his Tony-winning role in Hadestown on Broadway, André De Shields will host Orchestra Lumos' season opening concert, "Orpheus Sings", a program featuring several classical interpretations of the famous myth. 

Orchestra Lumos, Fairfield County's resident orchestra, will present its opening weekend concerts on October 5 & 6 at The Palace Theatre in Stamford, CT.

The program, “Orpheus Sings,” is the first of four curated concert programs this season, which together traverse the complex arc of the human experience These concerts mark the first for Orchestra Lumos in that the theme of each performance will be introduced by a host making the concert also a theatrical event.

André De Shields is one of the most celebrated performers alive, with a career spanning over 55 years; he is the recipient of numerous Emmy, Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle awards among many others,  and he is best known for his appearances in Hadestown, The Full Monty, Ain't Misbehavin', and The Wiz.  

Joining Orchestra Lumos and Mr. De Shields onstage is Anwen Deng, the Australian pianist who, at just 15, has already launched an international career 

Full program details:

Orpheus Sings

Saturday, October 5 at 7:30pm
Sunday, October 6 at 3:00pm
Anwen Deng, piano
André De Shields, host
Michael Stern, conductor

Franz Liszt Orpheus, S.98 (Symphonic Poem No. 4) 
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, op. 58 
George Walker Orpheus for Narrator and Chamber Orchestra
Christoph Willibald Gluck Orfeo ed Euridice: Dance of the Blessed Spirits 
Jacques Offenbach Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld

About André De Shields

In a career spanning fifty-five years, André De Shields, at age 78, has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor, activist, educator and philanthropist.  

As  Actor, Mr. De Shields' mission is to fill intimate spaces with enormous beauty. He defines intimate spaces as the hearts of humanity. As Activist, he endeavors to restore majesty, elegance and literacy to the Black Thespian toolbox. His legendary career has resulted in a treasure trove of accolades, among them Doctor of Fine Arts honoris causa from his Alma Mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where–in an attempt to foster greater equity and pluralism among the performing arts–he has founded THE André De Shields FUND. 

His other marks of esteem include having been the triple crown winner of the 2019 awards season, garnering Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Grammy Awards for his universally acclaimed role as Hermes, messenger to the gods, in Hadestown. Perennially known for his idiosyncratic, show-stopping performances in four legendary Broadway production–The Wiz (Title role) Ain't Misbehavin' (Emmy Award), Play On! (Tony nom.) and The Full Monty (Tony nom.)—Mr. De Shields  has achieved the status of “Broadway Deity.”

About Anwen Deng

Fifteen-year-old pianist Anwen Deng, hailing from Brisbane, Australia, embarked on her musical journey at the age of three. Recognized for her talent, she was accepted into the Juilliard School pre-college program at six, under the tutelage of Dr. Yoheved Kaplinsky.

Anwen has received top prizes in numerous piano competitions, including first prize at the 26th Chopin International Piano Competition for Children and Youth, the Grand Prize at the 9th Chopin International Piano Competition, first prize at the 2018 Steinway & Sons Piano Competition, and first prize at the 2022 Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Young Artists' Competition. At the age of eight, Anwen made her debut performance as a soloist with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra. Since then, she has been invited to perform with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Little Orchestra Society of New York, and the Aspen Chamber Symphony, working with esteemed conductors such as Arie Vardi, David Alan Miller, Salvador Brotons, and Antoni Bonetti.