"Lincoln Seen and Heard"

Waterston

The Louisville Orchestra

KET presents a concert kick-off celebrating the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, featuring actor Sam Waterston, the Louisville Orchestra, acclaimed banjo player Tony Trischka and Metropolitan Opera star Angela Brown. Taped February 11 at the Kentucky Center in Louisville, Lincoln Bicentennial Gala airs Sunday, July 6 at 9/8 p.m. CT on KET2 and Tuesday, July 8 at 9/8 p.m. CT on KET1. Award-winning journalist and Louisville native Bob Edwards hosts the celebration.

The program starts with the Louisville Orchestra’s performance of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” followed by Brown’s interpretation of the African-American spirituals “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired” and “Ride on King Jesus.”

Then, Waterston and Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer perform “Lincoln Seen and Heard,” a dramatic presentation of Lincoln speeches and photographs. Holzer analyzes Lincoln’s poses, physical appearance and surroundings in archival photographs, and Waterston recites segments of speeches. In one photo, Lincoln holds an anti-slavery newspaper; the speech that follows expresses his disdain for the practice.

Brown then returns to the stage to perform part of the opera Margaret Garner, based on the tragic life of a Kentucky woman who escaped slavery with her children. However, Garner was later discovered, and rather than see her children returned to a life of slavery she attempted to kill them, fatally wounding her daughter.

The program concludes with the orchestra’s premiere performance of a new composition by Peter Schickele, “Lincoln at Ease.”

Lincoln Bicentennial Gala is a KET production produced and directed by Vince Spoelker. Music segments are directed by Clark Santee. This program is funded in part by the Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Arts Council.