The Miracles to perform in Washington, D.C.

The choir of 23 incredibly talented people all have one thing in common - they're handicapped and live at the center, which is a residential community for those with mild to moderately mental retardation.

The center provides opportunities for these people with special needs to reach their full potential.

The choir travels extensively, performing 30 weekends out of the year. The Miracles have toured in Alabama, visiting Talledega, touring the NASCAR race track and performing at the Helen Keller School for the Blind. They have toured in the upper United States, visiting Niagara Falls and Canada. They've also toured in New Orleans and surrounding areas
Most of our area residents are very familiar with Baddour Center in Senatobia, having enjoyed the Garden Center and The Miracles' performances for many years.

Now, thanks to the Internet and Sen. Trent Lott, millions around our nation will be able to see and hear The Miracles live in concert.

Thanks to an invitation issued by Sen. Lott, The Miracles will be singing on the Millennium Stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., Thursday, November 30, 2000 at 6 p.m. Eastern time.

The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage is featuring a free concert every night during the year 2000, featuring as many aspects of American music and performing arts as possible.
The gamut of performances already staged include African tribal dances, opera, ballet, blues, jazz and more.

The Miracles' repertoire for the Kennedy Center performance will be religious and sacred music. Their new soloist, Gloria Lenhoff, will also perform five songs.

Gloria, who will become a full time resident at Baddour Center in January, has already spent several days at the center and sung with The Miracles.

A world-renowned soprano who does independent touring will meet up with the group in Washington for the performance.

The Miracles began seriously rehearsing for their Washington performance at the end of September, after the Baddour Fashion Show, held this year at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Memphis. Their rehearsals have to be worked in with their regular schedules at the center.

The trip to Washington won't be all work though, even with an additional performance scheduled for the Senate Office Building at noon the following Friday.

The group, which travels about 16,000 miles a year, will spend two days driving to Washington and has private tours lined up of the White House and the Capitol Building. They will also enjoy lunch in the Senate lunchroom after their Friday performance.

If you're not going to be in Washington that particular day, you can still watch the performance live on the Kennedy Center website.

If you don't have Real Player already installed on your computer, you can download it free from the Kennedy Center website. You might want to do that several days before the performance so you don't miss a minute!

The John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center web address is:
www.kennedy-center.org.

The Miracles are scheduled to perform at 6 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, November 30, 2000. Their performance will be archived for several weeks, so if you can't see it live, you can still enjoy it later.

Part of the Performing Arts for Everyone Initiative

Millennium Stage Performance Archive

Performance Archive for Gloria Lenhoff

November 30, 2000 The Miracles, a 23-member choir from Mississippi, performs with featured soloist Gloria Lenhoff. Play this Performance

Lyric soprano and accordionist Gloria Lenhoff, a Williams Syndrome musical savant, has a repertoire of over 2,000 pieces and has performed overseas and throughout the United States. Ms. Lenhoff, who has received acclaim from near and far, sings in 28 foreign languages, in a variety of styles. She first came upon the national scene in the PBS documentary Bravo Gloria, directed by Arlene Alda. In the past few years Ms. Lenhoff has been featured on 60 Minutes, Nightline, and Inside Edition. She has performed with members of the L.A. Opera and the Boston Lyric Opera, and at numerous venues around the world. She is an active advocate for the abilities of the developmentally disabled and frequently appears before community organizations with her father, Professor Howard Lenhoff.

© The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 2000

Gloria starts the program off with the Lord's Prayer. Then in the middle of the hour program she sings four more pieces: "Somewhere" from West Side Story, an aria from the Marriage of Figaro, "Let There Be Peace" in Hebrew and a capella, and "Impossible Dream" from Man from La Mancha. The latter brought a standing ovation from an overflow crowd, considered to be one of the largest and most attentive to attend a Millennium Stage performance.