Auditorium Theatre Welcomes Grammy Winner Lila Downs Tonight

A special addition to its historic 125th Anniversary Season, the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University and the Mariachi Heritage Foundation co-present Grammy-winning sensation and world-renowned singer Lila Downs for a one-night-only performance tonight, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets ($40-$103) are available online at AuditoriumTheatre.org, by calling (800) 982-ARTS (2787) or in-person at the Auditorium's Box Office (50 E. Congress Pkwy).

"Audiences who have never seen or heard Lila perform in-person are in for a treat. Her style, her diverse influences and her multi-ethnic background informs a remarkable sound that's unique to her alone," said Auditorium Theatre Executive Director Brett Batterson. "We are thrilled that Lila is making her Auditorium debut as we continue to celebrate the theatre's 125th anniversary."

Grounded in elements of her Mixtec Indian roots, Downs' "sonorous vocal range" (Chicago Tribune), celebrates the spirit of her upbringing as a child of a Mixtec mother and an American- born father. Downs' music reflects an eclectic sound of folk and ranchera genres of Mexico and South America, as well as American folk, jazz, blues and hip-hop. Her most recent album, "Balas y Chocolate," which Downs has described as her most personal album yet, speaks to the fight for the preservation of one's land and country, evoking themes of social injustice and the perseverance of Mexican immigrants.

"Lila Downs is today's highest ambassador of Mexican music," said President and Founder of the Mariachi Heritage Foundation Cesar Maldonado. "Lila's vocal prowess and incredible social message makes her today's most important female Mexican artist. We're proud to work with the Auditorium Theatre to bring her back to Chicago for an extraordinary evening."

Downs' performance at the Auditorium features a night of empowering lyrics and inspirational stories, told through her sultry and captivating voice. She has performed at many of the world's most prestigious festivals and venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and the Festival of Sacred Music-Hollywood Bowl. She has been invited to sing at the White House, and performed at the 75th Annual Academy Awards and the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards.

About Lila Downs - Lila Downs has one of the world's most singular voices and innovative approaches to music. She is the daughter of a Mixtec Indian woman, Anastasia Sanchez, who ran away from her village at 15 to sing in Mexico City cantinas and a University of Minnesota professor Allen Downs, who saw her singing and fell in love.

Downs grew up both in Minnesota and Oaxaca, and her music and vocal artistry has a wide range of influences. Many of her lyrics focus on issues relating to social justice, and often tell the stories of the workers who migrate from rural Mexico to work in the U.S. She studied classical voice and cultural anthropology at the University of Minnesota.

She and her husband/longtime collaborator, Paul Cohen, have produced 10 studio albums, with "Pecados y Milagros" having earned both a Grammy and a Latin Grammy award, and achieving double-platinum sales in Mexico. She received her first Latin Grammy for the 2004 release "Una Sangre." Her current project, "Rai?z," is a collaboration with Argentinian singer Soledad Pastorutti and Spanish flamenco singer La Nin?a Pastori. This album has garnered two 2014 Latin Grammy nominations for "Album of the Year" and "Best Folk Album."

Her music has also been included in several feature films such as "The Counselor," "Tortilla Soup," "Real Women Have Curves," "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada," Carlos Saura's "Fados," "Mariachi Gringo" and "Hecho en Mexico."

The concert is set for Wednesday, May 6, 2015 | 7:30 p.m. Tickets ($40 - $103) are available online at AuditoriumTheatre.org, by calling (800) 982-ARTS (2787) or in-person at Auditorium Theatre's Box Office (50 E. Congress Pkwy). Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more are available at (312) 341-2357 or sales@auditoriumtheatre.org.

The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, located at 50 E. Congress Pkwy, is an Illinois, not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community and educational programming to Chicago, and to the continued restoration and preservation of the National Historic Landmark Auditorium Theatre.

In September of 2014, the Auditorium Theatre was awarded the inaugural Fifth Star Award by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. On

December 9, 2014, the Auditorium Theatre celebrated its 125th Birthday with a proclamation from the City of Chicago declaring it "Auditorium Theatre Day."

The Auditorium Theatre is generously supported by the MacArthur Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council, the Sage Foundation, and the Palmer House Hilton. For more information about programming, volunteer and donor opportunities or theatre tours, call (312) 341-2310 or visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

The Mariachi Heritage Foundation was founded in 2013 to expand mariachi music education in underserved Chicago schools. The K-12 grade standards-based student mariachi music program is the first of its kind in Chicago, allowing students to meet general music requirements through a structured curriculum in mariachi performance taught as part of the regular school day. In addition, the Mariachi Heritage Foundation seeks to promote Mexican performing arts through authentic entertainment programming with the highest production values.

The following schools are participating in the 2014-2015 program: Joseph E. Gary Elementary, Nathan S. Davis Elementary, Edward N. Hurley Fine and Performing Arts Magnet Cluster, Richard Edwards Elementary, Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts and Dual Language and UNO Soccer Academy. For more information, visit mariachiheritagefoundation.org.

Photo Credit: Elena Pardo

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