N'Kenge to Grace the Stage for CLASSIC FM Show with the Naples Philharmonic

Naples Philharmonic presents symphony siren and Broadway diva N'Kenge (Motown: The Musical and Sondheim and Sondheim) in their Classic FM's Four Decades of Radio Hits show.

The New York Post called N'Kenge "electrifying" in the role of Mary Wells that she originated in Broadway's smash hit Motown: The Musical. N'Kenge is thrilled to work again with Maestro Jack Everly for five days; Tuesday - Saturday, February 2 - 6, 2016. All shows at 8:00pm; except for Sat., 2/6; there is also 2:00p matinee.

A friend of the city - Naples is on N'Kenge's list of favorites. She has performed several times with the Naples Philharmonic and Principal Pops Director Jack Everly during Baby Boomers Music of the 60's and Disco Days and Boogie Nights. For a few days she will bring her enthralling sound to a host of solid gold classics from groups like Chicago and Abba; and singers Leonard Cohen; Gloria Gaynor, Barbara Streisand, Elton John; Billy Joel and many more. With family in the area, N'Kenge has found time over the years to lend her talent/expertise to young African American students with an interest in classical music by providing an opera vocal master class. She also has performed at the Ft. Lauderdale Children's Theatre Grande Crystal Ball annual fundraiser to support the theatre and south-Florida arts.

Music Legend Berry Gordy describes N'Kenge as "the most versatile artist I know"; and see why Variety raves about N'Kenge's "show-stopping performances" as she is joined on stage by powerhouse singers Jim Hogan, Ron Remke, Josh Turner and Melissa Schott. You won't be able to sit down when N'Kenge sings top 40 favorites such as "Let it Be", "I Will Survive", "The Way We Were" and more. Check out N'Kenge performing "This Is The Moment" at The International Women's Forum 2015 Hall of Fame dinner.

Hailed by the New York Times as "a classically trained diva that can stretch from Broadway, Pop, Soul to Opera," N'Kenge made her Broadway debut in Sondheim on Sondheim alongside Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, Norm Lewis and Tom Wopat which was directed by Pulitzer Prize winner James Lapine. In London, N'Kenge made her West End debut starring in The Genius of Ray Charles. N'Kenge starred in the Michael Jackson Tribute Show World Tour and has also been seen as a soloist with Meastro Steve Reineke at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops Orchestra as well as working with Jack Everly with Cincinnati Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra to name a few.

The Naples Symphony Philharmonic was founded in 1982 and in its first season performed four concerts as a chamber orchestra. Today the Symphony performs over 140 orchestral and chamber concerts, as well as other discipline arts like opera and ballet. In 2014-15 Artis-Naples welcomed internationally renowned conductor Andrey Boreko to his first season as the Philharmonic Music Director and in 2009 Jack Everly, was named Principal Pops Director, where he currently serves in this role. After working with Jack Everly around the globe in 2015, N'Kenge is excited to return to Artis-Naples/Naples Philharmonic in the 2016 Classic FM - Four Decades of Radio Hits. It will be an experience unlike any other!

You can learn more about N'Kenge at www.nkengemusic.com. For more information on the show, visit artisnaples.org/events/pops-classic-fm.

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