Due to the effects of Winter Storm Jonas, the mayor of New York City issued a travel ban on all roads beginning at 2:30 PM. MTA buses discontinued service at 12:30 PM and outer, concovered MTA subway, LIRR and NJTransit service was to end by 4PM. Accordingly, this performance was shortened to end at 3PM. From the printed concert program and the carnegiehall.org website: In the Artist's Own Words “Sing, America!” is an invitation, an opportunity for the performers and the audience to take one more step together in an effort to share the experience of performing, of making music. It’s an opportunity to have a personal encounter with songs that captured moments of our shared culture that reflect who we were and who we are. Throughout history, group singing has served an important function: as a way to pass oral traditions, to bolster the courage of fighting men and women, to support athletic teams, to share spiritual beliefs, to protest an injustice, to teach children, to celebrate a nationality, to entertain. In every instance, group singing has a very specific agenda: to create a community and sense of solidarity.
Stephanie Blythe, Mezzo-Soprano: Sing America!