Roots with Babatunde Akinboboye
Babatunde “Hip Hopera” Akinboboye joins Summermusik’s resident ensemble, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, for the grand finale of We Are One: Roots! Explore both West African and African American traditions while honoring the legacy of Black musical innovation with spirituals, Babatunde’s “Hip Hopera”, and more.
Pay What You Decide. Full ticket prices are $40 for Adults, $25 for Young Professionals Under 40, and $12 for Students/Children
Need a ride? Our friends at Metro are offering Summermusik patrons complimentary bus day passes for all We Are One events. Add a bus pass to your cart at checkout, and we will make sure you recieve a pass before the events.
Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra
Daniel Parsley, conductor and We Are One Festival Artistic Director
Babatunde Akinboboye, baritone
Ijo Ugo Performing Arts
Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes with a 15-minute intermission
Preconcert activity:
6:15-6:45pm: Ijo Ugo Performing Arts talk and performance
SAMUEL COLERIDGE TAYLOR
“Danse Negre” from African Suite
SAMUEL EKPE AKPABOT
Scenes from Nigeria
FELA SOWANDE
African Suite for Strings, selected movements
Intermission
TRADITIONALS, arr. Johnie Dean
Go Down Moses
Swing Low
Give Me Jesus
HIP HOPERA, arr. Johnie Dean
“Toreador” based on “Votre toast” from Carmen
“Avant” based on “Avant de quitter ces lieux” from Faust
“Non Piu” based on “Non più andrai” from The Marriage of Figaro
“Goodbye” based on “Con te partirò” by Francesco Sartori
GABRIEL ADEDEJI
Láú Ẹrẹbẹ
Concert Sponsor
Available
Babatunde Akinboboye Sponsor
The Maxwell Weaver Foundation
Music Sponsor
Janice Seymour
Watch: Babatunde Akinbobye performs “Largo”
Listen: “Danse Negre” by Samuel Coleridge Taylor
A singer of diverse talents, Nigerian American Baritone, Babatunde Akinboboye is known for his enthralling stage presence. He has performed with the Los Angeles Opera, Opera San Jose, Opera Santa Barbara, Long Beach Opera, and Utah Opera. Babatunde has also debuted the roles of Drew in the Opera Works’Arts for Social Awareness Project’s world premiere production of The Discord Opera, and Zanni in the world premiere of Gloria Coates’ Stolen Identity. His most recent performances include Daggoo in LA Opera’s Moby Dick, Escamillo in Pacific Opera Project’s production of Carmen, and Lucha’s Father in The Industry’s production of Hopscotch.
As an advocate for the performance of art song and operatic works written by African, and African American composers, Mr. Akinboboye has headlined the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry awards in Lagos, Nigeria performing a fusion of opera and traditional African music and has been a featured performer at both the National Association of Negro Musicians Annual Conference, as well as the African American Art Song Alliance Conference.
Babatunde’s honors include Regional Finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition, and finalist in the International Eisteddfod Vocal Solo Competition in Llangollen, Wales.
In December of 2018, Babatunde combined his love of classical opera and hip hop and created the new genre Hip Hopera in a viral video that gained over 10 million views and was featured on Time.com, Classic FM, MSN.com and more. His debut EP “Della Citta” is now available.
Date
- Mar 15 2026
Time
- 7:00 pm
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