Laura Ward, accompanist extraordinaire of Lyric Fest, had an amazing experience in Washington, DC, this week. In Laura’s words:
Monday evening, October 28, Denyce Graves and I performed at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC to help commemorate the unveiling of the portrait of the four women Supreme Court Justices, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and Justice Elena Kagan, painted by Nelson Shanks. He has painted MANY famous people, including Bill Clinton, Luciano Pavarotti, The Pope, Princess Diana AND Denyce Graves, to name a few. Denyce’s portrait hangs in the National Portrait Gallery. (Editor’s note: you may remember that Denyce Graves sang in our March 2013 program Journey Toward Freedom. Our Concert History page has a description and a link to the program of that concert.)
Tuesday evening, October 29, Denyce Graves and I performed at The University Club where Ruth Bader Ginsburg was honored as Distinguished Washingtonian in Literature and the Arts. I sat at the table with three former honorees, Sandra Day O’Connor, Denyce Graves and Doug Wheeler, current head of Washington Performing Arts Society.
For Monday’s event, Denyce and I brought our daughters to be part of this moment in history and to be with these amazing women. It was quite the experience!!!!!