14 DAY TRIAL // Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and legendary soul singer Aretha Franklin are to write music history next month thanks to a duet they’re to perform together for charity. Though few may be aware of this, Rice is a very talented pianist who even considered going pro at one point – and a charity gig seems to be the best way to share the same stage as Aretha, as the Guardian informs.
The concert and the one-of-a-kind collaboration will take place in Philadelphia towards the end of this month, marking the first time the two women share the same stage together. Political differences will also be put aside for the benefit of charity, as the two will perform Franklin’s classic songs “Say a Little Prayer” and “Natural Woman,” the aforementioned publication says. Useless to say, fans are already on the edge of their seat, waiting for the video of the duet to pop up online.
“The concert, a fundraising event for inner city children, takes place on 27 July, at the Mann Centre for the Performing Arts. Franklin and Rice will appear as guests of the Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Rossen Milanov. Rice will accompany the orchestra for Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D minor, before joining Franklin to perform classic soul anthems and a selection of arias,” the Guardian says.
“Rice, 55, served as national security adviser and then secretary of state under George W Bush, and was the first African-American woman to hold either post. But she is also a celebrated amateur pianist, who once considered becoming a professional. In 2008, Rice performed for the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Franklin, 68, is a Democrat who did not vote for Rice’s former employer. But the two seem to have put their differences aside to collaborate for the concert. ‘Ms Rice is a consummate classical pianist and since I sing the arias, I thought we could do something,’ Franklin said,” the publication goes on to say.
With Aretha Franklin calling the duet a “bipartisan effort” for charity, and given the uniqueness of it, it’s no wonder that hype for it is already starting to build up online. To see what comes out of it, make sure you keep an eye on this space and we’ll keep you updated.