Andrew Craig – aka Rhapsodius – a true Renaissance man in the arts, brings two exciting new initiatives to this very special Fourth Friday.

The evening will begin with a performance of Melanatté, a hybrid of Classical/Opera and African music featuring soprano Denise Williams. Following a short intermission, Rhapsodius will take the stage with a new body of work.

Weather-permitting, these performances will take place under the stars on the patio at the Civic Museum. Otherwise, they will move indoors.

Please note these performances will not be livestreamed.

On the Fourth Fridays of each month, admission is free to the Civic Museum from 5 pm to 9 pm, with free concerts beginning at 7 pm.

Seating is limited. You can save your spots on Eventbrite.

About the Artists

“Melanin”: a naturally-occurring pigment that is often one of the defining characteristics of
Blackness. “Latté”: a creamy beverage, born out of European culture, that is both strong and
sweet, and that elicits deep pleasure when consumed. Thus, Melanatté is the hybrid name
given to this musical project that combines some of the most famous vocal melodies from the
Western European Art Music tradition with the harmonies and rhythms of the African Diaspora.
Melanatté takes the undisputed “hits” from the Classical and Romantic music canon and places
them in a modern Black context, making them accessible to multiple generations of music
lovers, right across the spectrum. Melanatté is the brainchild of Canadian artistic polymath
Rhapsodius, who has produced tributes to Quincy Jones and Oscar Peterson, and performed
for Nelson Mandela – twice. Rhapsodius creates the musical magic carpet upon which
acclaimed Canadian soprano Denise Williams truly soars. Williams, a 30-year veteran of the
concert, opera, and theatre stage, has electrified audiences from Canada to Cuba, and many
points in between. Moving effortlessly between vocal styles, Denise Williams offers powerfully
authentic renditions of the most beloved songs – all in a fresh, sometimes striking new musical
context that will have audiences clamouring for more.
Melanatté is creamy, caffeinated, Canadian Classical Contemporary Crossover – not Soul Food,
but Soul Beverage. Sip – and enjoy!

Rhapsodius – literally, “made of rhapsody” – is a confluence of things. Singer,
multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, director, producer, playwright, educator, activist – all
these rivers, and more, flow one into the other to create this artist whose boundary-crossing
work defies convention. Artists aren’t supposed to do all of these things – and yet, Rhapsodius
moves between disciplines and styles with ease. Rhapsodius has worked with a who’s who of
artists in music, theatre, dance, and film, both in Canada and abroad. He has directed
high-profile tributes to icons Quincy Jones and Oscar Peterson, opened for Bobby McFerrin,
and performed for Nelson Mandela – twice.
Deeply and equally schooled in the Western European Art music tradition and the music of the
African Diaspora, and unwaveringly dedicated to groove, Rhapsodius brings new sounds into
the space – sounds that are everything you know and nothing you recognize, all at once.
Rhapsodius makes it his mission to create music that makes you lose yourself in the sounds,
and yet savour the process of finding yourself again