World-renowned opera singer and Indianapolis-native Angela Brown will reprise her role of singing “God Bless America” during pre-race ceremonies for the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on May 28. She last performed the beloved patriotic tradition for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2017.
“I’m excited to be part of the global experience that is the Indianapolis 500,” Brown said.
With captivating star power, Brown unites opera, pops and gospel in one sensational voice and has graced the leading opera and symphonic stages across six continents. Brown is a featured artist on the two-time Grammy Award-winning recording “Ask Your Mama,” and her highly successful Metropolitan Opera debut in the title role of “Aida” captured instant attention from international print and broadcast media and catapulted her onto the world’s prestigious stages. Headlines from The New York Times read, “At last an Aida,” and “CBS Weekend News” proclaimed, “The future of opera has arrived!” followed by features on the front page of The New York Times, on CNN, in Oprah Magazine, Essence Magazine, Ebony Magazine, Classical Singer and Reader’s Digest.
While opera is the main catalyst for her career, Brown’s performance experience includes star emcee to producer, recording artist and podcast host. Alongside pianist Joshua Thompson, she is the co-host of “Melanated Moments in Classical Music,” an award-winning podcast from Classical Music Indy with an audience in more than 100 countries. She is featured in two PBS documentaries on the life of Marian Anderson: “The Whole World in Her Hands from American Masters” and “Voice of Freedom from American Experience.”
Brown is a celebrated role model for the next generation of multicultural singers. She is the founder of Morning Brown, Inc. (morningbrown.org), her nonprofit dedicated to bringing cultural experiences and awareness to historically excluded communities and audiences.
She is the Artistic and Educational Ambassador of Indianapolis Opera and received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts in 2022. The Willson Center for Humanities and the Arts of the University of Georgia named Brown the 2023 Delta Visiting Chair for Global Understanding. The chair is presented with the support of The Delta Air Lines Foundation, and Brown is the first musician to be honored with this distinction.
“Angela is a tremendous talent and once again will sing a fantastic rendition of ‘God Bless America’ for our fans, both at the track and watching from home on NBC,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “As a Hoosier, she knows just how much the Indy 500 means to all of us, and you will hear that passion in her voice and performance.”
Brown has traveled the world for performances at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, National Opera of Paris, Vienna State Opera, Capetown (South Africa) Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Edmonton Opera, Calgary Philharmonic, Shanghai World Expo, Moscow Performing Arts Center, The Metropolitan Opera, Bilbao Opera, Teatro La Fenice, Hamburg Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Cincinnati Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and more. She has performed in recital throughout the United States, Canada, Spain, New Zealand, China and Africa. Her hometown of Indianapolis has welcomed her often for appearances with the Indianapolis Symphony for their Yuletide pops extravaganza, the Indianapolis Opera, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and to sing the national anthem for the Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Pacers and Indy Eleven.
Live coverage of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge starts at 11 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. This year, Peacock will also host an extended pre-race window from 9-11 a.m. ET.
Visit ims.com to purchase tickets for the 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 28 and for more information on the complete Month of May schedule at IMS.
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