In 1848, Abraham Lincoln gave a valiant speech on the House floor condemning President Polk’s invasion of Mexico. Benito Juarez, a Mexican Congressman, thanked Lincoln with an effusive letter. Years later, both men were President of their respective countries. Juarez was fighting the French invasion, and Lincoln was confronting the secession of the Southern states and the beginning of the Civil War. They once again became natural allies, not only out of necessity but also from a shared trust in democracy and humanity. Following Lincoln’s assassination, Juarez wrote a sorrowful, elegant message to the people of the United States. 

Come listen to Lincolniana, an engaging concert composed by Elbio Barilari that fuses this history, jazz, classical music, and a traditional Mexican genre, "the corrido."

Lincolniana features:

• Elbio Barilari, Latin American Composer and Professor at the College of Performing Arts at UIC
• Orbert Davis, legendary trumpeter and professor at the College of Performing Arts at UIC
• Jun Rivera, Vocalist and member of Sones de Mexico

"’Lincolniana’ is a must-hear any year"… says Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune in his September 9, 2008 review of Barilari’s latest piece. Reich also considers the piece "…a major new work evoking the struggles of the 16th president."

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 312.996.2445.

This event is co-sponsored by the Latin American and Latino Studies Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Performing Arts College at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Latino Cultural Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, and The Public Square.

For more information, call 312.996.2445.