Morgan Freeman to narrate Blues Experience with Kansas City Symphony at the Kauffman Center
Legendary actor Morgan Freeman will narrate a blues journey in a collaborative live performance with the Kansas City Symphony, staged September 2 and 3 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The event features a special question-and-answer session with Freeman.
This is described not as a typical concert but as a lived experience that blends story with sound. Freeman says the performance offers something different—the music “carries people” in a way audiences haven’t experienced before. Although Freeman was born in Memphis, he maintains deep roots in Mississippi, where he co-owns Ground Zero Blues Club with his business partner, Eric Meier. Meier notes that the collaboration with the Kansas City Symphony aims to introduce blues to people who may not have been exposed to the genre, emphasizing that the project is about cultural as well as musical discovery.
The show guides listeners from the Mississippi Delta fields to Chicago blues clubs and beyond, with Freeman narrating the blues’ struggles and spiritual resilience. Freeman has often spoken of the blues as the great, great granddaddy of modern American music, a sentiment echoed by the production team.
KC Symphony representatives say they are thrilled to partner on a project that broadens the orchestra’s repertoire and reach. They emphasize that the Kansas City Symphony is well equipped to handle diverse musical forms, making this collaboration an exciting opportunity to present such works.
Tickets are on sale now through the Kansas City Symphony website. The performances promise not only music but an engaging cultural experience, enhanced by Freeman’s narration and its accompanying Q&A session.
Editor’s note: This collaboration highlights how symphonies are expanding beyond traditional classical programming to celebrate broader American musical roots, offering audiences a unique blend of storytelling, history, and live orchestral performance.
Summary: A cross-genre, storytelling-based blues experience led by Morgan Freeman in partnership with the Kansas City Symphony, intended to illuminate blues roots while reaching new audiences. Positive and educational in tone, with a live Q&A component and tickets available now.