Curation by Artist-in-Residence Clint Ramos Explores Artistic
Traditions Shaping the Future of American Music
 

Highlights Include:
 

Diva Factory, A Fusion of Opera, House Music, and Club Culture
with Anthony Roth Costanzo, Kangmin Justin Kim,
and DJ Lina Bradford
 

Powerhouse Concerts Core to the Series including Donald
Lawrence, Ingrid Michaelson, Ruthie Ann Miles, and More
 

50^th Anniversary Concert Celebration of Seminal Choreopoem
for colored girls who have considered suicide /
when the rainbow is enuf

March 18 – May 23, 2026
 

NEW YORK, NY (December 3, 2025) – Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) today announced the return of the American Songbook series with a new season curated by celebrated producer, creative director, and Lincoln Center Artist-in-Residence Clint Ramos. Echoes of an Inheritance brings the legendary performers and musical pieces of the past into conversation with the bold voices of today, exploring the American music canon and its ever-evolving influence on contemporary society.

The series takes places across three halls on the Lincoln Center campus, from March 18 – May 23, 2026, with a wide range of artistic expressions including music, theater, dance, and more.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Artist-in-Residence Clint Ramos on curating the season,” said Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. “Clint has captured the spirit of curiosity and innovation the American Songbook series builds on year after year with an incredible roster of artists. Audiences can encounter new collaborations and interactive live performances that mark exciting firsts for Lincoln Center.”

“Every program in this season starts with an inherited idea, whether an iconic work, sound, or musical tradition, and interprets it in a new light. This year, we are looking at the American songbook as a question, rather than a menu,” said Clint Ramos, Lincoln Center Artist-in-Residence and curator of American Songbook 2026. “It’s in this exploration of the past where we can begin to imagine what the next chapter of the American songbook can be.”

Three days of energetic performances of community-oriented artistic forms fill the David Rubenstein Atrium: karaoke, musical theater, and the dance party. Audiences can revel at the intersection of opera and house music with Diva Factory, featuring downtown dance legend DJ Lina Bradford, and internationally acclaimed countertenors Anthony Roth Costanzo and Kangmin Justin Kim hosting an unforgettable fusion of house music, opera, performance art, and all-night dancing (May 23). Lincoln Center hosts the karaoke competition, VERSUS: Asia Decides, pitting Broadway stars head-to-head in a musical battle directed by Teddy Bergman. Come root for Team Korea or Team Philippines to take home the karaoke crown (May 21). Composer Mark Bennett and acclaimed novelist and playwright Jessica Hagedorn join forces with director Emilio Ramos for a staged concert of Most Wanted, a piece looking at the dark side of fame and celebrity (May 22).

Core to the American Songbook series is an array of artists crafting new, powerhouse concerts. Platinum-certified, GRAMMY and Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter and composer Ingrid Michaelson makes her Lincoln Center return with The Time and Space Between Us, joined by a few surprise guests (April 3); GRAMMY Award-winning producer, composer, and choir master Donald Lawrence does a deep dive into the art of gospel, alongside an ensemble of singers and musicians (April 4); Singer-songwriter Sandra St. Victor and hit record producer and songwriter Mark Batson perform ELLA & THE DUKE, a theatrical concert deconstructing the creative legacy of Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington (March 18); Tony Award-winning Broadway star of The King and I, Here Lies Love, and The Light in the Piazza, Ruthie Ann Miles returns to Lincoln Center for her first-ever solo concert, Perfectly Imperfect (March 19); and breakout performer of Broadway’s hit musical Maybe Happy Ending, Dez Duron, makes his Lincoln Center debut with All My Tomorrows, a tribute to the American crooner (March 20).

This season also celebrates the 50^th anniversary of the groundbreaking choreopoem for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange with a concert conceived by composer Natalie Brown and director Ellenore Scott, choreographer of Lincoln Center Theater’s Ragtime. By weaving melody into Shange’s rhythm and language, Brown’s piece, entitled for colored girls, adds additional dimension to a deeply resonant work that captivated audiences in its original Broadway debut in 1976, running for over 700 performances. Shange’s extraordinary storytelling has endured, inspiring choreographers and playwrights for decades with its convention-defying union of poetry, dance, and sound. Today, the piece continues to capture the hearts and minds of audiences with regular amateur and professional stagings across the country. This presentation is co-curated by Clint Ramos and Lincoln Center’s Visionary Artist Jeanine Tesori (April 6).

The American Songbook series has celebrated the ever-expanding boundaries of the American music canon for more than twenty-five years. Over this time, the series has featured legendary musicians of today and tomorrow, shaping music across pop, folk, jazz, punk, musical theater, rap, Hip-Hop, and more. Past performers have included Deaf Broadway, Rosanne Cash, Desmond Child, Ariana DeBose, ESG, Rhiannon Giddens, Gossip, iLe, Talib Kweli, Taylor Mac, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Nico Muhly, Kelli O’Hara, Bernadette Peters, Rostam, Patti Smith, Sufjan Stevens, St. Vincent, Rufus Wainwright and many more.

All events in American Songbook: Echoes of an Inheritance are either Free or Choose-What-You-Pay.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, December 10 at AmericanSongbook.org.

Imagery may be accessed here.

***

Lincoln Center Presents

American Songbook: Echoes of an Inheritance

March 18 – May 23, 2026

Chronology of Events
 

Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 8:00pm
The Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center
ELLA & THE DUKE

Created by Sandra St. Victor & Mark Batson

In the storied history of American music, you’d be hard pressed to find a duo as influential, as lasting, and as awe-inspiringly talented as that of vocalist Ella Jane Fitzgerald and composer Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington—immortally known as Ella and The Duke. Lincoln Center’s American Songbook introduces a new narrated concert honoring Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington’s shared legacy, as portrayed by the lead singer of The Family Stand and accomplished soloist Sandra St. Victor alongside multiple GRAMMY Award-winning producer and pianist Mark Batson. Fitzgerald and Ellington’s paths to greatness could not have been more different, yet a reciprocal respect for one another’s artistry birthed a creative friendship that set the standard for the American Songbook. St. Victor and Batson present the music and lives of these legendary artists with candor and wit, finding parallels between their own personal experiences and those of their inspirations. You'll bear witness to the icons' journeys from Fitzgerald's first appearance at The Apollo and Ellington's teenage work as a sign painter, to the megastardom that awaited them. St. Victor and Batson’s combined decades of storytelling and music-making experience spark a perfect storm of talent, making this one-of-a-kind theater experience one that you won't want to miss!

 

Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 8:00pm
The Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center
Ruthie Ann Miles: Perfectly Imperfect

One of Broadway's brightest stars shines on a stage of her own when Tony Award–winning musical actress Ruthie Ann Miles headlines her very first solo concert. Renowned for her remarkable vocal and emotional range, the Hawai'i native and New York resident has established a passionate fan base following show-stopping turns in The King And I and McNeal at Lincoln Center Theater; The Light in the Piazza; Here Lies Love; Sunday in the Park With George; and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Miles has also brought her talent to bear for major television parts (“The Americans,” “All Rise”) and memorable voice acting (Over the Moon, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane). Now, drawing from the lessons and challenges of her personal history and professional journey, Miles delights American Songbook audiences with a deeply intimate evening of story and song, giving voice to the multi-faceted roles within her: artist, daughter, wife, and mother. Ruthie Ann Miles' singular soprano voice lights up The Appel Room at this unforgettable, one-night-only performance.

 

Friday, March 20, 2026 at 8:00pm
The Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center
Dez Duron: All My Tomorrows

Maybe Happy Ending was the biggest hit of last year's Broadway musical season, winning six Tony Awards and paving the way for a breakout performance from first-time Broadway performer, Dez Duron. This spring, the in-demand leading man shares his love for the magic of a ballad with a one-night-only performance as part of American Songbook. Through a mix of beloved standards and unexpected selections, Duron's debut Lincoln Center concert, directed by Teddy Bergman (KPOP on Broadway), dissects the legacy of the American crooner. From Bennett to Martin, Sinatra to Tormé, the sound of the canonical balladeer signals romance, masculinity, and longing. What does it mean to be a crooner today? With his signature charisma and silky vocal style on full display, Duron offers a love letter and exploration of this classic American musical form, reframing it for the modern stage.

 

Friday, April 3, 2026 at 7:30pm
Wu Tsai Theater, David Geffen Hall
Ingrid Michaelson & Friends: The Time and Space Between Us

Platinum-certified, GRAMMY and Emmy-nominated pop singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson's twenty-year recording career has yielded nine albums, multiple television soundtracks, and a hit Broadway musical. Michaelson's most recent work, including her 2024 LP For the Dreamers, embraces an introspective mode, a direction that she'll bring to full fruition for her headlining American Songbook concert at David Geffen Hall. Known for her delicate storytelling and hypnotic melodies, Michaelson—accompanied by a surprise selection of luminary friends from the pop and theater world—turns her lyrical gaze inward in a new concert that explores the ties that bind us across time and space. Drawing sweet insights and wisdom from her personal life, The Time and Space Between Us carries the echoes of relationships past and present, exploring how time shapes identity, and how familial and love stories live on in all of us.

 

Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 7:30pm
Wu Tsai Theater, David Geffen Hall
REVIVAL: The Gospel According to Donald Lawrence

GRAMMY Award-winning producer, composer, and choir master Donald Lawrence has been one of the most prominent and celebrated voices in contemporary gospel music for over 30 years. Alongside his choir, the Tri-City Singers, Lawrence's talent has been instrumental in the work of The Clark Sisters, Mary J. Blige, Kirk Franklin, and Hezekiah Walker, among many others. For this very special one-night-only REVIVAL at David Geffen Hall, Lawrence celebrates great gospel composers in an expansive meditation on the traditions and artistry of gospel music: its roots, its resilience, and its power to move the human spirit. In times of upheaval and trouble, what does gospel have to offer the modern listener? Lawrence’s answer is both deeply personal and universally resonant, reminding us of the art form’s enduring capacity to inspire and uplift. Through song, reflection, and reinvention, Lawrence—alongside his ensemble of singers and band—invites us to witness how gospel music gives wings to collective struggle, joy, and heritage. Join us for an evening that traces gospel’s historical and musical lineage while opening space for audiences to experience the high artform that it is.

Produced in collaboration with Spoke Creative Studios

 

Monday, April 6, 2026 at 8:00pm
The Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center
for colored girls

Ntozake Shange’s enduring, epochal choreopoem for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf celebrates its 50th anniversary with a reimagined musical treatment. In collaboration with Lincoln Center Visionary Artist Jeanine Tesori, composer Natalie Brown brings new dimensions to for colored girls, setting its text to song and extending the legacy of this canonical work. By weaving melody into Shange’s rhythm and language, Brown opens new points of access to its lasting themes of resilience, identity, and womanhood. Directed by Ellenore Scott, choreographer of the recent Broadway run of Lincoln Center Theater's revival of Ragtime, this presentation honors the original work's groundbreaking impact while boldly reframing it for a contemporary audience. Together, Brown and Scott illuminate for colored girls' brilliance and breathe new life into the poetry, musicality, and movement essential to the original production. This project asks what it means to carry forward an American cultural legacy; and how music can deepen the resonance of words that have already changed the world.

 

Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 7:30pm
David Rubenstein Atrium
VERSUS: Karaoke
Asia Decides: Korea vs. Philippines

For the first time ever, Lincoln Center hosts a spectacular karaoke competition, passing the mic to Korean and Filipino Broadway superstars representing Team Korea and Team Philippines—two cultures that have passionately embraced and defined the art form. Karaoke has emerged in the past half century as a ritual of connection, a vehicle for personal storytelling, and a grand equalizer that makes music accessible to everyone. Pull up a chair and get ready to witness Asian-American musical excellence! Cheer and applaud as your favorite Broadway idols belt their hearts out in musical battles and unforgettable duets, with direction by Teddy Bergman (KPOP on Broadway). At the end of the night, a panel of star judges will determine the singular team to be crowned the VERSUS champions! Full lineup to be announced shortly.

 

Friday, May 22, 2026 at 7:30pm
David Rubenstein Atrium
Most Wanted

In the back room of a pulsing Miami club, lies are exposed and an assassin’s life is laid bare. Award-winning composer Mark Bennett and celebrated writer Jessica Hagedorn join forces with director Emilio Ramos for a staged concert of Most Wanted, a piece that interrogates our dangerous obsession with fame and celebrity. Set in the aftermath of a notorious assassination and manhunt in 1997, Most Wanted is loosely inspired by the life and crimes of Andrew Cunanan—a kaleidoscopic journey through high fashion, glossy magazines, low dives, and the end of the line for a lost young man.

 

Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 7:30pm
David Rubenstein Atrium
Diva Factory
Featuring DJ Lina, Anthony Roth Constanzo, and Kangmin Justin Kim

In the decades between Stonewall and the 2015 Obergefell Supreme Court decision, the New York City queer club scene vibrated at high frequency. After-hours spots like Sound Factory, Boy Bar, Palladium, and Limelight provided critical space for solidarity, reinvention, and creative experimentation. Drawing from that rich history, the Downtown dance legend DJ Lina Bradford collides worlds with internationally acclaimed operatic countertenors Kangmin Justin Kim and Anthony Roth Costanzo for Diva Factory, an electrifying exploration of identity and genre. One part concert, one part ritual, and entirely a dance party, Diva Factory dismantles the boundaries of genre and brings the exalted voices of opera and American house music directly to the people's dance floor. Embracing both the electric pulse of the clubs and the heights of the ivory tower, DJ Lina creates an unforgettable fusion of house music and opera. Come out and sing and dance!

***

About Clint Ramos

CLINT RAMOS is an award-winning creative director, designer, and producer. Most recently, he produced Theater Group Asia’s sold-out production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, starring Lea Salonga, Arielle Jacobs and featuring a cast of Filipinos and Filipino Americans. He currently serves as the Visual Director for Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City, where he reimagines the entire Lincoln Center campus each summer into a vibrant stage for more than 300 events that serve New York City’s diverse communities. He also serves as Artist-in-Residence at Lincoln Center. Ramos was a lead producer of the groundbreaking Broadway musical Here Lies Love and is currently the Producing Creative Director for Encores! at New York City Center. There, he has spearheaded acclaimed projects including Billy Porter’s reimagining of The Life, The Light in the Piazza featuring Ruthie Ann Miles, and Jelly’s Last Jam. As a designer, Ramos has created over 200 productions across theater, opera, and dance. His Broadway credits include Maybe Happy Ending, Eureka Day, Here Lies Love, KPOP, Slave Play, The Rose Tattoo, Eclipsed, Once on This Island, Sunday in the Park with George, and Torch Song. His film work includes production design for Isabel Sandoval’s Lingua Franca (Netflix) and costume design for RESPECT, the Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson (MGM). Ramos made history by becoming the first person of color to win the TONY^® Award for Best Costume Design of a Play, for Eclipsed. He has received additional TONY^® nominations—six for costume design (Maybe Happy Ending, The Rose Tattoo, Once on This Island, Torch Song, KPOP) and one for scenic design (Slave Play). His numerous honors include two OBIE Awards (including one for Sustained Excellence in Design), three Lucille Lortel Awards, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, two American Theatre Wing Henry Hewes Design Awards, the TDF Irene Sharaff Young Master Award, the Helen Hayes Award, the Craig Noel Award, and two Aning Dangal Presidential Medals for Dramatic Arts from the President of the Philippines. Ramos is a member of the Advisory Board of the American Theatre Wing and co-founder of Design Action and Springboard to Design, initiatives focused on equity, inclusion and education. A passionate advocate, his life's work centers on creating equitable opportunities in theater and film for People of Color and immigrants. Born and raised in Cebu, Philippines, Clint now resides in New York City with his husband and daughter.

 

About Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the Lincoln Center campus is a destination that welcomes all—where every visitor, whether a native New Yorker or New Yorker for a day, can find inspiration, artistic innovation, and community in the creative achievements realized on campus. Year-round, we offer robust seasons of programming, representing a broad spectrum of performing arts disciplines and complementing the artistic and educational activities of the 10 fellow resident arts organizations with whom we share a home. LCPA presents hundreds of programs each year, offered for free or Choose-What-You-Pay, helping ensure that the arts are at the center of civic life for all.

***

Lead support for Choose-What-You-Pay is provided by the Family of Robert Wood Johnson III

Major support is provided by the Scully Peretsman Foundation

Additional support is provided by the PNC Foundation

Contemporary Dance is made possible by the Pasculano Collaborative for Contemporary Dance - Lynne and Richard Pasculano, Founding Donors

NewYork-Presbyterian is the Official Hospital of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

United is the Preferred Airline of Lincoln Center Presents

Steinway & Sons is the Preferred Piano Partner of Lincoln Center

Lead support for Lincoln Center Presents is provided by the Ford Foundation

Major support is provided by The Shubert Foundation

Additional support is provided by Park Lane New York and Fairfield by Marriott Central Park

We are grateful to our Board of Directors for their leadership and generous support in making our work possible

Operation of Lincoln Center’s public plazas is supported in part with public funds provided by the City of New York

Programs are made possible, in part, with public funds provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor, Mayor of the City of New York, the New York State Legislature and the New York City Council

***

FOLLOW LINCOLN CENTER ON SOCIAL MEDIA: 

Facebook: facebook.com/LincolnCenter 

X (Twitter): @LincolnCenter 

Instagram: @LincolnCenter 

TikTok: @LincolnCenter

Threads: @LincolnCenter 

#LincolnCenter

###

For more information, please contact:

Desiree Naranjo-Ochoa
[email protected]
212-875-5078

Adam Sage
[email protected]
212-875-5479