In Her Own Words

Bach Aria Soloists are performing In Her Own Words at the Truman Forum Auditorium on Friday, November 13, and it's a bit more than a standard concert. The evening pairs music by six trailblazing women composers with a spoken-word portrayal of their private lives, drawn from their letters, journals and published works. The music is performed by the women of the ensemble, so the whole thing is played by women, about women.

The program spans centuries and styles. You'll hear Hildegard von Bingen, Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, Francesca Caccini, Lili Boulanger, Reena Esmail and Florence B. Price. That's a wide reach—from medieval chant and Baroque court music to the 20th century and beyond—all held together by the spoken word. The ensemble is led by artistic director and founder violinist Elizabeth Suh Lane, and she's joined by harpsichordist, organist and pianist Elisa Williams Bickers and Grammy Award-winning soprano Lindsey Lang.

Bringing the spoken part to life is Cinnamon Schultz Paulette, a Kansas City actor, director and educator. She's a member of the Kansas City Actors Theatre Ensemble and Community Board and the head Acting professor at Kansas City Kansas Community College. She's performed at Coterie Theatre and the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival and appeared in Winter's Bone, so she's a local face you might recognize.

The show is at the Kansas City Public Library, 4801 Main Street, from 7 PM to 8:30 PM. Admission is free, but you do need to register in advance.