Babatunde Blends Hip Hop and Opera

Presented by Sierra Madre Playhouse

Babatunde Akinboboye, a visionary classically-trained baritone singer brings fresh new perspective to opera with “Hip Hopera,” a genre-defying musical style fusing the classical opera with the rhythmic intensity and attitude of hip-hop, on Friday and Saturday, August 28 and 29, 2926, 8:00 PM, at the historic Sierra Madre Playhouse. 

With a voice deeply grounded in operatic tradition and a performance style rooted in contemporary culture, Babatunde, accompanied by DJ Amond Jackson, creates an experience that feels both timeless and cutting-edge as he moves freely between tradition and innovation. His vocal virtuosity meets cultural conversation in a way that is visceral, fresh, and deeply engaging, redefining opera for a modern audience.

Babatunde traverses instantly recognizable arias and vocal works, such as Toreador, Funiculi, Funicula, and O Sole Mio, along with modern rhythms and spoken-word passages, revealing how these two musical worlds reflect one another—both in drama, narrative arc, and emotional reach. 

In the intimate setting of the 99-seat Sierra Madre Playhouse, each phrase and dramatic turn delivered by the internationally celebrated YouTube sensation is carried with clarity and immediacy. 

Nigerian American baritone Babatunde Akinboboye, known for his enthralling stage presence, has performed with the Los Angeles Opera, Opera San Jose, Opera Santa Barbara, Long Beach Opera, and Utah Opera. He has also debuted the roles of Drew in the Opera Works’Arts for Social Awareness Project’s world premiere production of The Discord Opera, and Zanni in the world premiere of Gloria Coates’ Stolen Identity. Recent performances include Daggoo in LA Opera’s Moby Dick, Escamillo in Pacific Opera Project’s production of Carmen, and Lucha’s Father in The Industry’s production of Hopscotch. He is also an advocate for the performance of art song and operatic works written by African and African American composers. Babatunde’s honors include Regional Finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition, and finalist in the International Eisteddfod Vocal Solo Competition in Llangollen, Wales. In 2018, Babatunde combined his love of classical opera and hip hop and created the new genre Hip Hopera in a viral video that gained over 10 million views and was featured on Time.com, Classic FM, MSN.com and more. 

For tickets ($40) and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.
 

Date:
Venue:
Sierra Madre Playhouse
Organization:
Sierra Madre Playhouse
Genres:
New Music
Categories:
Live Event
City: Sierra Madre
Price Range:
$40
Email:
info@sierramadreplayhouse.org
Phone:
(626) 355-4318
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Performers

Babatunde Akinboboye baritone
Amond Jackson DJ

Sierra Madre Playhouse

Sierra Madre Playhouse

87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
United States

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Sierra Madre Playhouse, a vibrant Southern California cultural hub with a rich history spanning a century, energizes audiences and the community with distinctive theatrical productions and captivating live performances. 

 

Hailed as a “jewel” (Pasadena Weekly) and “a landmark theater” (ABC7 Los Angeles), it has garnered tremendous accolades for its varied repertoire and thought-provoking education and outreach programs curated with social impact in mind. The Los Angeles Times proclaims, “This is theater from the heart.” As one of San Gabriel Valley’s only performing arts center presenting a broad spectrum of performance genres, including theater, music, dance, film, comedy, and family-friendly productions featuring eminent local and national professional artists, the treasured artistic beacon draws audiences from across the Southland. 

 

The intimate 99-seat Sierra Madre Playhouse offers an up-close and personal connection to performances that resonate deeply, earning multiple Ovation Awards, NAACP Awards, and LA Times Critics' Choice honors. In 2023, Rep. Judy Chu named the Sierra Madre Playhouse as a leading ‘Nonprofit of the Year’ in the San Gabriel Valley. The playhouse was given the honor during the 2023 Congressional Leadership of the Year Awards, which recognizes the leadership and volunteerism in the cities making up California’s 28th Congressional District. It is nestled into a historic building on the inviting Main Street of Sierra Madre, a charming village in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. 

 

Retaining its distinctive movie theater façade and instantly recognizable marquee, the structure has undergone numerous transformations since opening in 1910, from furniture emporium to silent movie theatre to the artistic institution that now stands as a vibrant embodiment of the region’s rich cultural legacy. The Sierra Madre Playhouse fosters creativity that aspires to bridge divides and spark dialogue, all while celebrating the rich tapestry of the American experience and the enduring pursuit of shared understanding.