Sylvia McNair

Sylvia McNair’s 25-year career covers the musical realms of opera, oratorio, cabaret and musical theater. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner and regional Emmy winner. She is also a breast cancer survivor. McNair performs and discusses her latest ventures on Chicago Tonight at 7:00 pm.

From the early 1980s to the early 2000s, McNair was highly acclaimed on the operatic and concert stages. She made more than 70 recordings and won two Grammy awards.

But these days, McNair is singing a different tune — quite literally. Where once Mozart and Verdi were a part of her repertoire, she’s now crooning the Great American Songbook.

In fact, this past weekend, she was part of an all-Gershwin performance at Ravinia.

To hear songs from Sylvia McNair, click on the audio clips below.

Title: “A Sleepin’ Bee” Composer: Harold Arlen
CD: Come Rain or Come Shine

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Title: “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” Composer: Cole Porter
CD: Live April 2008

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Title: “Almost Like Being In Love” Composer: Frederick Loewe
CD: Live April 2008

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Title: “Love Is In The Air” Composer: Stephen Sondheim
CD: LIVE: An Evening with Sylvia McNair – July 2010

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Title: “IU Fight Song”
CD: LIVE: Sylvia McNair with the IU Marching Hundred – June 2010

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Sylvia McNair with some of the young friends she made during her month-long visit to Kenya.

McNair is also involved with AMPATH, the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare. The partnership between Indiana University, where McNair is on the faculty, and Kenya’s Moi University created one of Africa’s largest, most comprehensive and effective HIV/AIDS control systems. AMPATH treats over 120,000 HIV positive patients in Kenya.

Sylvia McNair will hold a master class at the Steans Music Institute at Ravinia on Thursday, July 28 at 3:00 pm. The event is free and open to the public.

For more on Sylvia McNair, click here.