An Evening with Louise Toppin and Darryl Taylor

Please join us Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. in the Clara Stanton Jones Friends Auditorium at the Main Library for an evening with Dr. Louise Toppin and Mr. Darryl Taylor.

Free parking is available for this event in the staff lot on Putnam Street.

Dr. Louise Toppin is an internationally acclaimed coloratura soprano whose repertoire includes opera, orchestral music, oratorio, and art song. In addition to being a celebrated performer on stages across the globe, Dr. Toppin is the longtime director of Videmus Records, where she champions, records, and brings greater recognition to the rich legacy of African American classical music.

Darryl Taylor is an internationally acclaimed singer and founder of the African American Art Song Alliance whose repertoire encompasses art song, opera, oratorio, and jazz. He has performed on major stages throughout the United States and Europe, including Barcelona's Palau de la Mùsica, and is a leading advocate for African American art song and the music of Black composers.

Dr. Joshua Marzan is an accomplished pianist, opera coach, and chamber musician who has collaborated with local musical organizations including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Michigan Opera Theatre. His musical training includes the New England Conservatory, the Music Academy of the West, and the Tanglewood Music Center.

The E. Azalia Hackley Collection is part of the Detroit Public Library Special Collections department. For more information, please call 313-481-1401 or visit www.detroitpubliclibrary.org.