January, 2025
Marvel Studios' Black Panther in Concert
Event Details
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther in Concert — Back by popular demand!
Venue: The Auditorium
Date: January 18, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM
Tickets: $60 – $117
After an electric sold-out debut in 2022, Chicago Philharmonic brings back Marvel Studios’ Black Panther in Concert—and this time, with an exciting opening performance by the renowned Muntu Dance Theatre.
In 2018, Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” quickly became a global sensation and cultural phenomenon, showing a new dimension of what Super Hero films could be. Rolling Stone raved, “The film lights up the screen with a full-throttle blast of action and fun. That’s to be expected. But what sneaks up and floors you is the film’s racial conscience and profound, astonishing beauty.”
Now you can relive the excitement of T’Challa becoming king and battling Killmonger all while the “one of the country’s finest symphonic orchestras” (Chicago Tribune) performs Ludwig Göransson’s Oscar® and Grammy®-winning score live to picture.
Joining the orchestra for the concert is Massamba Diop, the revered Senegalese tama drummer who recorded and co-created parts of the movie score with composer Göransson.
The Making Of “Wakanda” With Ludwig Göransson
Senegalese Drummer For ‘Black Panther’ Shares Message Of Music
About Massamba Diop
Massamba Diop is perhaps the world’s most renowned master of the Tama, a talking drum from Senegal. Massamba came into the limelight as a founding member of Daande Lenol (The Voice of the People), the band of Senegalese super-star Baaba Maal. Over the past 40 years the group has played all over the world, working with notable musical figures and releasing dozens of albums, including “Firin’ in Fouta”, which was nominated for a Grammy. Massamba has performed and/ or recorded with the likes of James Brown, Carlos Santana, and Angelique Kidjo. He appeared on Peter Gabriel’s landmark release “Passion”, which won a Grammy in 1990. He has been part of many major international events like the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in Oslo, the 2012 Olympics in London, and joined Stevie Wonder in 2009 to perform “Happy Birthday” for Nelson Mandela. Massamba has received much acclaim for his collaboration on Marvel Studios’ Black Panther soundtrack, providing the drumming for King T’challa’s theme music.
About Composer Ludwig Göransson
In a career spanning only 12 years, Ludwig Göransson has amassed an impressive resume in both the recording and motion picture industries, earning an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, multiple Grammy Awards and countless other nominations. After working as an assistant to composer Theodore Shapiro, Göransson got his first big break writing music for the NBC television series, Community. This led to a friendship and collaboration with Donald Glover, who performs under the stage name Childish Gambino, on several studio albums including Because the Internet and Awaken, My Love. Göransson has been nominated for six Grammys with Childish Gambino, and won two in 2019 for the Billboard Hot 100 Number One hit song “This Is America,” which became a cultural phenomenon and garnered world-wide acclaim.
While pursuing his masters degree in film scoring at USC, Göransson met his other longtime collaborator, director Ryan Coogler, when he scored his short film, Locks. Over the next nine years, Göransson would score all three of Coogler’s feature films. Much like iconic filmmaking duos Hitchcock and Herrmann or Spielberg and Williams, Coogler’s diverse filmography has allowed Göransson to show his range as a composer, writing understated melodies for Fruitvale Station, hyping up audiences for Creed, and infusing African percussion into his themes for Black Panther.
In 2019, Göransson earned multiple awards and nominations for his score for Black Panther including a Golden Globe nomination, a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack, and an Academy Award for Best Original Score. He won two Grammy Awards for his song “This is America”, which he co-wrote and co-produced with frequent collaborator Childish Gambino.
Last year, Göransson composed the critically acclaimed score and produced the hit song “The Plan” (performed by Travis Scott) for Christopher Nolan’s TENET, which premiered late Summer 2020. Göransson has received many accolades for his score including a Golden Globe nomination, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award nomination and the score is a finalist on the Academy Awards shortlist for Best Score. Göransson co-wrote and co-produced the songs for DreamWorks’ TROLLS WORLD TOUR with Justin Timberlake, which exceeded expectations with its history-making digital release, racking up nearly $100 million in sales in just three weeks. This follows his unique Emmy Award winning score for THE MANDALORIAN on Disney+, LucasFilm’s first Star Wars live-action streaming series helmed by director Jon Favreau. Most recently, Göransson won his second Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series for Season 2 of THE MANDALORIAN. In 2022, Göransson scored the Star Wars live-action series THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT and Pixar’s TURNING RED, directed by Domee Shi.
About Muntu Dance Theatre
“Muntu” means “the essence of humanity” in the Bantu language. Muntu Dance Theatre strives to express the essence of humanity by preserving and embodying the African aesthetic and its influence on world cultures, through the education and professional presentation of dance, music, and folklore.
Through its performances and programs, Muntu strives to create an atmosphere of communal participation, encouraging and inspiring audiences, students, and participants to join in the celebration!
Founded in 1972, Muntu Dance Theatre is one of the oldest Black dance companies in the nation. Muntu Dance Theatre has presented authentic and innovative interpretations of contemporary and classical African and African American dance, music, and folklore in Chicago and around the world.
Muntu is more than just a performing company. Our core programs include professional performances both at home and abroad, comprehensive community arts programs, classes for the public, and professional training for emerging new young artists.
We understand that there is merit in all cultures. We seek to appreciate our differences to amplify our similarities.
