"Second Soprano tells the story of musical traditions in my family and pays tribute to my late sister, legitimate soprano Barbara Hightower on her birthday,” says Cheryl Warfield, a professional opera singer with credits from Broadway to the Lyric Opera of Chicago and founder of ADVANCE-MORE Opera. Barbara was a phenomenal singer with an extensive vocal range who sang diverse types of music from semi-classical to contemporary gospel with great abandon. “Our voices were quite similar, but Barbara mostly sang sacred music and did not pursue an operatic career. She was always in great demand for weddings, funerals, regular church services, and special occasions. The compelling story compares the passions and career choices of two sisters through narrative and song. The program features music from the Black church including spirituals by Burleigh, Johnson, and Bonds, sacred classics Barbara sang like “The Lord is My Light,” and some of Cheryl’s signature arias.