Jubilant Sykes, a classically trained baritone known for his limitless range and mesmerizing technique, will perform a musical tribute to Paul Robeson and Nat King Cole at 7:30 p.m. April 15 at the Lied Center.

Robeson, born in 1898 the son of a former slave, distinguished himself as an athlete, scholar, actor and singer. Robeson is perhaps best known for his stirring rendition of “Ol’ Man River” in Jerome Kern’s musical Show Boat.

Some of Nat King Cole’s most memorable songs are “Unforgettable,” “Mona Lisa,” and “Ramblin’ Rose.”

Sykes placed first in the regional Metropolitan Opera auditions in Los Angeles and went on to make his Met debut as Jake in Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” during the company’s 1990–91 season. In addition to his work at the Met, Sykes has appeared with the Deutsche Opera Berlin and the Houston Grand Opera, as well as other U.S. opera companies. In concert performances, Sykes has sung in Cavalli’s Calisto with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and in Bizet’s Carmen (as Escamillo) with the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets for the Lied event are: public, $42 and $37; students, $21 and $18.50; senior citizens, $41 and $36; and Kansas University faculty and staff, $36 and $31.50.

For more information, call 864-2787.