Acclaimed mezzo-soprano Cheryse McLeod Lewis will be the featured soloist when the Cascade Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of maestro Michael Miropolsky, performs its annual “Holiday Pops” concerts on consecutive evenings – Sunday, Dec. 12, and Monday, Dec. 13.

Both performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA), 410 4th Ave. N. A pre-concert lecture by KING-FM’s Dave Beck at 6:30 p.m. will preview the musical highlights each evening.

The orchestra will perform a number of holiday-season favorites, including two different versions of “Sleigh Ride.” One will be Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s creation, from “Three German Dances,” followed by American composer Leroy Anderson’s well-known rendition. In addition, “Chanukah Medley” by American composer Harold Seletsky, Anderson’s classic “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer;” and a variety of other holiday selections will be offered.

Pops favorites to be performed include Russian composer Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov’s “Procession of the Sardar from Caucasion Sketches,” “Fireproof Polka” by Austrian composer Josef Strauss, and “Moonlight Seranade” by American composer and bandleader Glenn Miller.

Lewis will sing a wide variety of holiday favorites each night, along with selections from the opera “Carmen” by French composer Georges Bizet. A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, she has been praised by music critics for her “stunning vocal power” and “rich lyric mezzo sound,” the Cascade Symphony Orchestra said in an announcement.

An accomplished performer in opera, on Broadway tours and in concert recitals, Lewis has earned acclaim as a soloist in many venues, including with Orchestra Seattle, the Eastern Music Festival, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony and the Bellevue City Opera.

In addition, she has performed with Boise Philharmonic, Greensboro Symphony, Olympia Symphony, Eugene Concert Choir and Kirkland Choral Society. Earlier this year, the Seattle-area resident sang as “The Mother” in the world premiere opera, “Omar,” at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina. Previously she performed on the First National Broadway Tour of the Gershwins’ “Porgey and Bess,” as Bess, and played Cinderella’s stepmother in “Into the Woods” at the Village Theatre.

Due to the current uncertainty related to the coronavirus, tickets are only being sold on an individual concert basis. Per-person ticket prices are $27 for adults, $22 for seniors (60-plus), $15 for students with an ID and $10 for youth (12 and younger).

Tickets can be purchased online through the ECA website and by telephone at 425-275-9595. The ECA Box Office may be reached by email at boxoffice@ec4arts.org. The ECA Box Office is currently open noon-5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and extended hours during performances.

“We plan to present a full season of in-person concerts, while abiding by all federal, state and ECA regulations in effect at the time of each of our musical events,” Miropolsky said.

Joining other performance arts venues in the region, the ECA is requiring proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test for entry to all performances and events in the theater. Masks are required inside the ECA. The venue’s complete and up-to-date regulations can be found at ec4arts.org.

Additional information about the Cascade Symphony Orchestra, its upcoming season, and any updates are available online at www.cascadesymphony.org.