Jon Batiste returned to New Orleans, the city that gave him his musical start, to appear Thursday at the Orpheum Theater for a celebration of the Netflix documentary "American Symphony."
"American Symphony" chronicles the extraordinary year in which Batiste wrote a symphony and enjoyed a series of career triumphs while his wife, the author Suleika Jaouad, battled a recurrence of leukemia.
Suleika Jaouad, Jon Batiste and Michelle Obama pose during the red carpet event before the premiere of the Netflix documentary "American Symphony" at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Suleika Jaouad and Jon Batiste on the red carpet prior to a screening of the Netflix documentary "American Symphony" at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Jon Batiste kisses Suleika Jaouad during the red carpet event before the premiere of the Netflix documentary "American Symphony," at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Suleika Jaouad and Jon Batiste hold hands during the red carpet event before a screening of the documentary "American Symphony" at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Matthew Heineman greets Suleika Jaouad as Jon Batiste poses for photos during the red carpet for the premiere of the Jon Batiste documentary "American Symphony," at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Jon Batiste sings during a television interview on the red carpet before a screening of the Netflix documentary "American Symphony" at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Michelle Obama, center, poses with Suleika Jaouad, Jon Batiste, Matthew Heineman, Lauren Domino and Joedan Okun during the red carpet for the premiere of the documentary "American Symphony," at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Michelle Obama, center, poses with, from left, Suleika Jaouad, Jon Batiste, Matthew Heineman, Lauren Domino and Joedan Okun during a red carpet event before a screening of the Netflix documentary "American Symphony" at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Suleika Jaouad and Jon Batiste hold hands during the red carpet event before the premiere of the Netflix documentary "American Symphony," at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Michelle Obama poses with Matthew Heineman during the red carpet for the premiere of the Jon Batiste documentary "American Symphony," at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. Heineman was the director of the film. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Director Matthew Heineman poses during the red carpet for the premiere of the Jon Batiste documentary "American Symphony," at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
City Councilmember Helena N. Moreno shakes hands with Jon Batiste during the red carpet event before a screening of the Batiste documentary "American Symphony" at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad pose with Walter Isaacson during the red carpet for the premiere of the Jon Batiste documentary "American Symphony," at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Suleika Jaouad, left, and her husband, Jon Batiste, answer questions before a screening of the Netflix documentary "American Symphony" at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Lauren Domino, Zana Lawrence, Jon Batiste, Suleika Jaouad, Matthew Heineman and Joedan Okun pose during the red carpet for the premiere of the documentary "American Symphony," at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
A line that wrapped around the block slowly moves through security before the premiere of the Jon Batiste documentary "American Symphony" at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Former First Lady Michelle Obama is an executive producer of "American Symphony" via Higher Ground Productions, the company that she and Barack Obama founded in 2018 to produce content for Netflix. She, too, attended Thursday night's event.
She joined Batiste, Jaouad and the movie's director and producers for a red carpet-style appearance in front of media members crammed into a second floor lobby of the Orpheum. Obama then introduced the documentary and its stars to the audience seated in the main theater.
"American Symphony" is already streaming on Netflix. The Orpheum "premiere" was meant to drum up some hometown excitement for the project.
Immediately following the screening, Batiste performed briefly on a grand piano. New Orleans City Council member Helena Moreno then presented him with a proclamation, signed by all members of the council, declaring Dec. 7 "Jon Batiste Day."
He, Jaouad, director Matthew Heineman and producer Lauren Domino then sat down with best-selling author Walter Isaacson, a Tulane University professor, for a question-and-answer session that concluded the event.
While in town, Batiste also made a Thursday afternoon stop at Children's Hospital, where he visited with cancer patients and handed out melodicas, his signature instrument.
