The Big Band Holidays gig marked the orchestra's first show at their newly-renovated Rose Theater home and Franklin, 73, made the event one to remember by walking out onstage to a standing ovation after being introduced by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, reported Huffington Post.
"Wynton, I think maybe I'll change the programme just a little bit," the soul icon joked as she made her grand entrance.
Franklin then performed a short set, kicking off with Christmas carol "O Tanenbaum", followed by a gospel-version of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's "My Cup Runneth Over".
The late music mogul and his wife had been honoured with the opening of the new Mica and Ahmet Ertegun Atrium at Jazz at Lincoln Center shortly before the show.