Author: janellegelfand

I have covered classical music and the arts in Cincinnati for more than three decades, play piano and tennis and enjoy traveling. Note: As a guest posting content to this blog, you agree to the following guidelines: Keep the conversation civil, courteous and constructive. We encourage all viewpoints and ideas but ask that comments be respectful of others' views. No profane, offensive, harassing or inflammatory language please. Honor the copyrights and trademarks of others by not posting or uploading any material that infringes on the copyright, trademark, patent, or intellectual property rights of others. Do not post, upload or link to unsolicited or unauthorized advertising or promotional materials. Do not post, upload or link to content that contains any product, service or political endorsements. Thank you!

Covid-19 update: Pianist to stream Global Concert of Hope today

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Pianist Jeffrey Beigel

As the song says, “we need a little Christmas.” You may see lights up in your neighborhood. Now New York-based pianist Jeffrey Biegel is offering a little cheer himself.

At 5 p.m. today (March 21), Biegel will be streaming Christmas in March: A Concert for Hope on Facebook Live and YouTube. He says:

“Please join me in a global effort to share music for love, peace and goodwill toward humanity. Music shares a common bond that will always unite during times like these. It will be on Facebook Live and, for the global public at the YouTube link listed below.”

His playlist will include music and arrangements by: Matt Edwards, Ann Hampton Callaway, Carolyne McGougan Taylor, David Foster, popular titles like “My Grown Up Christmas List”, “Christmas Lullaby”, “The Christmas Song”, “Auld Lang Syne”, and classical composers Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Percy Grainger, Grieg, Handel, Haydn, Liszt, Reger, Saint-Saëns and Tchaikovsky.

Many are brilliant fusions of ‘Classical Carols’ by Carolyne McGougan Taylor combining best-loved carols with classical composer’s music.

Says Biegel: “Join me; prayers to everyone, wash your hands more than ever, and please be safe.”

Covid-19 update: More online, social media offerings as arts groups hunker down

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Watch CSO music director laureate Paavo Järvi lead the Berlin Philharmonic — free

I just finished watching Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” along with an international “watch group” on Facebook, a production streamed from Teatro Carlo Felice, the opera house in Genoa, Italy.

Watch parties are popping up, as are myriad other options for watching opera (see the Met Opera‘s Live in HD post below), dance — I caught Cincinnati Ballet’s Victoria Morgan leading a stretching class on my Instagram feed — and concerts.

Check out Paavo Järvi’ s latest concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic on Digital Concert Hall. It’s free.

Know Theatre says it will be stepping up its streaming capabilities by the end of this week. It’s called Know-to-Go: The Stream Team. In case you missed “Alabaster,” by Audrey Cefaly, the company has received permission to stream it for a limited time. Those who already have tickets may watch free; others will be charged $15 for access to the digital recording.

And, thanks to the Know’s ethos of experimentation, it has a video library. They’ll be rolling out some titles from 2015 and 2016, Andy’s House of [blank’ and Darkest Night at the Gnarly Stump. AND they are working with local playwrights as we speak to create new audio works, for purchase through the website. Information and streaming passes at knowtheatre.com.

More coming soon!

Met Opera overwhelmed: Streaming suggestions for tonight

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Tonight’s free On Demand from the Met is a 2008 production of La Bohème. The scene shown is Act II from the production of this season. Photo Evan Zimmerman / Met Opera

Not surprisingly, an unprecedented surge of opera lovers across America tried to tune in to the Metropolitan Opera’s Free On Demand streaming of “Carmen” last night — only to experience difficulty. This morning, I contacted the Met to see what we need to do. The website is working now — but the best way to access On Demand is to download the app to your device.

Here is their statement:

Due to overwhelming, unprecedented demand and traffic for the Met’s first free opera stream last evening, our web site experienced intermittent outages, with users having to wait to access the site or receiving a message that the service was unavailable.

The Met’s IT and On Demand team have been working through the night and this morning to come up with fixes and solutions to make this a smoother user experience.

We urge users, if they can,  to go directly to the Met Opera on Demand apps for Apple, Amazon, and Roku devices and Samsung Smart TV. From there, the user should click on the “Explore the App” option which will take them directly to opera stream page.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

COVID-19 update: Classical cocooning

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Hear a broadcast of the CSO’s 125th anniversary concert tonight on WGUC

Around the globe, live concerts by performing arts groups are shut down for the foreseeable future. As you can see in this article that I contributed to on Classical Voice North America, “Sound of Silence Banishes Music Across the Land,” the arts are being hit hard around our country.

I might add, that if you have concert tickets, you  might consider donating them back to the organization. The impact of Covid-19 may be catastrophic to many of those who make their living in the arts.

Many organizations are offering live streams of concert performances and operas. I’m starting a list below.

Tonight, tune in to your radio (or online at wguc.org) at 8 p.m. to WGUC 90.9 FM to hear a broadcast of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra‘s 125th anniversary concert. Here is my review for that performance of Jan. 18-19.

Here are a few ways to bring the concert hall into your living room:Read More »

As all theaters, museums close, Zoo closes and Aquarium is next in precautionary measures against COVID-19

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With museums, theaters and even the Zoo closed, and the Aquarium closing Monday, I’ll be posting some virtual entertainment options. Cincinnati Museum Center, above, is also closed.

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden announced yesterday that it will be completely closed for the foreseeable future due to Covid-19, starting today, for the safety of the public, staff, volunteers and also the animals. Click here for more info.

“We know you have concerns about our staff and animals and want to reassure you that our animal team will continue to provide excellent care for our animals,” Zoo Director Thane Maynard said in a news release. “We have a surplus of food and essential medical supplies, so we can take care of them while we’re closed.”

​In an effort to keep its loyal members and community connected to their favorite animals while the Zoo is closed, Home Safari Facebook Live sessions will be offered weekdays starting on Monday, March 16 at 3 p.m.  Each session will highlight an animal and provide an activity that you can do at home.  The first safari will feature everyone’s favorite hippo, Fiona.

At the same time, the Newport Aquarium, another big draw for families, announced that it is OPEN TODAY but will close tomorrow, March 16, through March 27. The Aquarium’s website has information on refunds if you have already purchased tickets. Click here for more information.

Of course, all of Cincinnati’s theaters and museums are closed, too. (Scroll down this blog to see the major announcements.)

So — I’ve been listening to a lot of Cincinnati Public Radio — WGUC-FM 90.9 classical radio and WVXU 91.7 and WMUB 88.5. You can live-stream it at cinradio.org.

Watch for my upcoming posts about VIRTUAL OPTIONS of concerts and operas that are being aired to the international community to watch during the pandemic.

Live stream tonight: Walnut Hills High teen to perform as finalist in Hilton Head Piano Competition

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Kasey Shao, 16, a rising star pianist and a junior at Walnut Hills High School, is a finalist in the Hilton Head International Piano Competition. You can hear her perform the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 for the Final Round with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Morris Russell at 7 p.m. tonight (March 14).

It will be live-streamed here.

Kasey studies with Ran Dank at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

The last time I interviewed her, she was preparing for the Van Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition. You can read about her previous performances and competitions in that article.

For info about the competition, click here.

We wish her luck!

COVID-19 derails Carnegie Hall debut for local musicians

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Howard Helvey and choir rehearsing for Carnegie Hall debut. They are hopeful that it will be rescheduled.

Perhaps you saw this article in yesterday’s Business Courier, which says:

“Many musicians dream of performing at Carnegie Hall, America’s legendary concert hall in New York. This weekend, Cincinnati conductor and composer Howard Helvey will realize that dream when he leads members of the Choir of Calvary Episcopal Church and the Varsity Ensemble of Winton Woods High School in eight of his own works at Carnegie Hall. Helvey will lead a festival chorus of more than 150 singers – including the Cincinnati ensembles – in his music on March 15 in Stern Auditorium.”

Of course, that is not happening. I reached out to Howard to find out what happened.Read More »

More cancellations, but the ZOO is open — outdoor exhibits, anyway

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Nicole Cabell pledges to return

You can pretty much assume that if you own a performing arts ticket between now and April 12 or so, it has been cancelled to avoid community spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ohio. Here’s the latest:

Matinee Musicale’s recital featuring opera star Nicole Cabell, soprano, and Donna Loewy, piano, on March 27th in Memorial Hall has been canceled. In addition, the master class that the soprano graciously agreed to perform with voice students at CCM on March 26 is also canceled.

The artist has agreed to reschedule if at all possible. Here’s the organizations’ message:

“Matinée Musicale will work to make this happen when government restrictions are lifted and the health and well-being of all participants is no longer threatened. We will have information about rescheduling and/or ticket refunds/exchanges soon.

“At this time, we expect the April 19 and May 2 recitals to proceed as planned. If the Governor’s ban is extended beyond April 3, notifications will be sent promptly. Check our website for more information: matineemusicalecincinnati.org.”

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is open, but precautions are being taken — and you might not get to see Fiona, as indoor animal habitats are closed. But you can still walk the lovely grounds and see the animals that are outside.

Here’s the Zoo’s statement:Read More »

More closures: This time, the museums

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Vincent Van Gogh, Undergrowth with Two Figures, at Cincinnati Art Museum — and also online. Image provided.

It’s not only the performing arts that are closing down operations. Today, Cincinnati’s three major art museums — Cincinnati Art Museum, the Contemporary Museum of Art and the Taft Museum of Art — sent out a joint statement that they will be closed through April 3.

Cincinnati Art Museum has suggestions for exploring art at home:

Explore Cincinnati Art Museum’s permanent collection artworks that have been digitized and are  available for viewing on our website.

There are also online exhibitions for you to view any time, any place.

Google Arts & Culture features many CAM artworks.

The museums hope you’ll explore their news and collections online at their respective websites, cincinnatiartmuseum.org, contemporaryartscenter.org and taftmuseum.org.
At Cincinnati Museum Center: In the interests of guest health and safety, Cincinnati Museum Center will temporarily close effective Saturday, March 14. CMC will continue to monitor the developments around the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus and will evaluate a prudent date to reopen.

In addition, the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center will temporarily shut down its museum operations. The museum will close to the public on Saturday, March 14, through April 3. There are tentative plans to reopen the museum on April 4. The Holocaust & Humanity Center believes halting operations is the most effective way to safeguard guests and staff in response to the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus.

Coronavirus COVID-19 Update

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Here’s the situation at CCM. all CCM public performances scheduled now (March 12, 2020) through May 31, 2020, have been canceled or rescheduled.

Student recitals that are degree requirements may still occur during this time frame, provided that social distancing is observed and respected; these student recitals will not be open to the general public.

Any ticket purchaser affected by a paid performance cancellation can contact the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183 to request a refund.

Curt Whitacre's avatarCCM VILLAGE NEWS ARCHIVES

Although there have been no documented cases of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus within our campus community, the University of Cincinnati is making needed preparations to be able to quickly respond if COVID-19 is detected.

Based on the latest updates from Ohio Governor Mike DeWineand following the University of Cincinnati’s updated public health practices, all CCM public performances scheduled now (March 12, 2020) through May 31, 2020, have been canceled or rescheduled.*

Student recitals that are degree requirements may still occur during this time frame, provided that social distancing is observed and respected; these student recitals will not be open to the general public.

Any ticket purchaser affected by a paid performance cancellation can contact the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183 to request a refund.

This is an extremely fluid situation and guidelines are subject to change. Additional updates regarding CCM performances will be published at ccm.uc.edu and

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