Category: Music Hall

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.

Watch for updates: Coronavirus causing cancellations in Cincy’s concert season

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From a recent Linton Chamber concert. Linton has canceled concerts this weekend.

You’ve probably seen the cancellations across the country due to COVID-19 — of sporting events, parades and arts presentations in large theaters — from opera and ballet to “Hamilton” (canceled in San Francisco).

Just in: The Findlay Market Opening Day Parade on March 26 will be either canceled or postponed.

As far as the arts in Cincinnati, I’ve gotten official word that the Linton Chamber Music Series concerts on March 15-16 have been cancelled this weekend. In addition, there will be no “Peanut Butter & Jam Session” this week at Mt. Washington Presbyterian Church or next week at Sycamore Presbyterian Church. Information here.

Because the University of Cincinnati is canceling in-person classes from March 14 through April 13, I’m hearing from faculty members that performances at the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) will be canceled through the end of the semester. It’s possible that some may be live-streamed, if you interpret the UC message below: Read More »

Year in review: Lists and more lists

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Danill Trifonov with the Ariel Quartet: For these performances, Trifonov collaborated with the celebrated Ariel Quartet, faculty quartet-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. There was great anticipation to hear this 28-year-old Russian-born virtuoso, whose name is on everyone’s lips.

People often ask me why my reviews of local concerts are generally positive. The answer is this: The quality of Cincinnati’s performing arts compares favorably to anywhere I’ve traveled (and lived) in the world. It’s remarkable to consider the longevity of Cincinnati’s arts institutions, such as the Cincinnati Symphony, marking 125 this year, Cincinnati Opera, turning 100 this summer and the May Festival, founded in 1873.

It’s always difficult to pick just 10 memorable performances, because there were many more that should be included. You can read the list here.

There was also some arts news in 2019 — one even happened at the peak of the holiday season, when Cincinnati Opera announced that Chris Milligan will succeed Patty Beggs as general director and CEO. Click here to read the news.

And there was other arts news — such as the success of “Blink,” the four-day art and light festival in October. Looking back, several important people in the arts left us in 2019. Read that column here.

Cincinnati May Festival 2019

I hope you had a chance to catch some holiday shows this month. Some, such as Cincinnati Ballet’s magical Nutcracker, are still running. See the list here.

Handel’s ‘Messiah’ was given an intimate, authentic performance by Collegium Cincinnati.

I attended several shows. The performance I reviewed of Collegium Cincinnati’s “Messiah” performance illustrates the breadth and depth of local talent that we have across the region. Many of the performers were familiar as they appear with organizations such as Cincinnati Opera, CCM, the Vocal Arts Ensemble and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra.

Watch for my list of upcoming performing events as well as art exhibitions that you won’t want to miss in 2020.

Don’t forget that the Business Courier’s Arts Front page is sponsored by ArtsWave, and therefore FREE to read. I’ve you’ve read three stories, you may be asked to sign up for a free subscription.

CSO, Pops nominated for two Grammy Awards

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Both the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Pops are in the list of 2020 Grammy nominations released today by the Recording Academy. And there are several other Cincinnati-tied nominations this year, too.

Music director Louis Langrée, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra are nominated for Best Orchestral Performance for “Transatlantic.” This album includes the world premiere recording of the critical edition of George Gershwin’s An American in Paris. The CSO also gave the world premiere performance of this new edition at La Seine Musicale in Paris in 2017.

The award goes to both the conductor and to the orchestra.

And John Morris Russell and the Cincinnati Pops, as well as producer Elaine Martone, are nominated for “American Originals 1918” in the category of Best Classical Compendium. Performers on the album include collaborators Rhiannon Giddens, Steep Canyon Rangers and Pokey LaFarge.

Other local ties include violinist Tessa Lark, who studied at CCM, for her recording of Torke’s “Sky” Violin Concerto with David Alan Miller and the Albany Symphony, in the category of Best Classical Instrumental Solo.

Cincinnati-born jazz pianist extraordinaire Fred Hersch has received yet another nod for Best Instrumental Composition for “Begin Again” on the album, Fred Hersch & The WDR Big Band” conducted by Vince Mendoza.

And from Northern Kentucky University, the recording of a composition by NKU School of the Arts faculty member Kurt Sander, The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, is nominated for Best Choral Performance. The double-CD set features the PaTRAM Institute Singers led by Peter Jermihov, conductor. The 90-minute piece is one of the first English-language settings of the Eastern Orthodox liturgy.

And two choral conductors associated with the Vocal Arts Ensemble are up for Best Choral Performance: Craig Hella Johnson and Donald Nally.

Other names spotted:

Blanton Alspaugh, producer of the Vocal Arts Ensemble’s “Canticle” – released on the CSO’s Fanfare Cincinnati label – as well as Sander‘s The Divine Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom, is nominated for “Producer of the Year, Classical.”

In the same list, under nominated producer James Ginsburg, I spotted brothers Anthony McGill, clarinetist, and Demarre McGill, flutist and CCM professor… 

In memoriam Peggy Kite

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Peggy Wulsin Kite, who grew up during the golden era of the Baldwin Piano Co., which her family owned, passed away yesterday. She had recently suffered from pneumonia.

Mrs. Kite, who still played on one of the two Baldwin pianos in her Montgomery living room, was born in Cincinnati in 1928. She spoke about growing up in her grandparents’ mansion, which sat on 24 acres on Madison Road, and sliding down the banister when the adults weren’t looking. Several years ago, she wrote an extensive personal memoir entitled “The Piano Maker’s Daughter” about her life as the daughter of Lucien Wulsin II, the chief executive of Baldwin, then America’s largest piano company. One of seven children, she liked to say that she was “Opus 6” of the family brood.

She attended Mills College in Oakland, California and knew the Darius Milhauds like family — a relationship that began with Baldwin. Mrs. Kite was a graduate of the University of Michigan.

Here’s a link to the in-depth article I wrote for the Enquirer, with several videos and historic company photos from Cincinnati Museum Center.

About two years ago, I was contacted by a Japanese concert manager, Shoji Sato, regarding an upright Baldwin piano that had survived Hiroshima. They wanted to share a story with Mrs. Kite about the piano and its former owner, and news that an album — “Music for Peace” — had been made on the piano by the American virtuoso Peter Serkin. She was slightly amazed (as was I) and delighted to hear about it. She graciously agreed to be interviewed by NHK World Television to give her opinion of the project. I helped facilitate that interview from Japan with my iPhone as she sat in her kitchen. Here’s the story.

Mostly, I remember Peggy as a warm, unassuming person who loved and supported classical music and all of Cincinnati’s cultural organizations. I never saw her without a smile on her face, and we shared many interesting conversations. I will miss bumping into her at Music Hall.

A memorial service will take place 10:30 a.m. Nov. 23 at the Indian Hill Church, 6000 Drake Road.

Memorial donations may be made to Camp Wekandu, Attn: Daniel Lovell, Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 4010, Cincinnati 45229-3039; or to Matinee Musicale Cincinnati, P.O. Box 75197, Fort Thomas, KY, 41075-9998.

In memoriam Alice Weston

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Alice Weston with one of her photographs, which I took in her home in 2012

Cincinnati lost a giant in the arts this week when Alice Weston, philanthropist and artist, passed away at age 93. Over the years, I interviewed Alice a number of times on a variety of topics, from her own extraordinary work in photography, shown above, to works she commissioned for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. One of my favorite interviews, though, was conducted with her cousin, Jane Ellis, about their experiences as children in the Philippines.Read More »

Chuck Miller, savior of Sorg Opera House, steps down

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Chuck Miller in his element, backstage at the Sorg

It took a man with a vision to see the beauty behind the dilapidated and abandoned Sorg Opera House in Middletown. Now, as John Kiesewetter reports this morning, Chuck Miller has resigned as president of the Sorg Opera Revitalization Group (SORG) to become the new executive director of the historic “State Movie Palace of Kansas,” the Fox Theatre in Hutchinson. Wife Denise Brodsky has also resigned her position on the board.

Current board members Roger Daniels and Chris Riva are stepping in to fill roles, although his successor has not been decided.

Here’s my story from about a year ago of how Chuck and his devoted board have been working — extremely hard — to restore the Hannaford-built theater to its former grandeur.

There are similarities between the Sorg Opera House (1891) and Music Hall (1878) as you can see in the balconies. Both were designed by Samuel Hannaford. The Sorg is on the National Register of Historic Places.
In the lobby
You can visit your old Music Hall seats

I’m posting a few memories of visiting the Sorg while these dedicated preservationists were at work restoring and programming a series of concerts in the hall. By the way, the acoustics are wonderful. And, for people who remember Music Hall’s old seats, you can revisit them up in Middletown.

Good luck Chuck and Denise! You’ll be missed.

Arts in the news… Barbara Kellar honored; Louis Langrée extends Mostly Mozart

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I’m catching up with arts news in a busy summer. Here are a few highlights:

Cincinnati MacDowell Society members Janet McDaniel (President), MacDowell Medal honoree Barbara Kellar with her husband, Larry Kellar.

In 1916, Cincinnati MacDowell Society began awarding the MacDowell Medal to an outstanding local artist for his or her contribution to the fine arts in the community. At the society’s annual meeting last month, this year’s medal was awarded to Barbara Kellar, for receiving a 2018 Regional Emmy for her CET show, “Showcase with Barbara Kellar,” as well as for her service to MacDowell. She is a past CMS president.

The portrait was painted by member Setsuko LeCroix as a personal surprise for Barbara. The medal, by the way, was designed by sculptor, member and past president, Ernest Bruce Haswell.

Louis Langrée 
Photo: Chris Christodoulou

Louis Langrée extends contract at Mostly Mozart: Music director Louis Langrée, who leads the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, has extended his contract with Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival through the summer of 2023. He has directed the New York festival since 2003, making 2023 his 21st season. The announcement was made by artistic director Jane Moss on the eve of the 2019 festival earlier this month.

Now in his 17th season, Langrée is credited with expanding the scope of the chamber orchestra’s repertoire well beyond the classical period, from Baroque composers such as Jean-Baptiste Lully to composers of today such as Magnus Lindberg. He has just finished conducting a run of the Barrie Kosky and Berlin Komische Oper production of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” — a first for Mostly Mozart — at the David H. Koch Theater.Read More »