Maestro James Levine, a Cincinnati native, will return to conduct Verdi’s Requiem for the Cincinnati May Festival opening night in May, as part of principal conductor Juanjo Mena’s first season. It will be Levine’s his first appearance in Cincinnati’s Music Hall since he conducted at the festival in 2005.

In addition, the season will feature tributes to Leonard Bernstein, whose centennial is being observed around the world in 2018. The celebrated countertenor David Daniels, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, will be featured in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms in one of the programs.

Mena’s debut festival, to take place May 18-26 in the newly renovated Music Hall, was announced on Monday via Facebook Live — a first for the festival. Dr. Rollo Dilworth, a Temple University conductor composer and choral music champion, will serve as Mena’s creative partner, as part of the festival’s new artistic model. The third member of the creative team is Robert Porco, longtime director of choruses.Read More »