Tag: Music Hall

Pops releases new album, Harlem Renaissance

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An image from the live show of this program last March in Music Hall. Photo by Mark Lyons, provided by the CSO/Pops

The Cincinnati Pops announced the release of its newest recording led by Cincinnati Pops Conductor John Morris Russell, Harlem Renaissance, an homage to one of America’s most important artistic movements and the breadth of jazz styles it has nurtured.

The album features piano virtuoso Marcus Roberts in his own arrangement of James P. Johnson’s 1927 piano rhapsody, Yamekraw, based on the music and vibrant culture of Savannah, Georgia’s historically Black neighborhood in the roaring 1920s. In the hands of Marcus Roberts, Yamekraw exists as a living dialogue between Johnson’s original composition and the musical styles that have evolved since.

Harlem Renaissance features the jazz tone poem, Harlem, by Duke Ellington, an evocative soundscape of Manhattan’s legendary neighborhood. The album also includes the first commercial recording of Carlos Simon’s 2024 composition, Hellfighters’ Blues, inspired by World War I bandleader James Reese Europe’s 1919 recording of W.C. Handy’s Memphis Blues.

The album was recorded at Cincinnati Music Hall on March 21–23, 2025. Recording Producer is the Grammy Award winning Elaine Martone, Sonarc Music.

“Harlem Renaissance honors extraordinary Black composers and their kindred spirits — painters, poets, authors, sculptors and dancers — who together defined the ethos of 20th century American culture. We present these works not as museum-pieces but part of a continuum of style that continues to evolve a century later,” Russell said in a release.

“The album captures the nuance, power and virtuosity of the Cincinnati Pops, the thrilling and breathtaking improvisations of the Modern Jazz Generation and the sheer brilliance of Marcus Roberts and his trio. It was an absolute joy to perform these concerts live, and a delight to now share it with the world.”

Songs by Kurt Weill and Langston Hughes, Moisés Simons and Cab Calloway round out the album.

Here’s a link to my review for the Business Courier of that memorable Pops concert.

Seven-time Grammy award-winning recording producer and recent inductee into the Resonator Hall of Fame Elaine Martone continues her longstanding relationship with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops as producer for Harlem Renaissance.

Martone has collaborated with the Orchestra on more than 70 albums (Telarc and Fanfare Cincinnati labels), more than any other orchestra in her oeuvre.

Harlem Renaissance extends the Pops’ prolific recording legacy, which includes more than 100 commercial recordings that have sold millions of copies worldwide. Harlem Renaissance is the eighth Pops album led by Russell.

The album credits include Marcus Roberts piano; Marcus Roberts Trio with Marcus Roberts, piano; Jason Marsalis, drums; Marty Jaffe, upright bass; and the Modern Jazz Generation, led by Marcus Roberts Marty Jaffe, upright bass; Jason Marsalis, drums; Joe Goldberg, tenor saxophone & clarinet (Yamekraw); Tissa Khosla, baritone saxophone; Boyce Griffith, alto saxophone; Tim Blackmon, trumpet; Jianni Lazaga, trumpet; Etienne Charles, trumpet; Rashaan Salaam, trombone; and Mykal Kilgore and Tatiana Mayfield, vocalists.

Listeners can hear select tracks on the album beginning streaming on February 13 with Ellington’s Sophisticated Lady, February 20 with Ellington’s The Mooche and February 27 with W.C. Handy St. Louis Blues. The entire Harlem
Renaissance album will be available on all streaming platforms beginning March 13.

Harlem Renaissance is generously supported by gifts from Kelly Dehan & Rick Staudigel, Kathy Grote, Joan Wilson, Joe & Patricia Baker and an anonymous donor.

Spooky Halloween music

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What’s your favorite spooky music for Halloween? Mine is “Night on Bald Mountain.” There’s also “Symphonie fantastique” (gulp). Here are a few classical suggestions for holiday listening:

WGUC (90.9 FM) will be playing its annual Tunes from the Crypt, from 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 31.

Dia de los Muertos

If you’ve got a ticket to the Cincinnati Symphony’s CSO Proof event, “Dia de los Muertos,” 8 p.m. tonight, Oct. 30, you’re lucky. The candlelit event is SOLD OUT. It will be visually appealing and they collaborating with local artist Rebecca Nava Soto, a Mariachi band and the Cincinnati Baila! Dance Academy. The program features Latin American music and will have candles, an ofrenda and have epitaphs in a graveyard, where guests can add their own voice to the ofrenda.

There are still tickets for Disney’s “Hokus Pokus in Concert,” Nov. 1 and 2 in Music Hall. Join Max, Allison and Dani on a magical Halloween romp through Salem as they match wits with the legendary Sanderson sisters. Catch this bewitching film on the big screen as the Cincinnati Pops performs the score live to film. 513-381-3300, or click here.

Across the river, James R. Cassidy and the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra will open their season with Nosferatu (A Symphony Of Horrors), film to live orchestral accompaniment, 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 31 in Greaves Concert Hall at NKU. The silent horror film classic Nosferatu is paired with the music from the 1828 opera Der Vampyr, adapted to the film for live orchestral accompaniment by composer Timothy Brock. The evening will open with the Disney 1929 cartoon “The Skeleton Dance” featuring Carl Stallings’ musical accompaniment, before launching into the 86-minute feature film. Attend dressed as your favorite cinematic vampire and receive a free, bloody-good drink courtesy of the KSO. For additional info and tickets — visit kyso.org or call (859) 431- 6216. Tickets: $19 – $35

Cristian Măcelaru to debut in Cincinnati May Festival

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Opening night of a new era // photo by JP Leong

I hope you were able to attend the opening concerts of the CSO last weekend, which welcomed Cristian Măcelaru as the orchestra’s 14th music director. Here’s my review of his program, with thanks to the Cincinnati Business Courier. And before opening night, he offered a few of his thoughts as he embarks on his new chapter with the CSO.

Christian Reif and soprano Julia Bullock in CSO Proof concert, 2023/ photos provided by CSO

Today, the May Festival announced that Măcelaru will also conduct the opening weekend of the Cincinnati May Festival. In its third year of a new artistic model, the festival welcomes Julia Bullock as Festival Director. I think you’ll find her programs fascinating. Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson is co-curator and will also be conducting one evening. Here are the details.

Don’t forget, you can read reviews, articles and arts news free on the Business Courier’s Arts Front. (You may need to provide your info for a FREE subscription.)

What a weekend and — CCM faculty departures

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As usual, the spring season is packed with concerts, events and exhibitions. Last weekend, Jaap van Zweden made his first visit to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and wowed attendees with his interpretation of Mahler’s Sixth. Here’s my review of that concert on April 25.

On Sunday, I visited the new home of Cincinnati Public Radio. It was inspiring to see its halls, airy offices, performance spaces and grounds packed with people and many families enjoying food trucks and instrument petting zoos. Outside, Cincinnati Public Radio President, GM and CEO Rich Eiswerth was directing traffic. Inside, I heard Matthew Swanson lead members of the May Festival Chorus in “Everything’s Coming up Roses,” and indeed, it was.

Also last weekend, I heard a farewell concert on April 26 in Corbett Auditorium at CCM in honor of two CCM faculty members, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music Theory and Composition Miguel Roig-Francoli and Professor of Voice and Dieterle Chair of Music Karen Lykes, both retiring after careers of some 30 years each.

The opening work was Red River Variations, consisting of a theme penned by Roig-Francoli, followed by eight variations written by his colleagues and current and former students, in his honor. I marveled at the inventive and varied contributions, performed by the CCM Concert Orchestra conducted by its music director Aik Khai Pung.  It was fun to see the fine work by this orchestra, which featured in the concertmaster chair Roig-Francoli’s son, Rafael.

And how inspiring it was to hear opera soprano Joélle Harvey return to perform Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915, in honor of Karen Lykes. Harvey’s reputation has soared since graduating from CCM, with performances on the world’s most important stages, from the Met to Teatro La Fenice. I enjoyed her beauty of phrasing and expressive power. It was a sublime tribute to her teacher.

The evening ended with the orchestra’s performance of Roig-Francoli’s own Sinfonia, “De profundis,” in its North American premiere. Its four well-crafted movements ranged from highly dramatic to light and gleaming with color.

Earlier this year, I enjoyed another farewell performance. Professor of Opera Robin Guarino directed her final production at CCM, Benjamin Britten’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” before retiring at the end of this semester. Here’s the review of that enchanting performance.

In fact, eight CCM faculty members, plus one staff member, will be retiring this academic year. I’m assured that searches are currently taking place for their successors.

Here’s the list, with thanks to these superb artist-teachers, and all that they have given to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, their students and the arts community.Read More »

Rick Steves, Cincinnati Pops show to premiere April 3 on CET

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Rick Steves hosted the Cincinnati Pops, and even picked up the baton once/photos by JP Leong

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra anounced this week that Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey, co-produced by local public television station CET and based on Rick Steves’ performance with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra last September, is scheduled to premiere Thursday, April 3, at 8 pm on CET, ThinkTV16 and the PBS App.

The concert will also be distributed nationally by American Public Television (APT) starting on April 1.

The original show was performed and filmed in Music Hall in Sept. 2024. Here’s my review, free to read on bizjournals.com.

“Hosting this event — combining three of my loves: travel, history and music as a tour guide on stage with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and maestro John Morris Russell — has been one of the creative highlights of my career. It’s a one-hour celebration of live classical music like none other,” said the popular public television host and guidebook author.

Show goes on, but network outage reported at Music Hall

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The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has reported a network outage at Music Hall. Saturday’s Classical Roots in-person performance in Music Hall will continue as planned. However, the digital premiere will now take place on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. (instead of live) on the CSO’s YouTube channel and website.

Also, the box office is closed, but the website, cincinnatisymphony.org, is fully operational.

The orchestra said in a statement that it is working quickly to resolve the issue.

Cristian Măcelaru unveils his inaugural season as CSO music director

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Cristian Măcelaru rehearses the CSO for concerts this weekend.

Cristian Măcelaru, the CSO’s newly appointed music director-designate, unveiled programs for his first season as music director in the 2025-26 season in a press conference today at Music Hall.

He’ll be conducting six subscription programs plus a special concert with Yo-Yo Ma. Click here to read the highlights, and visit cincinnatisymphony.org to see the full schedule.

For a preview of what’s to come, you can see the maestro in action this weekend conducting Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World.” The program includes “Southwestern Shakedown” from “Blues Symphony” by acclaimed jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, a friend. There’s also Chausson’s “Poème” and Florence Price’s Violin Concerto No. 2, both featuring American violinist Randall Goosby as soloist.

You can read his thoughts about Antonin Dvořák in this column.

Măcelaru leads the CSO, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8 and 2 p.m. Feb. 9 in Music Hall. Tickets: 513-381-3300, cincinnatisymphony.org.

 

 

In 2025, Cincinnati Opera to present ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ and opera favorites

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Cincinnati Opera will revive its lavish production of Tosca in 2025. Philip Groshong , photo

For its 105th anniversary this summer, June 12-July 27, 2025, Cincinnati Opera will present the all-time favorite musical, “Fiddler on the Roof,” in a new production. The season also will include Verdi’s “Rigoletto” and Puccini’s “Tosca.” The 2025 Summer Festival, which will feature acclaimed casts, will include the return of the popular Studio Sessions, intimate, artist-curated concerts presented cabaret-style. All performances are in Cincinnati’s Music Hall.

This will also mark Evans Mirageas‘ 20th season as Cincinnati Opera’s artistic director.Read More »

Rick Steves reveals cancer diagnosis; still set to live film Pops show in Music Hall

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Travel writer Rick Steves visiting the Sognefjord in Norway.

The world’s most famous travel writer Rick Steves has just announced on social media that he received a diagnosis of prostate cancer. He sounds upbeat in his message, saying it hasn’t spread and he will likely have surgery in late September.

“I have great trust in my doctor and in Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. And I have lots more to be thankful for…including the support of friends and loved ones and a strong faith that I’m in good hands,” Steves wrote on X.

The Cincinnati Symphony and Pops spokesperson Felecia Tchen Kanney confirms they are moving forward with plans for the concerts, Sept. 13-15, as well as the live filming and recording of the shows that will be made available to PBS stations across the country.

Wishing Rick all the best!

Here are the Pops concert details, with filming in collaboration with CET.

The Cincinnati Pops and CET, Cincinnati’s public television station,  are partnering for the live filming and recording of the Pops’ September 13-15 program, Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey.

John Morris Russell leads the Pops  program, which will feature on-stage narration by popular public television host and best-selling guidebook author Rick Steves. The music will include composers Edvard Grieg, Camille Saint-Saëns, Bedřich Smetana, Johann Strauss Jr., Giuseppe Verdi and others. Steves will host the program and share personal stories of his extensive travels across the continent as well as insights into European history.

All three performances, including occasional shots of Music Hall audiences, will be filmed and made available for PBS stations across the country.

For tickets and more information, visit cincinnatisymphony.org.

CSO adds new “experiences”

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The Fall season is fast approaching. And here are some fun, just-announced Friday Experiences and CSO Proof programs coming up during the CSO season:

NEW FRIDAY EXPERIENCES
COPLAND: SYMPHONY IN LIGHT — Jan. 10, 2025 in Music Hall
For this special concert experience, you’ll be treated to a multi-sensory performance of Copland’s Symphony No. 3,  accompanied by stunning visual and lighting effects created by designer Luke Kritzeck.
DVOŘÁK DECONSTRUCTED — Feb. 7, Music Hall
You’ll start your evening with full performance of Dvořák’s New World Symphony – a work that resonates with emotional depth and continues to evoke a sense of longing, discovery, and the blending of old and new worlds.
After that, choose-your-own adventure by exploring as many of these offerings as you desire:

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