The violin with a Jewish Star inlaid on the back was likely played by a Klezmer musician. Jim Nolan, photo
Avshalom “Avshi” Weinstein carefully lifted one of the violins that his family of master violin makers in Tel Aviv, Israel, had lovingly restored. Its varnish was beautiful. Turning it over, he pointed out the ornate, inlaid Star of David on its back.
“Most of these instruments were simple, because those people didn’t have much money,” Weinstein said, noting that this was not a high-quality violin. “Many played Klezmer (music) in their ghettos. This type of instrument with the Star of David would be played by Klezmers (Jewish folk musicians). They had no money, almost nothing.”
Avshalom “Avshi” Weinstein in his workshop
That violin with the Star of David is one of nine Holocaust-era violins that Weinstein hand-carried to Cincinnati this week. They will be played on Tuesday by some of Cincinnati’s finest musicians in a special concert at Music Hall.Read More »
The incomparable Jamie Barton performs Jan. 26 at Memorial Hall
Baby it’s cold outside – but Winter is the season when the arts heat up. In the coming weeks, there are many tempting concerts and events to warm you up. So, bundle up, because there are a few that you won’t want to miss.
Jan. 11-12: Canticle. The Vocal Arts Ensemble reprises Kile Smith’s gorgeous “Canticle,” a setting of the biblical Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs), 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11 and 12 in Memorial Hall. Tickets start at $25. 513-381-3300, vaecinci.org.
Jan. 12-13: Conlon returns. James Conlon, music director laureate of the Cincinnati May Festival, returns to conduct the CSO in Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture and Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. Violinist Jennifer Frautschi is soloist in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Music Hall. Tickets: 513-381-3300, cincinnatisymphony.org.
James Conlon at the 2016 May Festival Photo provided
Jan. 19: Star soloist at Moveable Feast. CCM’s biggest fundraiser, this year on Friday, Jan. 19, will feature a performance by alumnus and star trumpeter Brian Newman, who will solo with the CCM Jazz Orchestra as the “opening course” in the CCM Village. Read More »
In 2017, Cincinnati audiences heard sensational performances by living legends, as well as musical rarities and world premieres. This year’s list – a baker’s dozen — highlights some musical milestones, such as Cincinnati Opera’s first opera by a woman, as well as some of my personal favorites of the past year.Read More »
The orchestra is now seated on risers, shown here on the “thrust” stage.
The year 2017 was a year of big change for Cincinnati’s arts organizations. The most significant story – one that garnered a large piece in the New York Times — was about Music Hall, home to the city’s major performing arts groups, which finished up a massive, ambitious renovation costing at least $143 million.
Music Hall reopened with fanfare on Oct. 6 and 7. The weekend included a community open house that drew thousands. Opening night revelers basked in the elegant new decor and patron-friendly amenities, which include cup holders for the first time on wider seats, more bars and more restrooms.
Reuben Springer now presides over a new bar at Music Hall.
There are now more than 1,000 fewer seats and Springer Auditorium is physically smaller. The musicians sit on risers on a new “thrust” stage, 12 feet closer to the audience than before. All of that – including new materials such as concrete floors – means that the acousticians are still in the “tuning” phase of what is really a new hall-within-a-hall.
Memorial Hall’s renovation beautifully preserved the historic theater (built by Hannaford & Sons) and also enhanced the acoustics. Shown here with the Vocal Arts Ensemble. Photo by Michael T. Moore, Jr.
The renovation was just one sign of the importance of Cincinnati’s growing arts district surrounding Washington Park. Read More »
Corbett Auditorium getting new seats, stage floor and carpeting. Photo courtesy of CCM
I decided to go to UC’s College-Conservatory of Music last night to see what kinds of renovation upgrades the arts and media school got for $15 million.
After hearing a vibrant performance of the CCM Wind Orchestra and Wind Ensemble in Corbett Auditorium — the official unveiling of the redo — here’s the verdict: The new seats are more comfortable, the new carpeting is attractive, sight lines are great and Corbett’s wonderful ambiance and fine acoustics have been carefully preserved.
Launched in spring of 2016, the $15 million project has benefited all of CCM’s performance venues, including Patricia Corbett Theater (which has newly refurbished seats and new HVAC systems), Cohen Family Studio Theater, Werner Recital Hall and Watson Hall.
Corbett Auditorium, though, has the most extensive updates. They include an all-new stage floor, a new main curtain and valence and new LED house lights. You’ll also find new ADA seating locations and a new assisted listening system.
With slightly larger seats (20 to 22 inches wide) and more leg room, the auditorium has lost a few seats, with capacity now around 669, says Ray Dobson, senior director of performance operations.
Corbett now has comfortable, slightly larger seats and more leg room.
Behind the scenes, state-of-the-art upgrades won’t be immediately apparent to audiences, but will offer students the chance to work with the latest in theater technology.
“It was a big leap for us, but now we’re able to give students a solid foundation in what’s out there in new technology,” Dobson said during a pre-concert tour.Read More »
The jazz community hopes to raise $5,000 by Dec. 12 through Kickstarter to pay for studio and production costs for John Von Ohlen’s album, “The Pond.”
John Von Ohlen has recorded an album of piano musings — a surprise for someone who made his mark as drummer for Stan Kenton. Of course, we all know him as the co-founder and anchor of the Blue Wisp Big Band, which still plays every Wednesday night at the Urban Artifact in Northside.
His original tunes are warm, lovely to hear and grounded in lush jazz harmonies. He also puts his own spin on a few standards. CCM jazz prof Kim Pensyl — himself a pianist, trumpeter, and prolific jazz recording artist — heard him play one day, and arranged to get him in the studio to record his collection.
Josh Moore is designing the cover art and a tee shirt featuring the famous cracked cymbal.
Now the jazz community is hoping to raise $5,000 by Dec. 12 through Kickstarter to pay for studio and production costs for the album, called “The Pond.”
A scene from Queen City Opera’s “La Cenerentola” opening Friday.
Issac Selya, conductor and founder of Queen City Opera, is adding a new title to his resume: Producer. For the first time since founding Queen City Opera in 2012, he is not conducting, but is producing Rossini’s “La Cenerentola,” Friday and Sunday at the Dunham Arts Center on the West Side. The production’s conductor is Queen City Opera’s Associate Music Director Jesse Leong, and the stage director is Jacquelyn Mouritsen, coming from Indiana University.
“Since the company’s mission is to launch the careers of emerging artists, I am glad we can feature a new accomplished emerging conductor as well,” Selya says.
While the company has often featured musicians and singers from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, this production will be in close collaboration for the first time with the CCM Opera Department and its chair, Robin Guarino. Current CCM students will take the starring roles.
The production is presented in memory of Dr. Bob Hasl – “Dr. Bob” — who was very fond of the opera’s alternative title “Bonta in trionfo,” or “Goodness triumphs.”Read More »
Jake Heggie gives a master class on Wednesday at CCM
This just in: The creative team of a new American opera, “Great Scott,” will make two public appearances this week as they develop and rehearse the opera as part of Opera Fusion: New Works.
Master class: American composer Jake Heggie (“Moby-Dick,” “Dead Man Walking”) will lead a vocal master class, noon to 3 p.m., in Werner Recital Hall, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Talk Back: Tony Award-winning playwright and librettist Terrence McNally (“Master Class,” “Ragtime”) and Broadway legend Jack O’Brien, who is staging the opera, will host a “Talk Back,” 1:25 to 3:25 p.m. in Dieterle Vocal Arts Center 300 on the CCM Village campus.
Opera Fusion: New Works fosters the development of new opera. It is a joint project of Cincinnati Opera and the CCM opera department, and it’s funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
A free public reading will take place at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 25 at Memorial Hall in Over-the-Rhine. The hour-long presentation will include excerpts from the opera and a Q&A with composer Heggie.
To reserve a free ticket to the reading, call 513-241-2742.
