NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CINCINNATI OH Geraldine V. Chavez Center for the Choral Arts Cincinnati Musical Festival Association 141 Elm Street Cincinnati OH 450 PERMIT NO. 769 SURROUND YOURSELF IN SONG M U S I C C O M E S H O M E MAY 18 6 RETURN TO MUSIC HALL SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR PRIORITY SEATING IN MUSIC HALL AT THE BEST PRICES! mayfestival.com 51.81.00 mayfestival.com 51.81.00 Featuring MAY 18 6 DEBUT OF JUANJO MENA, Principal Conductor JAMES LEVINE CONDUCTS VERDI S REQUIEM BERNSTEIN CENTENNIAL HANDEL S MESSIAH
PACKAGE CHOICE BEST PRICES + PRIORITY SEATING + SAME SEATS EACH CONCERT m 4 MUSIC HALL CONCERTS: MAY 18, 19, 5, 6 OR CREATE YOUR OWN TICKET PACKAGE: m MUSIC HALL CONCERTS m MUSIC HALL CONCERTS CHOOSE DATES: m MAY 18 m MAY 19 m MAY 5 m MAY 6 JUANJO MENA PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR It is true when I conducted Daphnis et Chloé in Cincinnati, that is when I fell in love with the May Festival Chorus and when our story together began. Cincinnati, I am now honored to have been named Principal Conductor of this venerable institution to be gifted the opportunity to make unforgettable music together with the voices of our community. In this first season together we celebrate great musicians who have played such a key part in the history of the May Festival, as we explore some of the most beloved and treasured music in the choral repertoire. It s my pleasure to welcome James Levine home, to conduct Verdi s mighty Requiem. And in Leonard Bernstein s centennial year, we celebrate our former Honorary Music Director s contribution to the festival with his astonishing Mass and spirited Chichester Psalms. Would you like to have the experience of singing in our festival? If you enjoy singing at home to relax while you prepare your meals, or in the car on the way to work, you will be welcomed to join us in the exciting process of rehearsing and performing selected movements of Handel s masterpiece, Messiah, which brings this year s festival to a triumphant close. May this be the first of many seasons in harmony. Juanjo Mena, Principal Conductor Michal Novak 018 SEASON TICKET ORDER FORM PAYMENT CONTACT INFO TOTAL SEATING CHOICE Seated 1st Seated nd Seated rd 4 CONCERTS CONCERTS CONCERTS Quantity SAVE 0% SAVE 10% SAVE 10% Premium $56 $67 $178...$ Zone A $70 $0.50 $15...$ Zone B $198 $148.50 $ 99... $ Zone C $108 $ 81 $ 54...$ Partial View A $108 $ 81 $ 54...$ Partial View B $ 54 $ 40.50 $ 7...$ Name Address City State Zip Work Phone Home Phone Email Make check or money order payable to Cincinnati May Festival or charge to: m Visa m MasterCard m Discover m AmEx Acct # Exp. Date / Music Hall Ticket Subtotal... $ Seat location request: (Seat location requests and price zone availability are not guaranteed. We will do our best to fulfill your request.) MANDATORY.5% FACILITY FEE: Music Hall Ticket Subtotal x.05...$ A.5% facility fee is added to all Music Hall tickets to provide funds for ongoing preservation and maintenance. PARKING: Subscribers can guarantee their spot for $15 in the Washington Park Garage ($15/concert)... $ APR PRE-SEASON BASILICA CONCERT General Admission @ $40... $ FREE COMMUNITY CONCERT: SING HALLELUJAH CINCINNATI! FREE tickets... $ FREE ANNUAL FUND GIFT. Please help May Festival soar to new heights! Your support makes an incredible impact... $ Processing fee... $ 10.00 GRAND TOTAL...$ Signature 15 Note: We never share email addresses or phone numbers. Refund Policy: Full refunds are available upon request on all subscription orders up to seven days from the date the order is received. After that time, a service charge of 10% of the full subscription order is retained by the May Festival. No subscription series refunds are given after the first concert of the respective subscription series. There are no refunds on single ticket purchases.
MUSIC HALL SEASON TICKET PRICING ZONES 5 4 GALLERY RD FLOOR MUSIC HALL Where it all began 6 7 5 Premium Zone A Zone B Zone C Partial View A Partial View B GALLERY 6 7 4 1 BALCONY BOX BAL C ONY ND FLOOR TERRACE 1 1 ORCHESTRA STAGE 1 ORCHES TRA/ T ERRACE 1ST FLOOR BOX Welcome to the May Festival s first season in Music Hall following the building s incredible renovation. We are thrilled to invite you back to this treasured National Historic Landmark, originally constructed for the May Festival. SURROUND YOURSELF IN SONG Principal Conductor Juanjo Mena brings new ideas about how to make Springer Auditorium sparkle with surround-sound music and song. A WELCOMING BEACON Explore a more open Music Hall, from the inviting, unbricked windows to increased accessibility for our community. THE COMFORTS OF HOME Your concert experience will be more intimate, comfortable and satisfying than before, thanks to updated audience amenities. BEAUTY AND GRANDEUR ENHANCED Music Hall s historic grandeur has been enhanced and in some cases, revealed again. Experience an artful blend of the familiar and the surprising. mayfestival.com 51.81.00 14 mayfestival.com 51.81.00
FRI MAY 18 8 PM JAMES LEVINE MUSIC HALL, 141 ELM STREET, CINCINNATI OH PARKING Main Entrance Box Office & Accessible Entrance Pedestrian Path Ezzard Charles Drive Parking Garage Parking Lot 14th Street Music Hall Guest Drop Off Zone Cincinnati Bell Connector Stop Cincy Red Bike Station Washington Park Garage Jorg Meyer VERDI REQUIEM JAMES LEVINE conducting Michelle Bradley soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk mezzo-soprano Matthew Polenzani tenor TBA bass May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco director Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Michelle Bradley Ekaterina Semenchuk Matthew Polenzani Sheila Rock Born in Cincinnati, James Levine has become one of the most revered conductors in the United States. In addition to four years at the helm of the May Festival, Levine has also provided the artistic direction for the Ravinia Festival, the Boston Symphony and, during an incredible 40-year tenure, The Metropolitan Opera. Levine is hand-selecting an all-star roster for this performance of Verdi s celebrated Requiem Mass, a work of raw emotion and musical genius. The appearance of James Levine is generously underwritten by Edward Jay Wohlgemuth in honor of his daughter Bee Herschede. ONE WAY Town Center Garage (CET) Central Parkway Music Hall Parking Lot Memorial Hall Grant Street 1th Street Cincinnati Shakespeare Co. YMCA Central Parkway Court Street There are over,500 parking spots within four blocks of Music Hall. Only subscribers can guarantee their spot for $15 per concert in the Washington Park Garage. Simply order parking with your subscription, or call us at 51.81.00; first come, first served as availability allows. For more information, visit mayfestival.com/parking. Elm Street ONE WAY Washington Park Erich Kunzel Center for Arts and Education SCPA Race Street ONE WAY PLAN YOUR EXPERIENCE The vibrant Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is home to great restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries and shopping. Visit mayfestival.com/experience 4 1
Support MAY 18 6 your RETURN May Festival TO MUSIC and HALL enjoy these exclusive benefits: MUSIC HALL PACKAGE BENEFITS Priority seating in beautifully renovated Music Hall 4 4 4 Savings over cost of single tickets 0% 10% 10% Ticket exchanges FREE $/ticket $/ticket Guaranteed same seats for every concert 4 4 CONCERTS CONCERTS CONCERTS BEST VALUE CREATE YOUR OWN CREATE YOUR OWN SAT MAY 19 8 PM Exclusive invitation to postconcert AMEN! party with 4 the Chorus MAY 6 The joy of world-class music 4 4 4 BERNSTEIN MASS A THEATRE PIECE FOR SINGERS, PLAYERS AND DANCERS THERE S MORE! SUBSCRIBERS ALSO ENJOY... Best available seats and the biggest savings over single event purchase. Complimentary lost/forgotten ticket replacement. $5 off extra single tickets all festival long TICKET EXCHANGE PRIVILEGES Can t make a concert? Subscribers can easily exchange tickets for another concert. Call 51.81.00 for assistance. SEASON TICKET RENEWAL DEADLINE: DEC 15, 017 SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE: MAR 1, 018 EASY WAYS TO ORDER CALL: 51.81.00 Service charge applies for phone orders. ONLINE: mayfestival.com IN PERSON: Music Hall Box Office 141 Elm Street Cincinnati OH 450 MAIL: May Festival Subscriptions 141 Elm Street Cincinnati OH 450 FAX: 51.744.599 ROBERT PORCO conducting Kevin Vortmann celebrant May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco director Cincinnati Children s Choir, Robyn Lana managing artistic director Dancers from Cincinnati Ballet Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Robert Porco Roger Mastroianni Kevin Vortmann Leonard Bernstein s Mass is a monumental undertaking, calling for a full orchestra, three choirs, dancers, a marching band, a rock band and more. This presentation of Mass, only the second in the May Festival s history, follows an incredible journey of questioning, faith and hope. This concert is part of #Bernsteinat100, a worldwide celebration of the legendary composer s 100th birthday. Programs and artists subject to change. mayfestival.com 51.81.00 1 5
FRI MAY 5 8 PM Michal Novak JUANJO MENA S DEBUT JUANJO MENA conducting David Daniels countertenor May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco director May Festival Youth Chorus, James Bagwell director Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra GABRIELI Magnificat à BERNSTEIN Chichester Psalms JAMES MacMILLAN Credo (North American premiere) RAVEL Daphnis et Chloé Robert Recker Years ago, Juanjo Mena fell in love with the May Festival Chorus through Ravel s Daphnis et Chloé Suites Nos. 1 and. Experience the full lush and romantic ballet music along with Bernstein s Chichester Psalms and the North American premiere of James MacMillan s Credo as we celebrate Juanjo s first concert as May Festival Principal Conductor. This concert is part of #Bernsteinat100, a worldwide celebration of the legendary composer s 100th birthday. Pre-concert performance: OTXOTE TXANBELA See page 10. MAY FESTIVAL CHORUS COME SING WITH US AT MUSIC HALL! You can raise your voice alongside the May Festival Chorus during Handel s Messiah (MAY 6). Visit mayfestival.com/singtogether to learn more about this season s May Festival Community Chorus. David Daniels 6 11
ROLLO DILWORTH 018 CREATIVE PARTNER The May Festival welcomes Dr. Rollo Dilworth composer, author, Professor of Choral Music Education at Temple University and former Board Chair of Chorus America as Creative Partner for the 018 season. Dilworth s prolific work often focuses on spirituals, gospel and African- American voices. Hear one of Dr. Dilworth s compositions on May 0 (see Sing Hallelujah Cincinnati! on page 9), or visit mayfestival.com/dilworth for interviews and recordings of Dr. Dilworth s music. JUANJO MENA DEBUT WEEKEND SAT MAY 6 8 PM ROBERT PORCO DIRECTOR OF CHORUSES HANDEL MESSIAH Since 1989, Robert Porco has led the May Festival Chorus in inspired collaboration and music-making which shook the rafters at the Chorus most recent Carnegie Hall appearance in 014, according to The New Yorker. OTXOTE TXANBELA PRE-CONCERT: MAY 5 & 6 10 In Juanjo Mena s native Spain, music erupts in the streets and brings communities together. This season, the May Festival explores the cultural tradition of the otxote, eight-person vocal ensembles whose popularity arose from the Basque Country of Spain and France. Listen for Otxote Txanbela in free preconcert performances on May 5 & 6. The appearances of this group are Juanjo s gift to the May Festival and a celebration of his culture. Visit mayfestival.com/otxote for details on additional pop-up performances. Roger Mastroianni JUANJO MENA conducting Robin Johannsen soprano David Daniels countertenor Barry Banks tenor José Antonio López baritone May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco director May Festival Community Chorus Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Tatjana Dachsel Robert Recker Robin Johannsen David Daniels Christian Steiner Ricardo Rios Barry Banks José Antonio López The May Festival closes its season with the most famous and beloved oratorio ever written, Handel s Messiah. Juanjo Mena invites the Cincinnati community to join the Chorus, creating a surround-sound effect in the auditorium that will reach the very depths of your soul. Learn how to lend your voice to this May Festival Community Chorus on page 11. Pre-concert performance: OTXOTE TXANBELA See page 10. 7
NEW THIS YEAR: PRE-SEASON CONCERT! SUN APR 8 pm SUN MAY 0 7 pm BERNSTEIN AT THE BASILICA COVINGTON, KY SING HALLELUJAH CINCINNATI! FREE COMMUNITY CONCERT MUSIC HALL ROBERT PORCO conducting JAMES BAGWELL conducting May Festival Chamber Chorus, Robert Porco director May Festival Youth Chorus, James Bagwell director GABRIELI Jubilate Deo BERNSTEIN Missa Brevis JAMES MacMILLAN O Radiant Dawn A Child s Prayer A New Song It s a tradition each year the May Festival Chamber Chorus and May Festival Youth Chorus fill the gorgeous Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption with song. Program to include works by Gabrieli, Bernstein, MacMillan and Rheinberger. Reserve your tickets to this special event concert by calling the Box Office or adding it on to your subscription order today! This concert is part of #Bernsteinat100, a worldwide celebration of the legendary composer s 100th birthday. 018 Creative Partner Dr. Rollo Dilworth curates a May Festival event unlike any other! Using the exceptional talent in the region, running the gamut from classical and gospel choirs to country and rock bands, this concert explores the expression Hallelujah a word common to many cultures, races and philosophies. This event is free and all are welcome join us for an evening of celebration! Visit mayfestival.com/hallelujah for details on how you can participate! Dr. Rollo Dilworth Reserve your FREE tickets by calling the Music Hall Box Office starting MAR 1 at 51.81.00 or add it on to your subscription order today. RHEINBERGER Evening Song (Abendlied) 8 9