Category Archives: Press Releases

April 6, 2021 · 8:47 am

The Carnegie Presents THE WONDERFUL MUSIC OF OZ Cabaret at Outdoor Amphitheater at Behringer-Crawford Museum

TC_The Wonderful Music of Oz LogoFamily-friendly outdoor performance set for April 17-18, 2021

COVINGTON, KY – The Carnegie is inviting families throughout the Tri-State to enjoy the start of spring on Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. with The Wonderful Music of Oz Cabaret at the Outdoor Amphitheater at Behringer-Crawford Museum, Devou Park. Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket and snacks to enjoy the production featuring a fantastical mix of songs from The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz and Wicked. In addition to the Oz-inspired tunes, the 75-minute show also includes behind-the-scenes stories from the movies and stage shows that inspired them. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for students and children and can be purchased here.

“Our mission at The Carnegie is to inspire creativity for all,” said Maggie Perrino, Theatre Director for The Carnegie. “The Wonderful Music of Oz is the perfect kickoff to our outdoor performance series. Whether you love The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, Wicked – or all three – this outdoor production will inspire the whole family to sing along, dance and enjoy the show in a safe outdoor venue.”

The Ensemble

  • Heather Hale
  • Renee Stoltzfus
  • Ria Villaver Collins
  • Jared Roper
  • Joshua Carandang
  • Cian Steele

Production Staff

  • Jason Alexander Holmes, Music Director
  • Maggie Perrino, Director
  • Doug Stock, Technical Director
  • Shauna Nelson, Stage Manager

Social Distancing Policy: Patrons will be asked to practice social distancing at the outdoor venue. Masks are required for admission and when patrons are away from their seats. Seating will be spread out to follow social distancing guidelines. Hand sanitizing stations will be available and additional cleaning regimens will be in place between performances. 

Content Advisory: This is a family-friendly production. Appropriate for all ages.

Tickets for The Wonderful Music of Oz at the Outdoor Amphitheater at Behringer-Crawford Museum, Devou Park (1600 Montague Rd, Covington, KY 41011) are $25 for adults, $15 for students and children. There will be four showings, on Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. To purchase tickets and learn more about The Carnegie’s outdoor performance series visit thecarnegie.com. 

The Carnegie’s 2020-21 Theatre Series is presented by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Support for The Carnegie Creative Disruption Committee programming series is provided by the John A. Schroth Family Charitable Trust.

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About The Carnegie
The Carnegie is Northern Kentucky’s largest multidisciplinary arts venue providing theatre events, educational programs and art exhibitions to the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati community. The Carnegie facility is home to The Carnegie Galleries, the Otto M. Budig Theatre, and the Eva G. Farris Education Center.  More information about The Carnegie is available at thecarnegie.com or by calling (859) 491-2030. 

The Carnegie receives ongoing operating support from Cincinnati International Wine Festival, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Kenton County Fiscal Courts, the Kentucky Arts Council and the City of Covington. The Carnegie is also supported by the generosity of more than 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign.

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April 1, 2021 · 4:32 pm

2021-2022 Season Announced by Beechmont Players

BPI_logoAfter almost a year off due to the pandemic, Beechmont Players is thrilled to announce their 2021-22 season. 

THIS SEASON AND THE PRODUCTIONS MENTIONED ARE SUBJECT TO OHIO LAWS AND RESTRICTION REGARDING GATHERINGS DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST by Oscar Wilde
Directed by Steve Phelan
November 5,6,7,12,13 2021

Subtitled “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People,“ this is Oscar Wilde at his best. Two young gents have taken to bending the truth in order to put some excitement into their lives. Worthing has invented a brother, Earnest, whom he uses as an excuse to leave his dull life behind to visit Gwendolyn. Montcrieff decides to take the name Earnest when visiting Worthing’syoung and beautiful ward, Cecily. Things start to go awry when they end up together in the country and their deceptions are discovered

THE ODD COUPLE, FEMALE VERSION by Neil Simon
Directed by Arlene Balczo
February 4,5,6,11,12 2022

Neil Simon’s revision of his hugely successful play, The Odd Couple, sees the lead characters transformed into Olive Madison and Florence Unger. Olive and their group of girlfriends are enjoying their weekly Trivial Pursuit night in Olive’s messy and ill-equipped apartment. As the game continues, Florence arrives, fresh from being dumped by her husband. Fearful that the neurotic Florence might attempt suicide, Olive invites her to move in as her roommate. However, Olive and Florence have VERY different personalities. Where Olive is messy, untidy, and unconcerned about the state of her apartment, Florence is obsessively clean, tidy, and obsessed with hygiene. Olive’s easy-going outlook on life soon clashes with Florence’s highly-strung neurotic tendencies, testing their friendship to the limit. When Olive organizes a double-date with the Costazuela brothers, their differences come to a head and sparks fly.

WRONG WINDOW by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore
Directed by Alan Kootsher
May 6,7,8,13,14. 2022

Van Zandt & Milmore pay tribute to Master of Horror Alfred Hitchcock, with this comedy whodunit. Off-and-on New York couple Marnie and Jeff enter an even more complicated phase of their relationship when they think they spy their cross-courtyard neighbor do away with his wife. After they draw their torn curtain, the lady vanishes, and suspicion places murder beyond a shadow of a doubt. The bumbling witnesses sneak into their neighbor’s apartment – 39 steps away – and the fun begins. Among multiple door-slammings, body-snatchings, and a frantic flashlight chase scene, two questions remain: Who killed Lila Larswald? And… if she’s not dead…then who is? The crazy farce plays out on a shadow-box set that allows the audience to be present in one apartment, while viewing the action in its mirror-image neighboring unit across the way. 

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April 1, 2021 · 11:44 am

The Hughes Project: CCM Partners with High School Students on Light Show

CCM_Hughes Project logoHughes STEM High School will light up with projections of student artwork on Friday, April 2

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) Theatre Design and Production students are working with Hughes STEM High School art students on a light show that will be projected onto Hughes’ beautiful and historic façade on Friday, April 2, 2021. Themed around Afrofuturism and visions of the future, the installation is made possible by the generous support of Prestige AV, Vincent Lighting Systems, Lightborne Communications and UC Forward. 

The collaboration began when CCM Lighting Design and Technology Professor Sharon Huizinga connected with industry colleagues to discuss how to make careers accessible to those who may dream of working in the arts, but don’t know where to begin. She wanted to connect with young students and show them that a career in the arts is possible for a wide variety of personalities and goals.

“I thought, ‘maybe I could ask for access to middle school and high school populations who might not know how many different career options there are in the arts’,” Huizinga says. “I have the sense that people think of theatre and they think of something that doesn’t feel like a viable or secure career choice.”

There are a variety of career paths both on stage and behind-the-scenes that students can explore and pursue.

CCM_Hughes Project

A “test” projection from several weeks ago.

“Your favorite music artist — or your favorite awards show, play, major sporting event and so on — has whole team of people working to create those shows,” she says. “There are production managers, technical directors, tour managers, lighting directors, sound designers, costume designers, hair and make-up artists, lighting vendors, equipment manufacturers, and more — all who represent a broad spectrum of career options.”

“In lighting design and technology, there are artistic jobs and technical jobs,” she adds. “There are jobs that are freelance, jobs that are salaried and 9-5, jobs that include travel and ones that are fixed in a single place, as well as everything in between.”

Huizinga attended a Cincinnati Public School Board meeting in the summer to pitch a collaboration with CCM and interested public schools. Several people reached out, including Mary Green, the Visual Arts Coordinator at Hughes STEM High School. Hughes’ location at 2515 Clifton Avenue is walking distance from the CCM Village.

“It sounded like a perfect fit, since we are in such close proximity,” Green says. “I had no idea that UC had a Theater Lighting Program, so the partnership is just as exciting for me as it is for my students!”

“It sounded like a perfect fit, since we are in such close proximity,” Green says. “I had no idea that UC had a Theater Lighting Program, so the partnership is just as exciting for me as it is for my students! Since moving to Cincinnati last year and attending the BLINK Festival, I dreamed of doing a project with my students to light up the tower. Little did I know that we would be able to realize such a dream through the UC partnership!”

Green’s 7th grade students are submitting artwork for the CCM students to project onto Hughes STEM High School. The building is “one of the premier examples of Tutor architecture in the country” and boasts a 145-foot Tudor tower designed by J. Walter Stevens that can be seen for miles.

CCM students working on “The Hughes Project” include majors from the college’s Lighting Design and Technology, Technical Direction and Stage Management programs. CCM students will project the artwork onto the building’s 145-foot tower using two 30,000 lumen projectors from Prestige AV and will light the rest of the building with LED lights provided by Vincent Lighting Systems.

The light show is the first step in CCM’s collaboration with Hughes STEM High School. Next year, Huizinga will work with Green to show CCM Idea Lab films to the high school students  to foster continued conversation about the entertainment industry and how it works

“If there are high school or middle school students out there who are potentially interested in the arts, I want to be part of showing them that there is a spectrum of possibilities that they could get involved in and get training in,” she adds. “Whether that is here at CCM or somewhere else, I don’t actually mind, it just improves the industry as a whole to involve everyone who is interested.”

The Hughes Project
A projection and lighting experience projected onto Hughes STEM High School

Standing room only. Face masks and social distancing required.

The Hughes Project is made possible by the generous support of CCM, Hughes STEM High School, Prestige AV, Vincent Lighting Systems, Lightborne Communications and UC Forward.

Creative Team 
Show Times
8:30 p.m., 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Friday, April 2, 2021.
Location
Hughes STEM High School
2515 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45219

About Hughes STEM High School
At Hughes STEM High School, students are immersed in a creative focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with a strong liberal arts foundation. Students take part in rich and meaningful experiences that expose them to a wide range of STEM careers. Project-based learning is at the heart of a Hughes STEM education.

Hughes students graduate ready for school, work, and life in the 21st century. They benefit from internships and real-world, workplace experiences. Each student receives personalized advisory support, ensuring that all students graduate college-ready and with certification in a variety of marketable skills.

Learn more at hughesstem.cps-k12.org

About CCM Theatre Design and Production
CCM’s Department of Theatre Design and Production (TD&P) offers Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts with specialization in the following areas:

The Theatre Design and Production program features cutting-edge facilities and technology, with:

  • 8,500 square foot scene shop
  • 3,000 square foot costume shop
  • Wig, make-up and prosthetics studios
  • 3 different production venues
  • 800 square foot light lab

Learn more at ccm.uc.edu/tdp

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March 31, 2021 · 10:43 am

Cincinnati Ballet Shatters Record $30.8 Million Goal to Fund New Dance Center in Walnut Hills

CB_Ground levelTHE NEW CINCINNATI BALLET MARGARET AND MICHAEL VALENTINE CENTER FOR DANCE WILL OPEN IN JUNE FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS

Cincinnati, OH (MARCH 30, 2021) –
Cincinnati Ballet President + CEO Scott Altman announced Tuesday the organization has successfully completed and exceeded its $30.8 million dollar capital campaign to fund a new state-of-the-art facility in Walnut Hills. “We are truly humbled and honored by the tremendous support of our donors, patrons, and the community, especially during these challenging times,” Altman said. “A project of this size and scope is a watershed moment for Cincinnati Ballet and we are so excited to take the next step into our future.” The new Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Center for Dance will feature nine studios in 57-thousand-square-feet of space, as well as boast an outdoor Community Terrace and Performance Plaza adjacent to Johnston Park, a Rooftop Terrace, and stunning views of Downtown Cincinnati. The larger space will also accommodate the Ballet’s expanded education and community engagement programming. For the first time in Cincinnati Ballet history, the organization will own its own building at 1801 Gilbert Avenue. Located at the foot of Eden Park, the new Center for Dance will also anchor the Walnut Hills Arts Corridor.

Cincinnati Ballet’s Move With Us campaign exceeded its $30.8 million goal by more than $80,000 as of Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Longtime Cincinnati Ballet patrons and supporters Margaret and Michael Valentine were the first to support the project, committing $10 million dollars, the largest one-time gift in Cincinnati Ballet history, to name and memorialize the Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance. “We are honored to be a part of this historic project,” Margaret Valentine said. “Cincinnati is fortunate to have such a thriving arts sector, and I think it’s important for members of our community to give back. I understand the importance of demonstrating leadership for projects that benefit the city and the new Valentine Center for Dance will provide many cultural and educational opportunities to the region.” Cincinnati Ballet is also grateful for a $3 million gift from Rhonda Sheakley and her husband Larry A. Sheakley. As a permanent commemoration of the Sheakley family’s generosity, the largest Company studio will be named the Rhonda and Larry A. Sheakley Premier Studio. That gift was followed by significant gifts from Otto M. Budig, Sue and Bill Friedlander, Lynn and Brain Good, and Marty and Nick Ragland. Move With Us. A Campaign for Cincinnati Ballet’s New Home, with co-chaired by Rhonda Sheakley and fellow Emeritus Trustee Larry Kellar.

“The new building is architecturally stunning, both inside and outside,” said Artistic Director Victoria Morgan. “There’s so much openness and light. What an experience it will be for our dancers to move in this amazing space.” The highly visible, iconic building was designed by GBBN Architects and is being built by Messer Construction. The new facility will also support expanded dance classes in the Otto M. Budig Academy, and a deeper commitment to community offerings such as Ballet Moves, created in partnership with Cincinnati Children’s. New Ballet Moves offerings will also provide the opportunity for students who traditionally use a mobility device to participate in a supportive environment employing an innovative, double track harness system or utilizing their devices. Cincinnati Ballet is the first ballet company in the country to install this specialized track system that will allow students to partner, stand at the barre and go across the floor.

An additional ‘1801 Community Campaign’ launched in December 2020 with personalized engraving opportunities on the plaza steps for a gift $1,801; Those opportunities are nearly sold out. Additional naming rights are available, and gifts received will be earmarked for future capital needs and sustainability of the new facility. Donations can be made at cballet.org.

Otto M. Budig Academy students will be the first to train in the new space with Summer Intensive programming in June. Official Grand Opening celebrations presented by PNC Bank will take place in September and include free community events, as well as a Grand Opening Gala. Details will be announced in the summer.

About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Under the artistic direction of Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a high-
caliber academy, and impactful education and community engagement in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

Cincinnati Ballet 2020-2021 Season Sponsors: Rhonda & Larry A. Sheakley, Margaret and Michael Valentine, ArtsWave, Mercy Health, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, Frisch’s, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

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March 31, 2021 · 10:29 am

Cincinnati Opera Announces Reimagined 2021 Summer Festival

CO_Summer at Summit StageSUMMER AT SUMMIT

The company’s return to live performance will move outdoors to Summit Park in Blue Ash, Ohio 

The festival features three productions in repertory this July—CARMEN, TOSCA and THE BARBER OF SEVILLE—to be presented without intermission in specially tailored, ninety-minute versions 

Each production will be headlined by world-class artists, including J’Nai Bridges, Janai Brugger, Rihab Chaieb, Ana María Martínez, Aaron Blake, Stephen Costello, Quinn Kelsey, Chris Kenney, Christian Pursell, Reginald Smith Jr., Morris Robinson, Russell Thomas, and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus 

Conductors Xian Zhang, Renato Balsadonna, and Ramón Tebar will lead the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Cincinnati, Ohio—Fifty years after Cincinnati Opera presented its final open-air season at its first performance home, the Cincinnati Zoo, the company returns to the outdoors for its reimagined 2021 Summer Festival, Summer at Summit. The season will take place July 11-31 at Summit Park, located in the heart of Blue Ash, Ohio, and will feature internationally renowned artists, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of Cincinnati Opera’s 100th anniversary season in summer 2020. In September, the company announced plans to return to live performance in summer 2021 at its traditional venues, Music Hall and the School for Creative and Performing Arts. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend social distancing as a best practice to stem the virus’s spread, and Ohio’s state mandates continue to limit capacity at indoor performance venues. In the interest of audience, artist, and staff safety, the company has opted to transition to an all-outdoor season for its 2021 Summer Festival.

Summit Park was selected as the ideal performance site given its ability to host large-scale stage productions and its capacity to accommodate a significant, socially distanced audience. Additionally, Summit Park offers a central location and an abundance of public amenities, such as parking and nearby restaurants. During Cincinnati Opera performances, audience members will be able to sit together in socially distanced “pods” designated on Summit Park’s Great Lawn, and performances will be presented from an expansive stage constructed at the base of the park’s signature Observation Tower.

Cincinnati Opera’s Summer at Summit includes three beloved operas previously announced as part of the company’s 2021 season—Carmen, Tosca, and The Barber of Seville. Each opera will be presented without intermission in a reduced, ninety-minute version that will be partially staged with costumes, theatrical hair and makeup, and lighting. Opera in the Park, Cincinnati Opera’s season-opening celebration concert, also moves to Summit Park and will kick off the 2021 Summer Festival.

“Music Hall will always be our home, but we are fortunate to have found a gorgeous new venue in Summit Park for our return to the live stage,” said Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera. “Audience members can be assured that our Summer at Summit will have all of the hallmarks they’ve come to love about Cincinnati Opera—glorious singing, inspiring storytelling, and the chance to be swept away by the magic of live performance.”

“The promise of experiencing live singing again in the company of an enthusiastic, in-person audience is the dream that has carried us through this last year,” said Christopher Milligan, The Harry Fath General Director & CEO of Cincinnati Opera. “We’re grateful to the City of Blue Ash for their partnership as we’ve worked together to envision a one-of-a-kind opera-going experience for our community.”

“The City of Blue Ash is excited for this unique partnership with Cincinnati Opera,” said Blue Ash Mayor Marc Sirkin. “Summit Park is an outstanding outdoor venue that will grant attendees enough room to remain safely socially distanced. I’m thrilled that the Opera will be able to perform in the city, bringing a new type of entertainment to residents and visitors alike.”  

The previously announced world premieres of William Menefield and Sheila Williams’s Fierce and Gregory Spears and Tracy K. Smith’s Castor and Patience, originally planned for summer 2020 and rescheduled for summer 2021, have been postponed once more. Fierce is currently slated to receive its world premiere in fall 2021, and Castor and Patience will receive its world premiere in summer 2022.

“Given the intimate scale of both Fierce and Castor and Patience, their optimum performance environment is an indoor theater,” said Mirageas. “The stories that both operas tell are compelling and important for our time. We look forward to giving these new works the premieres they so richly deserve in the very near future.”

Tickets for Cincinnati Opera’s 2021 Summer Festival will start at $15. Current subscribers will be contacted in April with additional information about their ticket options. Single tickets will go on sale to the general public on June 7. For additional information, including an extensive list of answers to frequently asked questions, visit cincinnatiopera.org.

Cincinnati Opera’s 2021 Summer Festival
SUMMER AT SUMMIT

OPERA IN THE PARK

When & Where:
Sunday, July 11, 2021 | 7:30 p.m.
Summit Park

Cincinnati Opera celebrates the opening of Summer at Summit with Opera in the Park, a free, family-friendly outdoor concert. Opera in the Park will showcase favorite selections from opera and musical theater performed by stars from the 2021 Summer Festival, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

CARMEN
Music by Georges Bizet
Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
Sung in French with projected translation

When & Where:

  • Saturday, July 17, 2021 | 8:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, July 22, 2021 | 8:30 p.m.
  • Monday, July 26, 2021 | 8:30 p.m.
  • Friday, July 30, 2021 | 8:30 p.m.

Summit Park

The festival continues with the most popular opera of all time, Georges Bizet’s Carmen. Opera’s quintessential femme fatale, Carmen shows us she’s that and so much more—a fearless, flirtatious force of nature who refuses to answer to anyone but herself. Her confidence attracts the attention of Don José, whose passion turns to obsession, then spirals into madness. When José threatens Carmen with death should she refuse him, she chooses freedom over all. Featuring some of opera’s best-known melodies, from the sultry “Habanera” to the rousing “Toreador Song,” Carmen is an ageless ode to one woman’s fierce independence.

Mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, a “rising star” (Los Angeles Times) known for her “plush-voiced mezzo-soprano” (The New York Times), makes her Cincinnati Opera debut as Carmen. Cincinnati Opera favorite tenor Stephen Costello, “a prodigiously gifted singer” (Associated Press), appears as Don José. Soprano Janai Brugger, who appeared most recently with Cincinnati Opera as Clara in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (2019) and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro (2019), brings her “opulent soprano voice” (Los Angeles Times) to the role of Micaëla. Bass-baritone Christian Pursell offers “power, precision, and congeniality” (Houston Chronicle) as the swaggering bullfighter Escamillo. Conductor Ramón Tebar, current music director of the Orquestra de Valencia (Spain) and artistic director of Opera Naples, leads the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and stage direction is by Omer Ben Seadia, recently hailed for her “imaginatively staged” (Cincinnati Business Courier) production of Cincinnati Opera’s Ariadne auf Naxos (2019).

Cast:

  • Carmen: J’Nai Bridges
  • Don José: Stephen Costello
  • Micaëla: Janai Brugger
  • Escamillo: Christian Pursell
  • Zuniga: Burak Bilgili
  • El Remendado: Victor Ryan Robertson
  • El Dancaïro: Thomas Dreeze

Creative Team:

  • Conductor: Ramón Tebar
  • Stage director: Omer Ben Seadia
  • Lighting designer: Thomas C. Hase
  • Costume director: Rebecca Senske
  • Wig & makeup designer: James Geier
  • Sound designer: Jonathan Burke
  • Chorus master: Henri Venanzi

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus

TOSCA
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Sung in Italian with projected translation

When & Where:

  • Friday, July 23, 2021 | 8:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, July 27, 2021 | 8:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, July 31, 2021 | 8:30 p.m.

Summit Park

Cincinnati Opera will then present Giacomo Puccini’s glorious Tosca. In the city of Rome during a time of political turmoil, the tempestuous opera diva Floria Tosca is madly in love with the painter Mario Cavaradossi. When Tosca’s lover becomes entangled in a crime and is condemned to death, the lecherous police chief Scarpia insists only one thing can save him: Tosca herself. Tosca is a passionate melodrama suffused with political intrigue—a roller-coaster ride of love, power, and tragedy told through unforgettable music.

Grammy Award-winning soprano Ana María Martínez makes her Cincinnati Opera debut as Tosca, bringing a voice of “chocolate-rich vibrancy in the low and middle range and … thrilling brilliance at the top” (Opera News). Tenor Russell Thomas, hailed for his “heroically shining tone of exceptional clarity and precision” (Opera, U.K.), returns to Cincinnati Opera as Cavaradossi after last appearing with the company in 2016 (Florestan, Fidelio). In his company debut, the “superb” and “virile-voiced” (The New York Times) baritone Quinn Kelsey sings the role of Baron Scarpia. Conducting the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Music Director Xian Zhang. Stage director is Jose Maria Condemi, director of opera and musical theater at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Cast:

  • Floria Tosca: Ana María Martínez
  • Mario Cavaradossi: Russell Thomas
  • Baron Scarpia: Quinn Kelsey
  • Cesare Angelotti: Michael Sumuel
  • Spoletta: Julius Ahn

Creative Team:

  • Conductor: Xian Zhang
  • Stage director: Jose Maria Condemi
  • Lighting designer: Thomas C. Hase
  • Costume director: Rebecca Senske
  • Wig & makeup designer: James Geier
  • Sound designer: Jonathan Burke
  • Chorus master: Henri Venanzi

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE
Music by Gioachino Rossini
Libretto by Cesare Sterbini
Sung in Italian with projected translation

When & Where:

  • Saturday, July 24, 2021 | 8:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, July 29, 2021 | 8:30 p.m.

Summit Park

Based on the play of the same name by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, The Barber of Seville introduces us to Figaro, the titular barber bursting with bravado. He’s enlisted by the lovelorn Count Almaviva to win the heart of the clever and comely Rosina. With whimsy, wit, and plenty of woo, The Barber of Seville reminds us that, as Beaumarchais once said, “Where love is concerned, too much is not even enough.”

Mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb brings “sheer dramatic charm and vocal clarity” (San Francisco Chronicle) to the role of Rosina, after last appearing with the company as Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro (2019). Appearing as Almaviva is Cincinnati Opera favorite tenor Aaron Blake, whose voice was hailed by The New York Times as “endearing and sweet-sounding … with youthful fervor and stamina.” Making his company debut as Figaro is baritone Chris Kenney, a recent alum of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s prestigious Ryan Opera Center Ensemble. Singing the role of Doctor Bartolo is baritone Reginald Smith Jr., who last appeared with Cincinnati Opera as Jake in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (2019) and in the company’s recent digital Winter Festival production of Opera…from a Sistah’s Point of View. Bass and Cincinnati Opera Artistic Advisor Morris Robinson, whose recent engagements with Cincinnati Opera include a star turn as Porgy in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (2019), is Don Basilio. Acclaimed conductor Renato Balsadonna leads the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and stage director is Joshua R. Horowitz, making his company debut.

Cast:

  • Rosina: Rihab Chaieb
  • Count Almaviva: Aaron Blake
  • Figaro: Chris Kenney
  • Doctor Bartolo: Reginald Smith Jr.
  • Don Basilio: Morris Robinson
  • Berta: Wendy Hill

Creative Team:

  • Conductor: Renato Balsadonna
  • Stage director: Joshua R. Horowitz
  • Lighting designer: Thomas C. Hase
  • Costume director: Rebecca Senske
  • Wig & makeup designer: James Geier
  • Sound designer: Jonathan Burke
  • Chorus master: Henri Venanzi

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus

Tickets and Additional Information

Tickets to Cincinnati Opera’s 2021 Summer Festival start at $15. Current subscribers will be contacted in April with additional information about their ticket options. Single tickets will go on sale to the general public on June 7. For additional information, including an extensive list of answers to frequently asked questions, visit cincinnatiopera.org.

About Summit Park
Summit Park, located in the center of Blue Ash, is a beautiful, 130-acre world-class park that provides exciting, year-round events, activities, and unique learning opportunities. Experience a breathtaking 360-degree view of the tristate in the free Observation Tower, explore the Naturescape playground, discover trails, catch a fish in the pond, take your furry friend to the dog park, and dine in one of four outstanding on-site restaurants. In the winter months, the park offers unique and affordable fun with ice skating and sledding. Summit Park is also an exceptional venue for national and regional entertainment, and it is the perfect site for your next gathering or event. 

To learn more, visit summitparkblueash.com.

About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists. 

Cincinnati Opera receives support from ArtsWave, the Ohio Arts Council, The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust, and the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, along with many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America. 

To learn more, visit cincinnatiopera.org.

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