Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Summer Festival took place June 12–July 27, 2025, at Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall. The productions to be broadcast include Rigoletto, Tosca, and two of Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Studio Sessions—”Soul and Sound: Dueling Pianos and Artistic Tributes to the Harlem Renaissance” and “Anthony Clark Evans in Recital.” For additional details, please visit wguc.org.
CINCINNATI OPERA’S 2025 SUMMER FESTIVAL ON 90.9 WGUC
Broadcast Schedule:
Sunday, November 2 | 8 p.m. ET
RIGOLETTO
Originally performed June 12 and 14, 2025, at Cincinnati Music Hall
Music by Giuseppe Verdi; libretto by Francesco Maria Piave
John Fiore, conductor; Elio Bucky, stage director; Tomer Zvulun, original stage director
Featuring Michael Chioldi, Kathryn Lewek, Zach Borichevsky, Morris Robinson, Tesia Kwarteng, Donnie Ray Albert, Thomas Dreeze, Alexander Gushrowski, Kaylee Nichols, Heidi Middendorf, Vernon Hartman, Kaylyn Taylor Baldwin, Seoyong Lee; Cincinnati Opera Chorus; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Description:
Rigoletto is a court jester with sharp wit and a merciless tongue. By cruelly mocking a grieving father, he sets in motion a tragic lesson in poetic justice. Featuring iconic arias like “Caro nome” and “La donna è mobile,” Verdi’s masterpiece sees Rigoletto become intimately familiar with the dangers of careless love, misguided vengeance, and the inescapable lesson that, under no circumstances, can you fool fate.
Sunday, November 9 | 8 p.m. ET
TOSCA
Originally performed June 26 and 28, 2025, at Cincinnati Music Hall
Music by Giacomo Puccini; libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
Clelia Cafiero, conductor; Jose Maria Condemi, stage director
Featuring Karah Son, Matthew White, Anthony Clark Evans, Justin Hopkins, Sam Smith, Julius Ahn, Ryan Henry, Cole Stephenson; Cincinnati Opera Chorus; Cincinnati Boychoir; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Description:
Floria Tosca suspects her lover of being unfaithful when really, he’s helping an escaped political prisoner and friend. This misunderstanding mutates into a series of escalating and irreversible misfortunes once Baron Scarpia, the chief of the secret police, enters the scene. Set in Rome during a time of national upheaval, as Napoleon’s army marches on Italy, Puccini’s epic opera stands as one of the most enduring and beloved of all time.
Sunday, November 16 | 8 p.m. ET
Studio Sessions—SOUL AND SOUND: Dueling Pianos and Artistic Tributes to the Harlem Renaissance
Originally performed June 17, 2025, at Cincinnati Music Hall
Featuring Tifara Brown (poet and curator), Justin Hopkins (bass-baritone), Kevin Day (pianist), Kevin Miller (pianist)
Description:
Experience a virtuosic evening spanning multiple genres and time periods. Poet and curator Tifara Brown, pianists Kevin Day and Kevin Miller, and bass-baritone Justin Hopkins present poetry, opera, jazz, and classical repertoire inspired by the artistry of the Harlem Renaissance.
Sunday, November 23 | 8 p.m. ET
Studio Sessions—ANTHONY CLARK EVANS in Recital
Originally performed July 10, 2025, at Cincinnati Music Hall
Featuring Anthony Clark Evans (baritone), James Maverick (piano)
Description:
Audiences will remember the “warm-toned, vivacious, and humane” (San Francisco Chronicle) baritone Anthony Clark Evans from recent Cincinnati Opera productions of Lucia di Lammermoor, La Traviata, and Tosca. In this solo recital, Evans performs hand-picked selections with pianist James Maverick.
2025 Cincinnati Opera Broadcast Supporters
Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Summer Festival broadcasts on 90.9 WGUC are made possible through the generous cooperation of Local 1, the Cincinnati chapter of the American Federation of Musicians, and the American Guild of Musical Artists. Thanks go to the Louis and Louise Nippert Charitable Foundation; H.B., E.W., and F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee; and The Willard and Jean Mulford Charitable Fund and The Victoria L. Memmel Charitable Fund of the Cambridge Charitable Foundation for their support of WGUC’s broadcasts of the Cincinnati Opera.
About Cincinnati Public Radio
90.9 WGUC, Cincinnati’s classical public radio station, part of Cincinnati Public Radio, has been home to classical music and the arts in the Greater Cincinnati community for more than 60 years. Presenting the finest from the classical music canon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with special features like Classics for Kids and New at Noon, WGUC also records and broadcasts performances by the Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, May Festival, and other local performing groups.
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 is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. Our programming is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Cincinnati Opera also receives support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, and the H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, along with many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a member of OPERA America. Learn more: cincinnatiopera.org.
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