Category Archives: Press Releases

October 12, 2023 · 5:54 am

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Rolls Out the Red Carpet with the World Premiere of WRECKING BALL A New Comedy by Zina Camblin

CSC_Wrecking Ball1Cincinnati’s own Zina Camblin pens this World Premiere new comedy, commissioned by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company!

Cincinnati, October 11, 2023 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to presents its latest World Premiere: Wrecking Ball A New Comedy by Zina Camblin.  This caustic contemporary story delves into the chaos and creativity of a group of Hollywood screenwriters and was commissioned by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Wrecking Ball spotlights television actor Victoria Cartagena of Manifest, YOU, and Gotham as Abby alongside CSC Ensemble favorites including Jeremy Dubin, Dale Hodges, Darnell Pierre Benjamin, Burgess Byrd, Sara Mackie, and Patrick Earl Phillips. Wrecking Ball is on stage October 13 – 28, 2023.  The production is supported by New Play Development Sponsor, The McElroy Family and Design Sponsors, Judge Mark and Sue Anne Painter.

A Hollywood writers’ room becomes tense when drama spills beyond scripts and screens into the real world. A team of screenwriters get together to adapt a beloved, yet controversial, classic play, The Hot L Baltimore by Lanford Wilson, for a new television series, but production halts when a shocking truth is revealed. The “Wrecking Ball” demolishes the pristine façade of Hollywood, and this cast of characters must find a way to rebuild in this caustic contemporary comedy that will have you talking the whole ride home.

Amidst laughter, Wrecking Ball prompts us to question the industry’s values, the creative process, and the sacrifices writers make for their art. Playwright Zina Camblin has expertly woven modern relevance into the fabric of the story, ensuring that the laughs are as insightful as they are uproarious. “In a sense, the writers’ room becomes a microcosm of our society,” Camblin says. “Many individuals each representing a different identity, who are trapped in a room together for more than eight hours a day, trying to reach a common goal. To make a great show.”

Zina Camblin is a playwright and television writer/producer. Her most recent TV writing credits include WU-TANG : An American Saga (Hulu), Almost Family (FOX), The Right Stuff (Disney Plus) Big Sky (ABC), and Dear Edward (AppleTV). Her mission as a queer writer of color is to make sure these underrepresented stories are showcased and authentically told through the characters she advocates for and creates. She is an alum of Cincinnati’s School for Creative and Performing Arts, got her MFA from UC San Diego, and was a fellow at The Juilliard School under Marsha Norman and Christopher Durang, as part of the Juilliard Playwriting Fellowship. Her play, “ And Her Hair Went With Her,” a comedy about black women and hair, was optioned for a New York production when it caught the attention of actress Whoopi Goldberg. In addition, “And Her Hair Went With Her,” has been produced by theaters around the country including, The Phoenix Theater in Indianapolis, New Jersey Repertory Theater, Horizon Theater in Atlanta, The Fountain Theater in Los Angeles, and the Unicorn Theater in Kansas City.

Audiences can expect a top-notch cast delivering razor-sharp wit, hilarious one-liners, and a rollercoaster of emotions as they navigate the world of Hollywood. Wrecking Ball is excited to welcome Hollywood star Victoria Cartagena, known for her appearances on critically acclaimed tv series, including: Manifest, YOU, and Jessica Jones on Netflix; FOX’s Gotham and Batwoman on the CW; and M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant on AppleTV. Fellow hit ensemble members include CSC favorites: Jeremy Dubin, Dale Hodges, Darnell Pierre Benjamin, Burgess Byrd, Sara Mackie, and Patrick Earl Phillips.

Behind the production is a team of talented designers who bring the world of the play to life. Sarah Lambert has transformed the stage into a vibrant and chaotic writer’s room while Daryl Harris has crafted costumes that are as witty as the characters themselves. Jessica Drayton, Robert Carlton Stimmel, Zack Bennett, Lighting, Projections, and Sound Designers, respectively, have woven the atmospheric details and soundscape to amplify the dynamic space. As Properties Designer, Kara Eble Trusty has curated the props and objects to enrich the world of a Hollywood screenwriter’s room.

Wrecking Ball was commissioned by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.  Producing Artistic Director Brian Isaac Phillips says “CSC believes its purpose lies in not just presenting the Classics, but also actively contributing to the new classical canon. As globally conscious theater makers, it is our responsibility to find and nurture new voices and to activate the Otto M. Budig Theater as a catalyst for new works. Thus, five years ago CSC began commissioning new plays from exciting new voices in the American Theatre. One of these voices is Cincinnati native, Zina Camblin.  Camblin has long sought to work with a theater in her hometown, and CSC is delighted for this partnership and to have commissioned this new play, Wrecking Ball.”

Wrecking Ball runs from October 13 – 28, 2023. Performances of Wrecking Ball are on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, with one Sunday matinee at 2:00 PM on October 22, and two Saturday matinees at 2:00 PM on October 21 and 28. CSC offers performances with accessibility resources. The final Sunday matinee on October 28 is Sign Language Interpreted and Audio Description service is available.  Audiences are asked to note the Content Advisory as this production contains adult language, descriptions of sexual abuse, and a prop gun. Please contact the Box Office for additional information.

Tickets are on sale now. Preview performances are on Wednesday, October 11, and Thursday, October 12, with tickets at $45. Young Professionals are invited to YP Preview Night on Wednesday, October 11, with discounted tickets at $25, including a free drink and post-show talkback. Discounts are available for students, seniors, local residents, and community partners, as access to all is important to CSC. Each performance night has a limited number of $14 “Access” tickets.  These can be purchased in advance by going online or calling the Box Office.  And starting 1 hour before each performance, any unreserved tickets may be available as a discounted Rush Ticket to anyone, not just students. These tickets are only $12 and could be located anywhere in the house, depending on that evening’s availability. These cannot be reserved more than 1 hour before a show and must be purchased in person in the Box Office. Visa, Discover, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Ticketing fees apply.  To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at http://www.cincyshakes.com.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is located at The Otto M. Budig Theater at 1195 Elm Street in OTR, adjacent to Washington Park.  Many parking spaces are available on the street and in nearby lots and garages- for more information, visit http://www.otrchamber.com/pages/WheretoPark.

CSC also offers Valet Parking for every performance! Make reservations for $25 in advance when purchasing tickets, or visit www.cincyshakes.com/parking. Purchasing in advance guarantees a spot.  Valet is available right at the corner of 12th and Elm Street in front of the theater and begins approx. 1.5 hours before a performance. Cars can be picked up for up to one hour following a performance. (After one hour, you will need to arrange pick up with the valet service directly.) After purchasing, the valet will have your name on the list— it’s that easy!

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s 30th Anniversary 2023-2023 Season is generously sponsored by The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr Foundation; along with our Education Season Sponsors, Debby and Jim Mason; and our Operating Support Partners, The Ohio Arts Council, The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Lightborne, and the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source of arts funding.

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About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company:
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for all.  In the summer of 2017, the theater relocated to the Otto M. Budig Theater, a brand new facility in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. CSC’s repertoire is composed of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations, world premieres, and contemporary classics. CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with the Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of Theater Communications Group and Shakespeare Theatre Association. Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reach more than 50,000 young people and community members by meeting audiences where they are. This includes sharing programming in schools, parks, community centers and hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions. In 2015, CSC was proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to “Complete the Canon” by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. CSC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati’s stage for the Classics!

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October 12, 2023 · 5:50 am

Carl and Martha Lindner Make Legacy Gift to the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati

TCT_The Emery Theater$5 million gift puts Emery Theater Campaign Close to the Finish Line 

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s fundraising goal to reimagine the Emery Theater is in reach thanks to a $5 million gift from Carl and Martha Lindner. The funds will directly benefit the restoration of the landmark Emery Theater as TCT’s permanent MainStage home in downtown Cincinnati and create a state-of-the-art venue unlike any in the region. This gift is a testament to the family’s legacy of enabling transformational projects in our city’s vibrant urban core. Generations of Lindner’s have helped establish the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati as a national leader in performing arts for young audiences.

The Grand Entrance, the theater’s primary public entrance on Walnut Street where all patrons will enter for MainStage productions and special events, will be officially named – “Martha S. Lindner Grand Entrance.”

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) is well underway with a transformational campaign, A Crown for the Queen City, to raise $49.5 million, enhancing access to theatre for families and young children from throughout the region and ensuring its future as a premiere arts organization.

Allison Kropp, Campaign Co-Chair, expressed her appreciation and excitement for this significant contribution. “TCT is overwhelmed by the generosity of Carl and Martha Lindner,” Kropp said. “We are now so close to realizing our dream to see children’s imaginations come alive as they experience this historic space and create lifetime memories of pure joy, wonder, and family—for generations to come.”

“We are so grateful to Carl and Martha Lindner for their exceptional gift,” said Kim Kern, Managing Director and CEO of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. “TCT envisions a space that belongs to the community, allowing us to provide arts access, education, and foundational well-being to the families and students of our region and across the Midwest. This gift allows us to revitalize a treasured cultural asset, provide a permanent home for children’s theatre in Cincinnati’s vibrant urban core, and put Cincinnati on the map as a family theatrical destination.”

What TCT imagines is not simply a restoration but a reinvention of the theater into a modern and memorable venue equipped with the latest technology that both inspires and teaches. TCT’s plans to incorporate the most modern technology, a turntable stage lift, an automated fly system, a 40′ x 60′ video wall, and projection mapping will provide an immersive audience experience and overcome backstage and wing space limitations.

With The Emery as its home, TCT will unlock its potential to inspire diverse audiences with original works and even more innovative programming. TCT will also expand programming for younger children (theatre for the very young) and teenagers, with work considered a revenue risk in its current rented space.

After the completion of fundraising and construction, The Children’s Theatre plans to open the Emery in Fall 2025 with its 2025-2026 MainStage season.

History of The Emery Theater
Imagined by philanthropist Mary Emery and designed by the famed architectural firm of Samuel Hannaford & Sons, the Emery Auditorium opened in January 1912 with an inaugural concert by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The acoustically exceptional 2,200-seat theater in Over-the-Rhine was once considered one of the top concert halls in the country. Sergei Rachmaninoff, John Philip Sousa, George Gershwin, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bette Davis, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. all stood on the Emery stage at various points in its history.

The Emery was also the performance home of TCT until 1969, when the University of Cincinnati took ownership of the property and ran it as the College of Applied Sciences until 1989. The theater was used for films, lectures, and meetings for the next decade. While the building’s upper floors were developed as apartments in 2001, the theater has fallen into disrepair since that time. TCT is the Emery Theater’s best hope to be restored to its former glory and to regain its place as a memorable and iconic arts venue.

About The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati
Celebrating 104 years this season, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) is the oldest professional theatre for young audiences in the country, creating lifelong memories and lasting impact for children and families for more than a century. TCT brings art to life through three divisions: TCT MainStage productions, TCT on Tour/WorkShops, and TCT Academy. TCT draws more than 100,000 youth and adults to its MainStage productions, over 50,000 K-8 students to TCT on Tour Shows, and 1,200 students participate in TCT Academy. Each season, 60,000 students attend TCT MainStage productions with their schools. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer JR., the company’s 2022 holiday show, was the highest-grossing production in the history of TCT. This video offers a glimpse into the scope and vibrancy of programming offered by TCT.

Delivering much more than entertainment, TCT offers an inclusive space and innovative programming for children and adults to learn confidence, patience, and imagination. TCT’s partnerships with regional schools allow thousands of students each year to reap the lifelong benefits of a quality arts education that they might otherwise not experience.

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October 11, 2023 · 1:58 pm

Know Theatre Announces a Leadership Transition Following Season 26

KTC_Andrew HungerfordAfter 10 years at the helm of Know Theatre, Producing Artistic Director Andrew Hungerford will step down at the end of the 23-24 season. After 9.5 years, Associate Artistic Director Tamara Winters stepped down at the end of September 2023 to pursue other opportunities as a director and fundraiser for the arts.

Their tenure through Season 26 features 59 MainStage productions including 22 world premieres, 15 SecondStage productions, over 100 new plays as part of 14 cycles of the episodic play program Serials!, and touring educational shows as part of the Know To Go program.

The last ten years has also featured theatrical innovations and experiments including site specific project commissions like Mongrel, written and performed by Adam Tran; the immersive horror show The Other Rhine created with Hit the Lights! Theatre Co; an interactive dramatic walking tour through Eden Park called Crypsis; and Play(Under)ground post show programming.

And, of course, 10 years of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, Cincinnati’s annual celebration of experimental performance in a Summer Theatre Party.

Over the last 10 seasons, the Know has led Cincinnati’s professional theatres in diverse representation within the authors of mainstage shows, with 54% of MainStage plays’ authorship including women and underrepresented gender identities, and 31% of MainStage plays written by BIPOC artists.

At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Know rapidly pivoted to create Theatre at a Distance work, enabling the company to continue its mission and provide work for local artists while indoor theatre was shut down. These projects ranged from the Radio Know audio play program, all digital and hybrid Fringe festivals, video on demand availability of archived work, and innovative pieces created specifically for digital theatre. The Know continues to be a leader in the digital realm, live streaming every MainStage production since the return to in person theatre making.

More than anything, Hungerford and Winters endeavored for their tenure to be a time of radical welcome, where making live theatre accessible to all has been the first priority. In their first season (2014-2015), the Know established The Welcome Experiment – a program that offers low-cost advance tickets and FREE walkup tickets to anyone who wants to see a show – no matter what their economic circumstances.

Since then, the Know’s pioneering sliding scale ticket pricing and commitment to a Living Wage for artists has been echoed by theatres in other markets, and has had significant impact on artists’ ability to make a living making art in Cincinnati.

Producing Artistic Director Andrew Hungerford had this to say when reflecting on his time with the Know,

“When I initially took on the role as Producing Artistic Director after six years as resident scenic and lighting designer, it was an opportunity to provide service to a company and a community that I love, to continue making theatre with incredibly talented artists, and to find ways to elevate voices and kinds of work that weren’t often seen on Cincinnati’s stages.

Being Artistic Director of the Know is a dream job, the kind that could fill a career. But because I split my time between Cincinnati and a home in Los Angeles, I initially had a three year contract, thinking that would be my full tenure. And then there was more that we all wanted to do, and it turned into five years. And then seven years.

And then a global pandemic happened, and we worked to find ways for the Know, and the community we’ve built, to survive, to keep people employed (with health insurance), and to keep producing art.

Even without a pandemic, 10 years in this role always stood for me as a hard limit. Leaders at small arts organizations know that the positions can be all consuming, and there’s a big difference between having an all consuming job in one’s thirties and in one’s forties.

Through it all, I’ve had a phenomenal leadership partner in our Associate Artistic Director, Tamara Winters. We hit the ground running in the summer of 2014 and, along with the Know’s amazing staff, have done everything we can to keep the company and the work moving forward.

I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved as a company and as an artistic community over the last 10 years, the inclusive representation we’ve cultivated on and off stage, and the amazing productions and audience experiences that we’ve created.

It’s an honor to work alongside so many incredibly talented theatre artists including our Know Theatre and Cincy Fringe staff members, and a rare privilege to have had Know Theatre as my artistic home for nearly two decades. And while it’s time for me to step down from this leadership role, I hope to remain a part of Cincinnati’s artistic community for a long time to come.”

Says former Associate Artistic Director Tamara Winters,

“My career had, in many ways, all been leading up to the Know – this is a place I was able put my experience as an arts administrator to good use, and a place that offered me incredible artistic freedom to help choose and to direct the kinds of stories that made me want to become a theatre artist.

It’s a place that empowers artists to let their voices ring and let their imaginations soar. It’s a place where the art and the artist matter.

For me, the Know is Cincinnati’s theatrical heartbeat – it’s a place where artists and audiences can take wild leaps of imagination, together. A place where people can come as they are and experience something larger than themselves. A place where we can connect, and dream, and discover. It’s a place where everyone is welcome – no matter where they came from or what their circumstances. And it’s a place where passionate artists truly thrive.

I will be forever grateful for my time on this team, with these artists, and with this community, and I look forward to discovering what’s next for the Know.”

We’re also pleased to share the following statement from the Know Theatre Board of Directors:

“We have been honored with the privilege to work with the leadership team of Andrew Hungerford and Tamara Winters over the past ten seasons. Their joint commitment to creating a safe place for artists to play and create work that is relevant to the community and times that we live in should be commended.

The board of directors looks forward to continuing our work with Andrew throughout the remainder of our 26th Season as we plan for the transition to new artistic leadership at the helm of Know Theatre. Throughout this process, we are committed to remain an independent theatre company serving the greater Cincinnati theatre scene. Our annual production of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival fosters a community environment for artists and patrons to test the boundaries of collaborative artmaking. We are committed to transparency in our process as we work with the talented staff, members of our community, and current leadership to ensure we are laying the groundwork for our successful, bright future. As we work through this leadership transition in the coming months we are driven by Know Theatre’s mission to showcase unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience, and remain a place where audiences and artists can take risks with cutting edge and accessible works. We invite you to join us in celebrating Cincinnati’s theatrical playground.

We wish Tamara the best of luck as she embarks on her next journey and look forward to her continuing to be a part of our community as an artist, audience member, and theatre maker. We look forward to celebrating Andrew’s 10 years of leadership throughout the remainder of the season. We know that his artistic voice will be heard at Know Theatre and in Cincinnati for years to come.”

Know Theatre’s 26th MainStage season concludes with 3 back to back world premieres. For the end of year holidays is BLERDS by J. Corey Buckner, directed by Derek Snow. This February, Kairos by Lisa Sanaye Dring takes the stage, directed by Rebecca Wear. The MainStage season closes in April with a co-production with University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music Acting: the sci-fi musical The Light Chasers, written by Hungerford, with music and lyrics by Craig Minowa, from a story by Hungerford and Jess Hutchinson, based on the album Light Chasers by Cloud Cult. Hutchinson and Hungerford will co-direct this final show of the season.  And then, of course, is the 21st Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival, led by Fringe Producer Katie Hartman.

A search for the Know’s next Producing Artistic Director will launch with a job posting by Know Theatre’s board of directors in the coming days, as the Know seeks leadership with a passion for new works, underserved voices, economic justice, and equitable and inclusive independent theatre that’s rooted in community, collaboration and play.

Andrew offers these closing thoughts,

“In this moment, I want to thank the entire Cincinnati community for their ongoing support and their willingness to take chances on theatrical adventures that can only be made at the Know.

We’ve got thrilling work to come through the rest of the season, as well as exciting shows in development for Season 27.

Over the last 10 years, I’ve striven to be a good steward of your theatrical playground, and I’m excited to see what innovations the next leaders of the company will bring.

Let’s play.”

Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible.

Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign. 

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Know Theatre is also supported by The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.

Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network.

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October 3, 2023 · 6:42 pm

Cincinnati Opera Announces New Board Officers, Trustees, and Associate Members

co_logoCINCINNATI (October 3, 2023)—Cincinnati Opera announces the election of officers for its board of trustees for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, as well as the addition of five trustees and two Cincinnati Opera Board Associates.

Officers were elected at Cincinnati Opera’s Annual Meeting on September 20, 2023, and will serve one-year terms. They include:

  • President Melanie M. Chavez, Partner at Chavez Properties
  • Executive Vice President Ronald T. Bates, Managing Director at 1919 Investment Counsel
  • Chair Liz Kathman Grubow, Vice President and Managing Creative Director at LPK
  • Treasurer Robert Bitter, AERS Partner at Deloitte & Touche
  • Secretary Charles E. Baverman III, Partner at Dinsmore & Shohl

Also as of the Annual Meeting, new trustees and new members of the Cincinnati Opera Board Associates, a subsidiary of the board of trustees composed of young professionals, began their three-year terms.

New trustees include:

  • Katherine Anderson, Assistant Vice President and Private Wealth Relationship Manager at Merrill Lynch
  • Yemisi O. Jones, M.D., Attending Physician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
  • Michael L. Powell, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Fifth Third Bank
  • Jason Riveiro, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer at NAHREP
  • Tricia Suit, Director of Content at Game Day Communications

New Board Associates include:

  • Deanna Hillard, Program Manager at Interact for Health
  • Eric Shane Heatley, Assistant Director and Honors Advisor at the University of Cincinnati

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. Cincinnati Opera also receives general season support from 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 general season and project support from many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America. Learn more at cincinnatiopera.org.

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October 3, 2023 · 5:57 pm

90.9 WGUC to Broadcast Cincinnati Opera’s 2023 Summer Festival on Sunday Evenings in November

CO_WGUC logoCINCINNATI (October 3, 2023)—On Sunday evenings this November, Cincinnati Opera will partner with 90.9 WGUC, Cincinnati’s classical public radio station, to broadcast productions from its 2023 Summer Festival. Each broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. ET. You can listen on air at 90.9 FM and online at wguc.org.

Cincinnati Opera’s 2023 Summer Festival took place June 22–July 29, 2023, at Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall. The operas to be broadcast include Lucia di Lammermoor, The Knock (world stage premiere), The Barber of Seville, and Madame Butterfly. For additional details, please visit wguc.org.

The 2023 Summer Festival broadcasts 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. Thank you to the Louis and Louise Nippert Charitable Foundation 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 Cincinnati Opera and its 2023 season. Opera broadcasts on 90.9 WGUC are financially assisted by The H.B., E.W. and F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank and Narley L. Haley, Co-Trustees.

CINCINNATI OPERA’S 2023 SUMMER FESTIVAL ON 90.9 WGUC
Broadcast Schedule:

Sunday, November 5 | 8 p.m. ET
Lucia di Lammermoor
Originally performed June 22 and 24, 2023, at Cincinnati Music Hall

Music by Gaetano Donizetti; libretto by Salvadore Cammarano
Renato Balsadonna, conductor; Jose Maria Condemi, stage director
Featuring Raven McMillon, Santiago Ballerini, Anthony Clark Evans, Griffen Hogan Tracy, Terrence Chin-Loy, Sahel Salam, Kayleigh Decker; Cincinnati Opera Chorus; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Description:
Based on Sir Walter Scott’s novel The Bride of Lammermoor, this operatic thriller set in the Scottish Highlands shows how thwarted desire can lead to deadly extremes. At Lammermoor Castle, Lucia and Edgardo are engaged in a secret affair. Despite their families’ age-old feud, they vow to give everything up for love. But Lucia’s disapproving brother endeavors to undo the lovers’ promise and marry Lucia off in a more lucrative union. The deception becomes a curse, and once hope for love is lost, Lucia and Edgardo make terrible new vows, culminating in one of opera’s bloodiest finales.

Sunday, November 12 | 8 p.m. ET
The Knock (world stage premiere)
Originally performed June 23 and 27, July 2, 5 and 7, 2023, at Cincinnati Music Hall

Music by Aleksandra Vrebalov; libretto by Deborah Brevoort
Stephanie Rhodes Russell, conductor; Alison Moritz, stage director
Featuring Mary-Hollis Hundley, Briana Elyse Hunter, Armando Contreras, Stephanie Sanchez, Felicity Tomkins, Erin Keesy; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Description:
The Knock tells the story of a group of military wives awaiting news of their husbands who have been deployed to Iraq. As they wait, a young Army officer makes the long journey to their gathering place. Named for the expression used by military spouses for a death notification, The Knock is based on years of interviews with spouses of soldiers, resulting in a rare and sympathetic glimpse into the lives of America’s military families.

Sunday, November 19 | 8 p.m. ET
The Barber of Seville
Originally performed July 6 and 8, 2023, at Cincinnati Music Hall

Music by Gioachino Rossini; libretto by Cesare Sterbini
Christopher Allen, conductor; Christopher Mattaliano, stage director
Featuring Rodion Pogossov, Emily Fons, Alasdair Kent, Peixin Chen, Nicholas Newton, Kendra Beasley, Thomas Dreeze, Samuel Smith; Cincinnati Opera Chorus; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Description:
Supreme silliness ensues when Figaro, Seville’s most beloved barber, plays matchmaker for his former employer, Count Almaviva. The Count loves Rosina, but she’s the ward of the devious Doctor Bartolo, who has designs on wedding her himself. To win Rosina’s heart, the Count enlists Figaro to cook up disguises, double dealings, and deceits to fool old Bartolo and set Rosina free. Rossini’s sparkling comedy reminds us that sometimes, on the path to true love, the last thing you should be is yourself.

Sunday, November 26 | 8 p.m. ET
Madame Butterfly
Originally performed July 22, 27, and 29, 2023, at Cincinnati Music Hall

Music by Giacomo Puccini; libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
Keitaro Harada, conductor; Matthew Ozawa, stage director
Featuring Karah Son, Adam Smith, Nozomi Kato, Julius Ahn, Nmon Ford, Jacob Junbo Zhou, Peixin Chen, Randell McGee, Kayleigh Decker; Cincinnati Opera Chorus; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Description:
Enter the world of naval officer B.F. Pinkerton, who treats Japan as his playground. He’s taken a nearly thousand-year lease on a house there and will marry a young girl named Cio-Cio-San, known as Madame Butterfly. But is it merely a fantasy? For Butterfly, vows are not to be taken lightly, and as Pinkerton’s intentions are revealed, her dreams become a tragedy of limitless depths with no going back.

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. Cincinnati Opera also receives general season support from 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 general season and project support from many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America. Learn more at cincinnatiopera.org.

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