Thursday, December 19, 2002

Cincinnati May Festival 2003 season



Concerts are at 8 p.m. in Music Hall. Preconcert recitals are at 7 p.m.

May 16 - James Conlon, conductor; May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco, director; Kallen Esperian, soprano; Luciana D'Intino, mezzo-soprano; Frank Lopardo, tenor; James Morris, bass; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Verdi, Stabat Mater; Te Deum; Messa da Requiem.

Preconcert Recital - John Aler, tenor

May 17 - Robert Porco, conductor; May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco, director; Cynthia Haymon, soprano; Marietta Simpson, mezzo-soprano; John Aler, tenor; James Morris, bass; Cincinnati Boychoir, Randall N. Wolfe, director; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Mendelssohn, Elijah.

Preconcert recital - Jennifer Ringo, sopranoMay 23 - "Encores & Premieres." James Conlon, conductor; May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco, director; Kristine Jepson, mezzo-soprano; Donnie Ray Albert, baritone; Cincinnati Children's Choir, Robyn Reeves Lana, director; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Beethoven, Coriolan Overture; Gian Carlo Menotti, excerpt from The Death of the Bishop of Brindisi; Benjamin Britten, Prelude to Gloriana; Alvin Singleton, Praisemaker; Franz Liszt, St. Stanislaus (world premiere).

Preconcert recital - Donnie Ray Albert, baritone

May 24 - "Russian Night." James Conlon, conductor; May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco, director; May Festival Youth Chorus, James Bagwell, director; Donnie Ray Albert, baritone; John Cheek, bass-baritone; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Shostakovich, Festive Overture, Op. 96; The Execution of Stepan Razin; Rachmaninoff, Three Russian Songs, Op. 41; Prologue and Coronation Scene from Boris Godunov.

Preconcert recital - Kristine Jepson, mezzo-soprano

Special Concert, 7 p.m., Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington

May 18 - James Conlon, conductor; May Festival Youth chorus, James Bagwell, director; Ed Stern, stage director; John Cheek, bass-baritone (Noah); Sheila Nadler, contralto (Mrs. Noah); members of the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra, Sarah Ioannides, director; members of the School for Creative and Performing Arts Choruses, Laurie Wyant, director; Starling Chamber Orchestra, Kurt Sassmannshaus, director; Canticle Bells from Crestview Presbyterian Church, Janet Scott, director; members of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Purcell, Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary; Britten, Noah's Flood.

Subscriptions: $212-$214; Festival Pass $80 or $124; Cathedral Basilica concert, $21. Single tickets ($11-$60) go on sale in late April. 381-3300 or www.mayfestival.com.

Subscribers will receive a CD of May Festival repertoire excerpts, produced by Telarc.