The May Festival's two-week season opens Friday.

Concerts are 8 p.m. in Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Next Sunday's concert, at the Cathedral Basilica, 1140 Madison Ave., Covington, and preconcert recitals, at Music Hall, are 7 p.m.

The first weekend:

Friday - Handel, Messiah. James Conlon, conductor; Cynthia Haymon, soprano; Jill Grove, mezzo-soprano; John Aler, tenor; John Cheek, bass-baritone; the May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco, director.

Preconcert recital: Tenor Vinson Cole and Michael Chertock, pianist

Saturday - Wagner, Act I from Die Walkure: Act I; Prelude, Quintet and Finale from Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg. James Conlon, conductor; Deborah Voigt, soprano (Sieglinde); Clifton Forbis, tenor (Sigmund); Jyrki Korhonen, bass (Hunding); Jennifer Ringo, soprano (Eva); Vinson Cole, tenor (Walther); John Aler, tenor (David); Stacey Rishoi, mezzo (Magdalena); James Morris, bass-baritone (Hans Sachs); John Cheek, bass-baritone (Beckmesser); the May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco, director.

Preconcert recital: Mezzo-soprano Jill Grove and Michael Chertock, pianist

May 23 - Music for a Sacred Place (special concert). Robert Porco, conductor; James Bagwell, conductor; the May Festival Chorus, Robert Porco, director; the May Festival Youth Chorus, James Bagwell, director. Program includes "All Things are Passing" (world premiere) by Stephen Paulus in honor of Porco's 15th anniversary as director of May Festival Choruses.

Information: 381-3300; www.mayfestival.com