Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra to Present LUMENOCITY, 8/1-3

Following the startling success of LumenoCity last summer, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is expanding this groundbreaking free concert experience for the community in Cincinnati's Washington Park on August 1, 2 and 3, 2014, by adding a third performance, and presenting an all-new visual and musical program. The event promises heart-pounding musical performances, stunning animation projected onto the façade of historic Music Hall, and a few surprises. The inaugural LumenoCity in 2013 drew record crowds to Washington Park and took the social media world by storm with over two million impressions on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Described as a "tipping point" by the Cincinnati Enquirer, the community-wide event brought 35,000 people over two nights to a former dilapidated park in the inner city, amplifying the revitalization of Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, Washington Park, the City's burgeoning creative community and its reputation as a major cultural center in America.

The 2014 LumenoCity concert performances will begin at 8:30 p.m. each of the three evenings with John Morris Russell conducting the Orchestra as the Cincinnati Pops. After a brief intermission, Music Director Louis Langrée will lead the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for an amazing display of sound and light. Three-dimensional image mapping will again be employed to create mind-blowing projected visual animations on the façade of Music Hall, quite literally shining a light on this treasured Cincinnati landmark and important community gathering place in need of revitalization and restoration. The visual effects will accompany a live 40-minute CSO program featuring a diverse array of great orchestral music.

The inaugural LumenoCity in 2013 also marked the beginning of Mr. Langrée's tenure as CSO Music Director and LumenoCity 2014 reinforces the Orchestra's commitment to being a place of experimentation under his leadership.

"The energy and excitement around LumenoCity last summer took my breath away," said Mr. Langrée. "I can't imagine a better way to have started my music directorship then a park full of people enjoying an incredible shared experience with the CSO. Everyone involved-the musicians, artists, technical crew, the audience and myself-experienced a deeply profound joy, one that touched and reawakened our very humanity."

The repertoire for the second half of the program includes music representing the CSO's rich history and a preview of works to be found on the CSO's 2014-2015 season. The second half, which incorporates the visual elements, begins with Copland's iconic Fanfare for the Common Man, which was commissioned and premiered by the CSO in 1942 and has since become a mainstay of orchestral repertoire. The program also features Short Ride in a Fast Machine, a work by "the Dean of American composers," John Adams. Two programs on the CSO's upcoming season feature Mr. Adams' work, including one conducted by the composer himself. LumenoCity will also feature the fourth movement from Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, which also appears on the 2014-15 season (November 28-29), Elgar's moving "Nimrod" from Enigma Variations, and Borodin's high-energy and wildly popular "Polovtsian Dances" from Prince Igor. Details of the concert's first half with Mr. Russell and the Cincinnati Pops will be announced at a later date.

The visual elements for the concert's second half are being developed by Brave Berlin, a world-class creative design and production company based in Cincinnati. The visuals will be projected from trailers set up on Race Street, beaming across the park and onto the façade of Music Hall.

To post a comment, you must register and login.