Cincinnati May Festival Explores The Great Beyond In 2019

The Cincinnati May Festival announces the program details for the 2019 Festival with seven unique concert programs taking place between May 15 and 25, 2019, and an additional performance on April 14, 2019. Joining the Festival's artistic leadership team of Principal Conductor Juanjo Mena, now in his second season, and Director of Choruses Robert Porco are Creative Partners Roomful of Teeth, a celebrated vocal ensemble, and acclaimed composer Sir James MacMillan for the 2019 Festival. Music Director Laureate James Conlon also returns to the May Festival for the first time since 2016, and Craig Hella Johnson makes his May Festival debut leading the Vocal Arts Ensemble. The annual May Festival features the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and is programmed to inspire audiences with fresh collaborations while also drawing on its rich tradition as Cincinnati's longest running arts organization. Cincinnati's Music Hall was originally built for the May Festival in 1878.

"Our 2019 May Festival's theme delves further and puts before us what may be the most fundamental question of all: 'Is there life after death?' 'Is anybody there?'" said Mr. Mena. "Throughout two weeks packed with exquisite music, we will tackle existential questions about our destiny (as in Brahms' Schicksalslied), immortality (Mark Simpson's The Immortal), the afterlife (Vaughan Williams' Toward the Unknown Region), the last words before dying (James MacMillan's Seven Last Words from the Cross), and the lament and suffering of the Passion (Mahler's Das Klagende Lied and Bach's St Matthew Passion). For this we are delighted to welcome some new collaborators."

Roomful of Teeth is a Grammy- winning vocal project dedicated to reimagining the expressive potential of the human voice. Through study with masters from vocal traditions the world over, the eight-voice ensemble continually expands its vocabulary of singing techniques and, through an ongoing commissioning process, forges a new repertoire without borders. As a Creative Partner, the ensemble will participate in community engagement activities the first week of the Festival, perform a special concert on May 15, and also participate in the May Festival subscription opener with the May Festival Chorus and CSO on May 17 with Mr. Mena conducting.

Scottish composer James MacMillan is one of the world's most prominent and prolific composers of choral and orchestral music. His music is regularly performed by not only professional orchestras, but also youth and amateur groups around the world. As a 2019 May Festival Creative Partner, Mr. MacMillan conducts a concert on May 18 that includes his Seven Last Words from the Cross with the CSO and May Festival Chorus. He will also join Mr. Mena in conducting "Sounds of the City," a free community concert on Sunday, May 19 at Music Hall.

"Robert Porco and I are thrilled to welcome Roomful of Teeth and Sir James MacMillan as our Creative Partners this season," said Mr. Mena. "The expertise and artistry of our guests along with the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra have helped to shape a remarkable series of concerts and it is a honor for me to welcome back James Conlon to the May Festival podium."

Building on the tremendous success of the 2018 May Festival, community remains a major focus for the May Festival in 2019.

"We all look forward to bringing the community together in special programs including 'Sounds of the City,' a free concert at Music Hall, the annual concert at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption with a world premiere and May Festival commission by Clarice Assad, and an invitational performance by Cincinnati's own Vocal Arts Ensemble," said Mr. Mena.

CONCERT BY CONCERT

Festival Extra: "Bach at the Basilica," Sunday, April 14, 2019 Director of Choruses Robert Porco leads the May Festival Chamber Choir and Associate Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson leads the May Festival Youth Chorus in the annual concert at the beautiful Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Kentucky. The program includes works by Bach and Howells, as well as the world premiere of a May Festival Youth Chorus commission by Grammy-nominated composer Clarice Assad.

Festival Extra: Roomful of Teeth, Wednesday, May 15, 2019 2019 May Festival Creative Partner and Grammy-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth offers a special performance as part of the Festival at the Woodward Theater in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine.

"The Immortal," Friday, May 17, 2019 Juanjo Mena leads the U.S. premiere of Mark Simpson's The Immortal, which The Guardian describes as a "blazingly original oratorio steeped in the world of Victorian occultism." The program at Music Hall also includes Brahms Schicksalslied ("Song of Destiny") and Vaughan Williams' Toward the Unknown Region. Joining Mr. Mena, the May Festival Chorus and the CSO for The Immortal are vocal ensemble and 2019 May Festival Creative Partner Roomful of Teeth as well as baritone soloist Rod Gilfry.

"Silences Between," Saturday, May 18, 2019 2019 May Festival Creative Partner and acclaimed composer Sir James MacMillan leads a performance of Poulenc's Gloria and MacMillan's own Seven Last Words from the Cross, which Gramophone describes as a "grippingly intense and enviably concentrated setting... of Jesus' final utterances... "Inspiration runs consistently high in this nourishing cantata...." Mr. Macmillan, the May Festival Chorus and the CSO are joined by soprano soloist Lauren Michelle. The performance is at Music Hall.

Free Concert: "Sounds of the City," Sunday, May 19 2019 Juanjo Mena and 2019 May Festival Creative Partner Sir James MacMillan conduct "Sounds of the City," a free concert featuring the May Festival Community Chorus and more. More details will be announced at a later date.

Festival Extra: "Considering Matthew Shepard," Thursday, May 23, 2019 Grammy-winner Craig Hella Johnson leads Cincinnati's Vocal Arts Ensemble in a performance of his own acclaimed three-part fusion oratorio, Considering Matthew Shepard at the Patricia Corbett Theatre, located at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. According to Mr. Johnson this piece provides, within a musical framework, "a space for reflection, consideration and unity around (Matthew Shepard's) life and legacy."

"Games of Thrones," Friday, May 24, 2019 Music Director Laureate James Conlon returns to the Festival for the first time since 2016 to lead Mussorgsky's Prologue and Farewell Scene from Boris Godunov, Boito's Prologue from Mefistofele and Mahler's Das Klagende Lied at Music Hall. Mr. Conlon, the May Festival Chorus and the CSO are joined by vocal soloists Morris Robinson, Sarah Vautour, Taylor Raven, Richard Trey Smagur and Donnie Ray Albert. Mr. Conlon served as Music Director of the May Festival from 1979 to 2016.

"Bach's St. Matthew Passion," Saturday, May 25, 2019 For the 2019 May Festival finale, Juanjo Mena leads a performance of Bach's timeless masterpiece, St. Matthew Passion at Music Hall with the May Festival Chorus, May Festival Youth Chorus, CSO, and an international cast of vocal soloists including Berit Norbakken Solset, Carlos Mena, Werner Güra, Ben Bliss, and Hanno Müller-Brachmann.

Subscription and ticketing Season ticket packages of two to four Music Hall performances are on sale now starting at $46 with the option to add on Festival Extra performances. A new Festival Pass option includes a ticket to all Music Hall performances plus Festival Extras (8 concerts) for just $200. Subscribers enjoy best seating at the best prices, free ticket exchanges, priority for performances with reserved seating and the chance to buy guaranteed parking and Festival Extra concerts in advance. Remaining tickets for individual performances go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on March 1, 2019.

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