Classical Concert Reviews Cinci

@cincychamberorchestra concluded its newest We Are One concert series with a splendid program of contemporary orchestral and choral music inspired by immigrants, refugees and those who are displaced. Opening with Saunder Choi’s setting of the Emma Lazarus poem The New Colossus, the orchestra and chorus took the assembled audience at…

@collegium_cincy continued its 2023-24 season with its annual complete performance of George Frederic Handel’s choral masterpiece Messiah, long considered a musical essential of the Christmas season. As is tradition with Collegium, the chorus was no bigger than 16 singers, which possessed a vocal presence which was effervescent, florid, commanding, and…

@uc_ccm just presented an absolutely fabulous production of Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia as part of its MainStage Opera series. Setting a libretto by Ronald Duncan based on a play by André Obey, with its title role written for the much-lamented contralto Kathleen Ferrier, the opera explored issues most…

@cincysymphony opened its 2024 slate of concerts with wonderful, exciting performances of a pair of masterpieces by Johannes Brahms, his Piano Concerto No. 1 and Symphony No. 2, under the direction of guest conductor Donald Runnicles, making a welcome return appearance.Grammy-winning pianist Daniil Trifonov (@daniiltrifonov), who joined the orchestra for…

@vaecinci rang in the Christmas season at @christchurchcathedralcincy under guest conductor Trevor Kroeger (@trevorkroeger) with a program which explored both the fun and sentimental side of the holiday, joined by special guest artists Matthew Umphreys (@matthewumphreys) and Sarah Folsom of Queen City Cabaret (@qcccincy).The fun side was represented principally through…

The Cincinnati Pops Orchesra opened its 2024 slate of concerts with a fun and exciting concert staging of the 1975 John Kander and Fred Ebb musical Chicago. Among the most well-known and longest running Broadway shows of all time, it is full of memorable songs that have been mainstays of…

@cincysymphony opened its February slate of concerts with exhilarating performances of a pair of 20th-century masterpieces by Witold Lutosławski and Dimitri Shostakovich. Under the direction of Romanian guest conductor Cristian Măcelaru (@cristian.macelaru), the orchestra was first joined by guest cellist Kian Soltani (@kian.soltani_cellist) for Lurosławski’s Cello Concerto, who provided an…

Cincinnati’s Vocal Arts Ensemble (@vaecinci) continued its current season with a program titled Harmony Across Traditions, principally exploring gospel music and modern takes on the African-American spiritual. Under the engaging and fantastically fun direction of guest conductor Isaac Cates (@isaac_cates) and joined by it’s principal accompanist David Kirkendall, the choir…

@cincysymphony opened its Winstead Chamber Series for 2024 with a program featuring the big one of the hallmarks of early-romantic string quartets plus two lesser known masterpieces straddling the beginning and end of the 19th century. Violinist Rachel Charbel (@rachebeast), violist Christopher Fischer and flutist Rebecca Pancner opened with a…

Week of September 16, 2024 CLASSICAL/POPS Events marked with * are free admission JAZZ