We bring together epic talent to celebrate our city’s
225th birthday. Robert Spano, the
acclaimed Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony, brings
us an all-American program opening with Jennifer Higdon’s
“musical postcard,” All Things Majestic, accompanied by an
incredible multimedia presentation of treasured historic
images of our hall and our city. Pianist Garrick Ohlsson,
acclaimed worldwide for his “magisterial interpretive and
technical prowess,” performs the vibrant Barber Piano
Concerto. Copland’s Symphony No. 3, featuring themes
from Fanfare for the Common Man, provides the celebratory flourish for this momentous weekend.
Known as “the people’s diva,” superstar soprano Renée Fleming makes her Cincinnati debut for the gala opening concert. The three-time Grammy winner
will captivate you with her sumptuous voice and consummate artistry in a
wide-ranging program of operatic favorites, symphonic songs and arrangements of popular American music. Don’t miss this one-night-only opportunity to
experience the reigning soprano of our time.
GET THIS CONCERT OR JOSHUA BELL: SUPERSTAR FREE when you select 10+ concerts per person. Subscribe early for the best availability!
Make it a grand evening at Bella Notte, the Cincinnati Symphony Opening Night Gala! To ensure your name is added to the invitation list, call 513.381.3300 or email information@cincinnatisymphony.org. Melanie Chavez & Jeannine Winkelmann, Chairs Joe Rigotti, Creative Chair
Music Hall 513.381.3300
Repertoire includes DELIBES: Les filles de Cadix, Chanson Espagnole DUPARC: “Phidylé” GOUNOD: Selections from Faust VERDI: Selections from Otello KORNGOLD: Selections from Walzer aus Wein DVORÁK: Selections from Rusalka RODGERS and HAMMERSTEIN: Selections from The Sound of Music, The King and I and Carousel LERNER and LOEWE: Selections from My Fair Lady
And more
Joshua Bell, the multi-Grammy-winning superstar of the violin, performs not one, but two works on a program of extraordinary color and virtuosity. Bruch’s Violin Concerto and Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso are dramatic, impassioned and entirely captivating—perfect showpieces for Bell’s extraordinary talents. You’ll also hear the sounds of Spain as seen through the eyes of Ravel in his Rapsodie espagnole.
Respighi’s wildly popular Fountains and Pines of Rome are the centerpieces of this picturesque program, conducted by Creative Director Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. A master interpreter of Spanish music, Maestro Frühbeck de Burgos also brings us Falla’s colorful Nights in the Gardens of Spain, whose gypsy and flamenco rhythms are beautifully suited to the artistry of Mexican-American pianist Jorge Federico Osorio in his CSO debut.
A renowned Mahler interpreter, Maestro Frühbeck de Burgos brings together orchestral and choral forces for Mahler’s transcendent Symphony No. 3, featuring the dramatic mezzo Stephanie Blythe, hailed as the successor to the great Marilyn Horne. Mahler himself called this symphony “my most personal and richest work…a gigantic hymn to the glory of every aspect of creation….”
THURS DINNER & CONCERT: Complimentary pre-concert light dinner buffet in the Ballroom for all ticketholders. Doors open at 6:15 pm; concert at 7:30 pm. No RSVP required. (Menu)
One billion people saw her featured in the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics in London this summer, and now you can experience her live at Music Hall! Dame Evelyn Glennie returns to perform Jennifer
Higdon's high-octane Percussion Concerto, a huge
audience hit in its last CSO performances in 2009. The
always superb Peter Oundjian completes the program
with brilliant and popular works, including the beloved
Capriccio espagnol and Tchaikovksy's tale of a beautiful
noblewoman immortalized in Dante's Divine Comedy.
Cincinnati welcomes Louis Langrée in his first concert as Music Director Designate! Franck’s Symphony in D Minor, a treasure-trove of rich and familiar melodies, is a highlight of this colorful, all-French program. The ethereal splendor of Messiaen gives way to Saint-Saëns’ most popular piano concerto, a work whose technical demands, fiery passages and dramatic intensity will bring forth the artistic gifts of French pianist Cédric Tiberghien in his CSO debut.
Music Director Designate Louis Langrée summons magnificent vocal and orchestral forces for the most well-loved masterpiece of all time, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, a celebration of universal brotherhood culminating in the “Ode to Joy.” Schoenberg's poignant testimonial of courage brings the program full circle, a voyage from unimaginable darkness to insurmountable joy.
Join us in the CSO's new community–wide initiative to bring people together through music: One City, One Symphony.
THURS DINNER & CONCERT: Complimentary pre-concert light dinner buffet in the Ballroom for all ticketholders. Doors open at 6:15 pm; concert at 7:30 pm. No RSVP required. (Menu)
Prokofiev’s jaunty and popular Lieutenant Kijé Suite
sets the tone for the evening’s star, Branford Marsalis,
genius of the jazz and classical worlds. He performs the
accessible Tallahatchie Concerto by Dutch composer
“Jacob TV,” who describes his music as "voyages of
discovery for moments of beauty, bliss and ecstasy." Jacques Lacombe leads an exhibition of celebrated American composer Samuel Barber in the deeply emotional Night Flight and the dramatic Symphony No. 1.
FRI NOV 30 ONLY - Arrive early for cool jazz by The Young Lions. Then join MAC members after the concert for a special reception with Branford Marsalis and entertainment by the Princeton High School Jazz Ensemble. Complimentary to ticket holders. Space is limited.
Messiah will sound as grand as ever this year when your Cincinnati Symphony
Orchestra, led by Baroque specialist Jane Glover, performs Handels inspiring
masterpiece in Music Hall. With soaring voices and the jubilant Hallelujah chorus,
this classic is a Christmastime tradition that will make your heart sing.
Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, a three-movement
orchestral suite, combines energetic, rhythmic sections
with some of the composer’s lushest melodies. The
remarkable Sinfonia da Requiem, considered one of
Britten’s greatest orchestral scores, sets the stage for
Ravel’s G Major Piano Concerto, a sparkling tour de force
of perpetual motion—fitting music for Ingrid Fliter,
described by the LA Times as “a pianistic force of nature.” British conductor Justin Brown makes his CSO debut.
Paavo Järvi returns to Music Hall for the first time since receiving his final cheers as CSO Music Director in sold-out concerts in May 2011. Brahms’ revered Second Symphony, often described as the happiest of the composer’s symphonies, is the perfect showcase for the energizing artistry of Järvi with your orchestra. A favorite of CSO audiences, pianist Stewart Goodyear returns to perform a vividly imagined concerto whose shimmering colors, lush harmonies and technical fireworks place Lutoslawski’s music squarely among the masters.
THURS DINNER & CONCERT: Complimentary pre-concert light dinner buffet in the Ballroom for all ticketholders. Doors open at 6:15 pm; concert at 7:30 pm. No RSVP required. (Menu)
Gil Shaham, one of the most sought-after violinists in the
world and Musical America’s 2011 Instrumentalist of the
Year, performs Brahms’ popular Violin Concerto, “fueled by
the sort of energy and passion that lifts a performance far
above the notes on the page” (Seattle Times). Also on the
program is evocative music by the Pulitzer Prize-winning
composer George Walker and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1, a
romantic work dotted with wistful allusions to his Finnish
homeland.
Get a sneak peek of Louis Langrée’s 2013-14 Inaugural Season at these concerts!
The CSO’s Principal Oboist, Dwight Parry, performs Mozart’s Oboe Concerto, beautiful and elegant music whose flights of fancy are tailored to his virtuoso abilities. Robert Porco steps up to the podium to lead Mozart’s dramatic Don Giovanni Overture, as well as Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, glorious music that was written during the turmoil of the Napoleonic wars and is hailed as Haydn's “greatest single composition.”
From its famed opening flourish to its fiery finale,
Grieg’s Piano Concerto is one of the most popular—and
romantic—piano concertos of all time. This weekend
the music will be given a fresh and sensitive reading
by Simon Trpčeski, described as a “national hero”
in his native Macedonia. Mark Wigglesworth, whose
performances with the CSO and elsewhere have
elicited cheers from audiences and critics alike, leads
Shostakovich’s soul-stirring Tenth Symphony.
Park once, relax and savor every moment!
$80 package price includes concert ticket, delectable 3-course dinner at Nicola’s and complimentary shuttle service before and after the concert.
A titan of the classical music world, Pinchas Zukerman returns for a thrilling play/conduct engagement, in which the lovely and tuneful Beethoven Romances feature him as violin soloist. The poetic Transfigured Night and Mendelssohn’s beloved Italian Symphony, a stunning homage to the color and atmosphere of Italy, complete a program that is sure to be one of the season’s highlights.
Due to the demands of their growing business, Taste of Belgium will no longer be present in the Music Hall lobby for CSO and Pops morning or afternoon concerts. Please visit them at their physical restaurant, located just two blocks from Music Hall at the corner of 12th and Vine.
Schubert’s orchestral masterpiece is the mighty Symphony
No. 9, whose nickname, The Great, is a testament to
the music’s emotional power and enduring quality.
The phenomenal violinist Leila Josefowicz, who has
won audiences around the world with her honest and
fresh interpretations, returns to perform Thomas Adès’
spellbinding Concentric Paths.
Program | Music Hall 513.381.3300
RAVEL: Pavane pour une infante défunte ("Pavane for a Dead Princess")
Two beloved composers. One Grammy-winning pianist. Your CSO turns in an all-star weekend when the legendary pianist Yefim Bronfman brings his commanding technique and exceptional lyrical gifts to Music Hall for performances of Brahms' brilliant and beloved Second Piano Concerto. The dynamic young conductor Robert Trevino steps in for Sir Andrew Davis to lead the orchestra in Schumann's Symphony No. 2—a radiant work, by turns rousing and exuberant, elegiac and noble. Take a "break with Brahms" and don't miss this one.
THURS DINNER & CONCERT: Complimentary pre-concert light dinner buffet in the Ballroom for all ticketholders. Doors open at 6:15 pm; concert at 7:30 pm. No RSVP required. (Menu)
Among today’s most celebrated and beloved superstars,
pianist André Watts returns to perform one of the most
popular concertos ever written, Beethoven’s Emperor
Concerto. Mei-Ann Chen, who impressed as a last-minute
replacement for CSO concerts in November 2011, leads
an exploration of the concerto in all its forms: in Jennifer
Higdon’s showpiece for orchestra and Chinese-American
composer Zhou Tian’s world premiere, featuring the solo
artistry of the CSO’s concertmaster.
Classical Conversations webcast with Jennifer Higdon - 7PM, FRI
Program | Music Hall 513.381.3300
ZHOU TIAN: Poem From A Vanished Time World Premiere
The awe-inspiring Sarah Chang, recognized as one of the world’s great violinists, performs the Barber Violin Concerto, music saturated with warmth and joy—and a large dose of dazzling virtuosity. Jakub Hrůša, hailed by Gramophone as one of 10 young conductors “on the verge of greatness,” makes his CSO debut leading music of his countrymen: the tumultuous Sárka from Smetana’s beloved symphonic poem and the most nationalistic of Dvořák’s symphonies, the irresistible Symphony No. 6.
THURS DINNER & CONCERT: Complimentary pre-concert light dinner buffet in the Ballroom for all ticketholders. Doors open at 6:15 pm; concert at 7:30 pm. No RSVP required. (Menu)
LIVE VIDEO CHAT WITH SARAH CHANG: Tune in to the CSO's UStream Channel 7 pm on Wednesday, April 3 for a live video chat with violinist Sarah Chang. Submit your questions for Sarah on the CSO's Facebook and Twitter pages. Details
CSO ENCORE SEASON FINALE: Join CSO Encore for the final after-party of the season at the 21c Museum Hotel on APR 6. Just $50 for concert, party admission, drink ticket and light bites with promo code ENCORE. Details | Tickets
Soar to magnificent heights with majestic music by Strauss and Mozart. Roberto Abbado leads a richly hued program including Mozart’s overtly passionate Piano Concerto No. 24, performed by Inon Barnatan (who again steps in at a moment’s notice replacing Lars Vogt), hailed as “a pianist of uncommon sensitivity.” With its massive orchestral forces and cinematic quality, Strauss’ Alpine Symphony conjures an exhilarating climb through the Bavarian Alps in music the composer describes as “worship of eternal, magnificent nature.”
The sweeping Inextinguishable Symphony, written against the backdrop of World War I, conveys, in Nielsen’s
words, “The elemental Will of Life. Music is Life and,
like it, inextinguishable.” (A duel between two sets
of timpani in the finale is a highlight!) This intriguing
program also features Simone Lamsma, a rising star
violinist with technique to burn, performing Britten’s
Violin Concerto—music that is at once tender and
lyrical, spirited and passion-filled.
$10 TICKETS on Friday, April 26: The CSO always offers limited $10 tickets for all subscription concerts, but on Friday, April 26, ALL tickets are $10 with a canned food donation. The CSO is proud to participate in the Orchestras Feeding America food drive, benefiting Cincinnati’s own Freestore Foodbank.