CINCINNATI (March 9, 2026)—Have you ever dreamed of appearing on the Cincinnati Music Hall stage? Cincinnati Opera is ready to give you your moment in the spotlight. No singing skills are required!

Cincinnati Opera will hold two open casting calls for supernumerary roles for the company’s 2026 Summer Festival. The information and casting sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., and Saturday, April 25, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. at the Corbett Opera Center at Music Hall (1243 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202). 

Supernumerary—or “super”—roles are non-singing, non-speaking roles, much like extras in film and television. Supers will share the stage with internationally renowned artists and work with celebrated directors and conductors. No experience is necessary and all super positions are filled on a voluntary basis. Individuals of all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, and abilities are welcome and encouraged to apply.

Cincinnati Opera seeks applicants for the following roles:

Salome
Commitment period: June 4–20, 2026
Performances: June 18 and 20, 2026
Supers needed: Four (4) adults to portray men

• Three (3) guards

• One (1) executioner with bodybuilder physique

Lalovavi
Commitment period: June 8–July 11, 2026
Performances: July 9 and 11, 2026
Supers needed: Eight (8) adults

• Four (4) adults to portray women

• Four (4) adults to portray men

Lalovavi is an original Afrofuturist opera that draws deeply from Black culture, history, and imagination. We are seeking individuals who can authentically and respectfully represent the lived experiences and cultural perspectives of the characters in this work.

Carmen
Commitment period: June 29–August 2, 2026
Performances: July 25, 29, 31, and August 2, 2026
Supers needed: Eight (8) adults

• Three (3) adults to portray women

• Five (5) adults to portray men

Cincinnati Opera’s productions of Salome, Lalovavi, and Carmen will be presented in Springer Auditorium at Cincinnati Music Hall. Supers are required to attend approximately 10–15 rehearsals. Daytime rehearsals may be scheduled.

Attending a casting call does not obligate a person to participate. Interested individuals may attend simply to learn more about supernumerary opportunities. For more information, please visit cincinnatiopera.org or email supers@cincinnatiopera.org.

Event Details

What:
Cincinnati Opera’s 2026 Supernumerary Open Casting Calls and Information Sessions

When:
Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 25, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Where:
Corbett Opera Center, Cincinnati Music Hall, 1243 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Entrance is at the corner of Elm and 14th Streets.

For information:
supers@cincinnatiopera.org

About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the U.S., Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.

Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. Our programming is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Cincinnati Opera also receives support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, and the H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, along with many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a member of OPERA America. Learn more: cincinnatiopera.org.

CINCINNATI (March 2, 2026)—Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) invite the public to an exclusive preview of O’Keeffe: Kiss the Sky, a new opera-ballet commissioned by Washington National Opera and inspired by the life of celebrated American artist Georgia O’Keeffe, on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at Cincinnati Ballet (1801 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45202). This special sneak peek will be presented through Cincinnati Opera and CCM’s dynamic creative partnership, Opera Fusion: New Works, which offers composers and librettists the opportunity to refine their works-in-progress through Cincinnati-based workshops. 

With music by GRAMMY Award-winning composer Christopher Tin, libretto by Kelley Rourke, stage direction by Francesca Zambello, and choreography by Jessica Lang, O’Keeffe: Kiss the Sky traces the artist’s journey to becoming one of America’s most iconic creative forces, and the people who shaped her along the way. At its heart is the tension between her passionate but complicated marriage to art dealer and photographer Alfred Stieglitz—her greatest champion, but also controlling and unfaithful—and the liberating influence of Mabel Dodge Luhan, an intellectual and arts patron who brought artists to the Southwest and, in so doing, helped Georgia discover the vast desert landscape that would define her work. Through opera and ballet, O’Keeffe: Kiss the Sky explores not just the artist’s life but the unpredictable ways relationships shaped her voice and legacy. Commissioned by Washington National Opera, O’Keeffe: Kiss the Sky will receive its world premiere there at a date to be announced.

Internationally-renowned soprano Christine Goerke will lead the cast of the March 31 preview in the role of Mabel Dodge Luhan, with mezzo-soprano Natalie Corrigan as Georgia O’Keeffe and tenor Tristan Tournaud as Alfred Stieglitz. Also featured are dancers Sierra Armstrong, SunMi Park, and Tristan Brosnan from American Ballet Theatre, along with student singers and dancers from CCM.

Event Information

• Opera Fusion: New Works presents O’Keeffe: Kiss the Sky Public Preview

• Tuesday, March 31, 7:30 p.m.

• Cincinnati Ballet, 1801 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45202

• Tickets: $15 for adults; free for full-time students (one ticket per valid student ID)

• Order at cincinnatiopera.org or 513-241-2742

About Opera Fusion: New Works
Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW) is a partnership between Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) dedicated to fostering the development of new American operas. OF:NW offers composers and librettists the opportunity to workshop an opera during a residency in Cincinnati utilizing the facilities, personnel, and talent of both Cincinnati Opera and CCM. The workshops are cast with a combination of CCM students and professional artists and culminate with a public presentation of excerpts. Opera Fusion: New Works is generously supported by an anonymous donor. For more information, visit ofnw.org.

About Washington National Opera
Washington National Opera (WNO) is one of the world’s leading opera companies. Led by General Director Timothy O’Leary, Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, and Music Director Robert Spano, WNO presents a wide-ranging repertory that spans iconic classics, contemporary works, and newly commissioned operas. Founded in 1956, WNO celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2026, a year that also marks its return to operating as a fully independent company. Recent seasons have featured acclaimed productions of Verdi’s Aida, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, and a landmark Turandot with a newly commissioned ending by Christopher Tin and Susan Soon He Stanton. WNO’s legacy includes Zambello’s internationally celebrated Ring Cycle, the D.C. premiere of Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson’s Blue, and the world premiere of Philip Glass’ reimagined Appomattox. WNO is also internationally recognized for its education and community engagement programs, including the American Opera Initiative, the Cafritz Young Artist Program, the WNO Opera Institute, and Opera in the Outfield®, which advance WNO's mission to make opera vital, accessible, and artistically ambitious in the nation’s capital.

About CCM
Nationally ranked and internationally renowned, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is a preeminent institution for the performing and media arts. The school’s educational roots date back to 1867, and a solid, visionary instruction has been at its core since that time. CCM offers 10 degree types (BA, BFA, BM, MA, MFA, MM, MME, AD, DMA, PhD) in nearly 120 possible majors, along with a wide variety of pre-collegiate and post-graduate programs and workshops.

CCM provides students with professionally oriented immersive experiences in order to prepare them to enter directly into performing and media arts careers. CCM’s Opera and Voice Departments provide one of the most comprehensive training programs for opera singers, coaches, and directors in the United States. CCM’s Dance Department puts an emphasis on ballet and contemporary styles, making it perfect for dancers seeking top-level training and rigorous artistic, academic, and studio curriculum. CCM offers an international faculty of dedicated educators who are also celebrated professionals in their own right, widely and currently active in their respective fields. Many of the college’s graduates have achieved notable success in the performing and media arts, and 94.1% of graduates are working or continuing their education one year after graduation.

CCM Voice and Opera program support is provided by The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund and the Patricia A. Corbett Estate. Additional support for CCM’s undergraduate opera productions is provided by Rafael and Kimberly de Acha. CCM Dance program support is provided by the Corbett Endowment and the William L. Gasch Endowment Fund for Dance Excellence. To learn more, visit ccm.uc.edu.

About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the U.S., Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.

Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. Our programming is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Cincinnati Opera also receives support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, and the H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, along with many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a member of OPERA America. Learn more: cincinnatiopera.org.

Media Contacts:
Katie Syroney
Cincinnati Opera
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

Laura Farmer
Washington National Opera
press@washnatopera.org

CINCINNATI (February 4, 2026)—You’re invited to experience the rich stories, history, and drama at the heart of opera through Cincinnati Opera’s new event series, Underscore. From March through May, audiences will be immersed in fun and imaginative experiences inspired by the operas featured during Cincinnati Opera’s 2026 Summer Festival. From theatrical investigations to topical discussions to lively character explorations, attendees will discover the unexpected connections and relatable moments that make opera resonate.

Cincinnati Opera presents

Underscore

A lively new event series that approaches opera from unexpected angles, inviting audiences to explore its stories and ideas in imaginative and surprising ways.

____

Underscore: The Importance of Being Oscar
A nearly-true story of Oscar Wilde’s first visit to Cincinnati

When:
Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

Where:
Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall, 1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Description:
Before writing his controversial play Salome, the source material for Richard Strauss’s opera, Oscar Wilde visited Cincinnati three times during his speaking tour of America in 1882. This original one-act play by Cincinnati Opera’s Evans Mirageas and Audrey Chait dramatizes the interview Wilde gave just prior to his first lecture at Music Hall. As interviewed by Samuel Flickinger of the Cincinnati Gazette, Oscar applies his trademark wit to his impressions of Cincinnati, the Aesthetic movement, music, fame, and much more. Starring Douglas Fries as Oscar Wilde and Chris Logan Carter as the Interviewer, with performances by soprano Heidi Middendorf, tenor Jack Keller, and pianist Matthew Umphreys.

Tickets:
$25 per event; $60 for 3-event package. Order at cincinnatiopera.org or 513-241-2742.

___

Underscore: Carmen’s Revenge—An Operatic Murder Mystery

When:
Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

Where:
Second Sight Spirits, 301 Elm Street, Ludlow, KY 41016

Description:
Spoiler alert: Things don’t go well for Carmen at the end of Bizet’s opera. But what if the drama didn’t stop at the end of Act IV? Join us for an interactive, irreverent, and, of course, operatic glimpse into what comes next for Carmen’s friends and foes—no prior Carmen knowledge required! Filled with clues and plot twists, plus live performances of classic Carmen arias, you’ll learn more about the opera while engaging with the cast of characters and fellow guests to uncover the truth. Will you be the sleuth who pieces it together and solves the murder?

Tickets:
$25 per event; $60 for 3-event package. Cash bar available. Order at cincinnatiopera.org or 513-241-2742.

___

Underscore: The Afrofuturist Salon

When:
Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.

Where:
Artsville, 5021 Whetsel Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45227

Description:
Step into the vibrant universe of Lalovavi, Cincinnati Opera’s bold, new Afrofuturist opera, with The Afrofuturist Salon. This event brings together cultural innovators, creative voices, and curious minds for cocktails, connection, and conversation inspired by Afrofuturism and the power of hair, style, identity, storytelling, and legacy. Featuring Lalovavi librettist Tifara Brown, wig designer Tiara Jones, and Cassandra Jones, University of Cincinnati Assistant Professor of Africana Studies, exploring the intersections of Black futurism, beauty, and self-expression. The experience flows into a high-energy DJ set with spoken word and remixes inspired by Lalovavi.

Tickets:
$25 per event; $60 for 3-event package. Cash bar available. Order at cincinnatiopera.org or 513-241-2742.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Summer Festival took place June 12–July 27, 2025, at Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall. The productions to be broadcast include Rigoletto, Tosca, and two of Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Studio Sessions—"Soul and Sound: Dueling Pianos and Artistic Tributes to the Harlem Renaissance” and “Anthony Clark Evans in Recital.” For additional details, please visit wguc.org.

CINCINNATI OPERA’S 2025 SUMMER FESTIVAL ON 90.9 WGUC
Broadcast Schedule:

Sunday, November 2 | 8 p.m. ET
Rigoletto

Originally performed June 12 and 14, 2025, at Cincinnati Music Hall

Music by Giuseppe Verdi; libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

John Fiore, conductor; Elio Bucky, stage director; Tomer Zvulun, original stage director

Featuring Michael Chioldi, Kathryn Lewek, Zach Borichevsky, Morris Robinson, Tesia Kwarteng, Donnie Ray Albert, Thomas Dreeze, Alexander Gushrowski, Kaylee Nichols, Heidi Middendorf, Vernon Hartman, Kaylyn Taylor Baldwin, Seoyong Lee; Cincinnati Opera Chorus; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Description:
Rigoletto is a court jester with sharp wit and a merciless tongue. By cruelly mocking a grieving father, he sets in motion a tragic lesson in poetic justice. Featuring iconic arias like “Caro nome” and “La donna è mobile,” Verdi’s masterpiece sees Rigoletto become intimately familiar with the dangers of careless love, misguided vengeance, and the inescapable lesson that, under no circumstances, can you fool fate.

Sunday, November 9 | 8 p.m. ET
Tosca 

Originally performed June 26 and 28, 2025, at Cincinnati Music Hall

Music by Giacomo Puccini; libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Clelia Cafiero, conductor; Jose Maria Condemi, stage director

Featuring Karah Son, Matthew White, Anthony Clark Evans, Justin Hopkins, Sam Smith, Julius Ahn, Ryan Henry, Cole Stephenson; Cincinnati Opera Chorus; Cincinnati Boychoir; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Description:
Floria Tosca suspects her lover of being unfaithful when really, he’s helping an escaped political prisoner and friend. This misunderstanding mutates into a series of escalating and irreversible misfortunes once Baron Scarpia, the chief of the secret police, enters the scene. Set in Rome during a time of national upheaval, as Napoleon’s army marches on Italy, Puccini’s epic opera stands as one of the most enduring and beloved of all time.

Sunday, November 16 | 8 p.m. ET
Studio Sessions—Soul and Sound: Dueling Pianos and Artistic Tributes to the Harlem Renaissance

Originally performed June 17, 2025, at Cincinnati Music Hall

Featuring Tifara Brown (poet and curator), Justin Hopkins (bass-baritone), Kevin Day (pianist), Kevin Miller (pianist)

Description:
Experience a virtuosic evening spanning multiple genres and time periods. Poet and curator Tifara Brown, pianists Kevin Day and Kevin Miller, and bass-baritone Justin Hopkins present poetry, opera, jazz, and classical repertoire inspired by the artistry of the Harlem Renaissance.

Sunday, November 23 | 8 p.m. ET
Studio Sessions—Anthony Clark Evans in Recital

Originally performed July 10, 2025, at Cincinnati Music Hall

Featuring Anthony Clark Evans (baritone), James Maverick (piano)

Description:
Audiences will remember the “warm-toned, vivacious, and humane” (San Francisco Chronicle) baritone Anthony Clark Evans from recent Cincinnati Opera productions of Lucia di Lammermoor, La Traviata, and Tosca. In this solo recital, Evans performs hand-picked selections with pianist James Maverick.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

Officers were elected at Cincinnati Opera’s Annual Meeting on September 17, 2025. These officers were originally elected to serve a one-year term in September 2024 and were all re-elected to serve another one-year term as of the Annual Meeting. They include:

• President Ronald T. Bates, Managing Director, 1919 Investment Counsel

• Chair Melanie M. Chavez, Partner, Chavez Properties

• Treasurer and Executive Vice President Robert Bitter, Partner, Deloitte

• Secretary Charles E. Baverman III, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl

Also as of the Annual Meeting, new trustees and new members of the Cincinnati Opera Board Associates, a subsidiary of the board of trustees composed of young professionals, began their three-year terms.

New trustees include:

• Amy Bixel, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Fifth Third Bank

• Josh Blatt, President, John Henry Homes

• Michael T. Dean, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl

• Michelle Goret, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Cintas

• Brandon R. Jones, Audit Partner, Deloitte

• David Paredes, Director of Marketing, Standard Textile

• Buffie Rixey, community volunteer

• Heather Z. Vecellio, Director of Brand, Design, and Production, HiNOTE

New Board Associates include:

• Alicia DeVore, Marketing and Public Relations, Castellini Management Company

• Caressa Layne Miles, Operations Coordinator and Gallery Director, Xavier University

• Cara Nicolas, Marketing Coordinator, SHP, and Owner/Writer, Caniche Communications

• Maddie Shanahan, Attorney, Calfee, Halter & Griswold

• Carlin Twedt, Brand Manager, KAO

• Lou Velazquez, Marketing Director, The BMW Store & Cincinnati MINI

• Tobias P. Wright, Account Executive, Zoom

About Cincinnati Opera

Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.

Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. Our programming is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Cincinnati Opera also receives support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, and the H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, along with many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a member of OPERA America. Learn more: cincinnatiopera.org.

Highlights of the season:

• A bold new chapter begins with the world premiere of Lalovavi, an Afrofuturist opera by Kevin Day and Tifara Brown, inaugurating Cincinnati Opera’s Black Opera Project

• Strauss’s scandalous masterpiece Salome returns to Music Hall for the first time in more than 25 years

• Bizet’s beloved Carmen returns in a vibrant new-to-Cincinnati production infused with fiery passion

• Ricky Ian Gordon’s hauntingly beautiful Orpheus and Euridice receives its company premiere

• Two Studio Sessions performances offer rare, up-close musical experiences curated by the artists themselves

CINCINNATI (July 23, 2025)—Tonight, from the stage of Cincinnati Music Hall, Cincinnati Opera’s Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director Evans Mirageas unveiled details of the company’s 2026 Summer Festival. Performances will run from June 18 through August 2, 2026, at Music Hall, featuring internationally renowned artists in works from reinvigorated classics to the boldly future-focused.

The 2026 season opens with Richard Strauss’s psychological drama Salome (June 18 and 20), which takes the Music Hall stage for the first time since 2000 with a powerhouse cast: Kathryn Lewek, Alfred Walker, Chad Shelton, Michelle DeYoung, and Zach Borichevsky. The season continues with the world premiere of the thrilling Afrofuturist opera Lalovavi by Kevin Day and Tifara Brown (July 9 and 11), the first work in Cincinnati Opera’s three-part Black Opera Project; the cast is led by Brittany Olivia Logan, Talise Trevigne, Morris Robinson, Adrienne Danrich, Zoie Reams, Terrence Chin-Loy, Michael Preacely, and G. Thomas Allen. Georges Bizet’s iconic Carmen returns (July 25, 29, and 31; August 2) in a vibrant, new-to-Cincinnati production starring J’Nai Bridges, Matthew White, Teresa Perrotta, Ryan McKinny, and Kayleigh Decker. Presented alongside Carmen is Ricky Ian Gordon’s intimate and moving Orpheus and Euridice (July 28 and 30; August 1). Following a sold-out 2025 run, two Studio Sessions (June 25 and July 1) round out the season, featuring artist-curated repertoire in a cabaret-style setting.

Said Mirageas, “When opera is at its best, it has the potential to open doors to joy, empathy, and understanding. Our 2026 season was built on this aspiration, celebrating works that make us feel deeply, reflect on our world, and connect with one another through profound shared experiences. From the bold imagination of Lalovavi and the fierce power of Salome and Carmen, to the intimacy of Orpheus and Euridice and our artist-curated Studio Sessions, we invite audiences both longtime and new to discover themselves within these stories and become immersed in their inspiring artistry.”

Echoed Chris Milligan, Cincinnati Opera’s Harry Fath General Director & CEO, “As we launch our 2026 Summer Festival, we do so with incredible excitement and a deep appreciation for the city and region that has sustained and energized us for 106 years. We planned the 2026 season with this guiding belief in mind: anyone can enjoy opera, and everyone should have the opportunity. By sharing diverse voices and stories and presenting experiences rooted in and reflective of our community, we hope to offer meaningful pathways for everyone to find connection and belonging at Cincinnati Opera.”

Season and ticket information for Cincinnati Opera’s 2026 Summer Festival are available below and at cincinnatiopera.org.

CINCINNATI OPERA
2026 SUMMER FESTIVAL

SALOME
Music by Richard Strauss
Libretto by Hedwig Lachmann

Thursday, June 18, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 20, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall
Sung in German with projected English translation

Drawn from the scandalous play by Oscar Wilde, Richard Strauss’s searing one-act opera Salome is set to a libretto by poet Hedwig Lachmann that explores obsession and the consequences of unchecked desire. The teenage princess Salome develops a singular fixation on Jochanaan (John the Baptist), which leads her to defy both her stepfather Herod and the rules of society to win her prize. Through its intense psychological drama and richly modernist score—including the provocative “Dance of the Seven Veils”—Salome is a tour de force that leads to a shocking, unforgettable conclusion.

Jose Maria Condemi, who directed Cincinnati Opera’s acclaimed production of Tosca last season, will lead this new imagining of Salome with lighting design by Thomas C. Hase. Internationally acclaimed maestro Robert Spano, current music director of the Washington National Opera, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and Aspen Music Festival, and Music Director Laureate of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, conducts the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Soprano Kathryn Lewek, called “a sensation” (Cincinnati Business Courier) after her recent Cincinnati Opera appearances as Gilda (Rigoletto), makes her role debut as Salome. Jochanaan will be sung by the “rich-toned and charismatic” (The New York Times) bass-baritone Alfred Walker. As Salome’s stepfather, Herod, tenor Chad Shelton has been praised for “singing with heroic amplitude and thrust and bringing the text to vivid life” (Opera Magazine). Mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung, called a “powerful singer with a warm, seductive tone” (The New York Times), reprises the role of Herodias, Salome’s mother, which she recently sang at the Metropolitan Opera. Zach Borichevsky brings his “exciting tenor” (Cincinnati Business Courier) to the role of Narraboth, returning to Cincinnati Opera after appearing as the Duke of Mantua in last season’s Rigoletto.

LALOVAVI
Music by Kevin Day
Libretto by Tifara Brown

Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 11, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall
Sung in English and Tut with projected English lyrics and translation

Cincinnati Opera is proud to continue its commitment to new works with the world premiere of Lalovavi, featuring music by Kevin Day and libretto by Tifara Brown. Lalovavi is the first work in Cincinnati Opera’s Black Opera Project, a nationally unique, three-opera commissioning initiative that brings together visionary artists to develop work that celebrates the resilience, richness, and creativity of the Black American experience.

Set 400 years into the future, Lalovavi is an Afrofuturist adventure that follows Persephone, the youngest daughter of Titan, the ruler of Atlas—the city once known as Atlanta. Currency and status in Atlas are determined based on the presence of Syndica, a gene that promotes vitality and longevity. When Persephone is found to possess a variant of Syndica that confers immortality, she is betrayed by her family and must run for her life. She is thrust into an epic journey, uncovering a hidden past that leads her to discover love’s true meaning and the power to determine her destiny.

Kimille Howard, a prolific director of new works at companies such as Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the Glimmerglass Festival, and Washington National Opera, leads the new production as both stage director and dramaturg, with scenic design by Lawrence E. Moten III, costume design by Kara Harmon, and lighting design by Thomas C. Hase. Acclaimed pianist Kevin Miller makes his conducting debut guiding the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra through Day’s richly layered and cinematic score.

Soprano Brittany Olivia Logan, praised for her “voice clear and rich, capable of burnished color and shocking lightness” (The Washington Post), leads the cast as the heroine, Persephone. Soprano Talise Trevigne, a “mesmerizing” artist with a “ravishing voice” (Cincinnati Business Courier), is Niamara, leader of the rebel nation. Grammy Award-winning bass and Cincinnati Opera Artistic Advisor Morris Robinson, lauded for a voice that “stunned with its richness and gravity” (Seen and Heard International), sings the role of the Atlan ruler, Titan Musan. Emmy-winning soprano Adrienne Danrich, called a “standout, a singer of unusual might” (The Washington Post) is Dinah, Persephone’s nursemaid. Hailed for her “velvety mezzo” (Opera News), Zoie Reams is Persephone’s older sister, Zipporah, and as Lucian, the leader of Titan’s elite guard, Terrence Chin-Loy will showcase his “beautiful lyric tenor voice” (Opera News). The cast also features more award-winning singers: baritone Michael Preacely as Atlas’s head geneticist Dr. Apollos and vocalist G. Thomas Allen as the rebel guardian Ivavi.

CARMEN
Music by Georges Bizet
Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy

Saturday, July 25, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 31, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 2, 2026 | 3 p.m.
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall
Sung in French with projected English translation

Returning to Music Hall after more than a decade is Carmen, Georges Bizet’s iconic story of passion, freedom, and fate. The captivating Carmen draws others into her orbit with her magnetic allure and fierce independence. When the soldier Don José becomes the latest to fall for her, he abandons everything and succumbs to a perilous obsession, hurtling them both toward deadly consequences. Carmen’s riveting drama is propelled by Bizet’s rhythmic score and irresistible melodies audiences will immediately recognize, including the famous “Habanera” and “Toreador Song.”

The new-to-Cincinnati production, a co-production between Opera Philadelphia and Seattle Opera originated by Paul Curran, designed by Gary McCann, and featuring lighting design by Thomas C. Hase, transports the story to an imaginary setting akin to late-1950s Havana. Frequent Cincinnati Opera guest artist and artistic director of Opera Naples, dynamic conductor Ramón Tebar takes the podium with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

J’Nai Bridges, known for her “plush-voiced mezzo-soprano” (The New York Times) and “calmly commanding stage presence” (The New Yorker), returns to Cincinnati Opera in the title role. Fresh off of his triumph in last season’s Tosca, Matthew White brings a “distinctive tenor [with a] dark and powerful lyric sound” (New York Classical Review) to the role of the soldier Don José. Appearing as Micaela is soprano Teresa Perrotta, a winner of the prestigious Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition praised for her “sweet, rich voice” (Classical Voice North America), and bass-baritone Ryan McKinny, recognized as “one of the finest singers of his generation” (Opera News), sings the role of the toreador Escamillo. Kayleigh Decker shares a “shimmering mezzo-soprano” (Seen and Heard International) as Carmen’s friend, Mercedes.

Orpheus and Euridice
Music and text by Ricky Ian Gordon

Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 30, 2026 | 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 1, 2026 | 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Wilks Studio | Cincinnati Music Hall
Sung in English

Composer Ricky Ian Gordon’s lyrical chamber opera Orpheus and Euridice retells the ancient myth from a contemporary perspective. When Euridice mysteriously dies and descends into the Underworld, Orpheus follows, playing music to appease the infernal deities he encounters and earning a second chance at life with his beloved. As Orpheus leads Euridice back to Earth, he looks back at her too soon, and she vanishes forever. Shattered, Orpheus’s sorrow is transformed into music that echoes throughout the world.

Scored for soprano, piano, clarinet, and string quintet and conducted by Stephen Mulligan, soprano Heidi Middendorf will serve as both narrator and Euridice, while Christopher Pell, Principal Clarinet with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, gives haunting voice to Orpheus. The original production will be shaped for Music Hall’s intimate Wilks Studio by stage director Audrey Chait with choreography by Cincinnati Ballet’s Yoshihisa Arai.

Studio Sessions

Thursday, June 25, 2026 | 8 p.m.
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 | 8 p.m.
Wilks Studio | Cincinnati Music Hall

Cincinnati Opera will host two Studio Sessions in Music Hall’s Wilks Studio, each offering an artist-curated, up-close, and personal performance experience. These concerts immerse audiences in a unique atmosphere where artists take center stage, guiding the evening through storytelling and song. Featured artists and programming will be announced at a later date.

Tickets

Subscriptions for Cincinnati Opera’s 2026 Summer Festival are now available and start at $60 for 3-show packages. Tickets to individual performances go on sale November 21, 2025, and start at $21. Discounts are available for seniors, educators, U.S. veterans and active military personnel, full-time students, ArtsWave Pass members, and SNAP cardholders. For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org or contact the Cincinnati Opera Box Office at 513-241-2742.

CINCINNATI (March 19, 2025)—Cincinnati Opera is delighted to announce the return of its popular performance series, Opera Goes to Church!, coming to area churches this June. Presented in partnership with three local congregations—Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, Southern Baptist Church, and New Jerusalem Baptist Church—Opera Goes to Church! blends gospel, jazz, and classical music to create a one-of-a-kind, dynamic community concert experience. Performances will feature acclaimed opera artists, inspiring congregational choirs, local musicians, and more. See below for details.

Cincinnati Opera presents
OPERA GOES TO CHURCH! 

What:
Experience an unforgettable musical journey with Opera Goes to Church!, a powerful fusion of gospel, jazz, and classical music presented in partnership with local congregations. This uplifting 90-minute concert hosted by WLWT-TV’s Courtis Fuller features world-renowned opera singers, dynamic church choirs, and exceptional local musicians, creating an inspiring community celebration of the transformative power of music. 

When and Where:
June 3, 2025, at 7 p.m.
Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church
9991 Wayne Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45215

June 4, 2025, at 7 p.m.
Southern Baptist Church
3556 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45229 

June 5, 2025, at 7 p.m.
New Jerusalem Baptist Church
26 West North Bend Road, Cincinnati, OH 45216 

Tickets:
Free; limit two (2) per household. A $2.50 per ticket processing fee will be applied. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.cincinnatiopera.org or by calling the Cincinnati Opera Box Office at 513-241-2742.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

CINCINNATI (March 5, 2025)—Cincinnati Opera has announced the lineup for its 2025 series of Studio Sessions—intimate, cabaret-style performances at Music Hall’s Wilks Studio curated and performed by Cincinnati Opera artists. Studio Sessions will take place during Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Summer Festival (June 12–July 27) alongside its mainstage productions of Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto, Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca, and an all-new production of Fiddler on the Roof by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Joseph Stein. See below for details.

Cincinnati Opera presents
STUDIO SESSIONS

June 17, 2025, at 8 p.m.
Soul and Sound: Dueling Pianos and Artistic Tributes to the Harlem Renaissance
Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Experience a virtuosic evening spanning multiple genres and time periods. Inspired by the Harlem “rent parties” of the 1920s and onward, pianists Kevin Day and Kevin Miller present opera, jazz, and classical repertoire along with poet and curator Tifara Brown and special musical guests.

Tickets: General admission: $47, reserved seating: $67. Tickets are on sale now for 2025 Summer Festival subscribers and will go on sale to the general public on April 1, 2025. To order, call 513-241-2742 or visit cincinnatiopera.org.

July 10, 2025, at 8 p.m.
Anthony Clark Evans in Recital
Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Audiences will remember the “warm-toned, vivacious, and humane” (San Francisco Chronicle) baritone Anthony Clark Evans from recent Cincinnati Opera productions of Lucia di Lammermoor and La Traviata. Now, following his mainstage performances as Scarpia in Tosca, Evans returns for an evening of handpicked selections perfect for the intimate studio setting, joined by pianist James Maverick.

Tickets: General admission: $47, reserved seating: $67. Tickets are on sale now for 2025 Summer Festival subscribers and will go on sale to the general public on April 1, 2025. To order, call 513-241-2742 or visit cincinnatiopera.org.

July 17, 2025, at 8 p.m.
From Avenue A to Broadway: Songs and Stories of Tin Pan Alley
Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

At the turn of the 20th century, an unassuming Manhattan neighborhood was quickly becoming the vibrant epicenter of American popular music. Tin Pan Alley gave voice to a community of diverse composers, lyricists, and performers, mingling the traditions of Yiddish theater with Western classical music, ragtime, and jazz to shape the soundtrack of an era. Cincinnati Opera features Queen City Cabaret’s Sarah Folsom and Matthew Umphreys along with special guests to shine a spotlight on the artists whose resilience, innovation, and spirit of collaboration spurred the golden age of American popular song.

Tickets: General admission: $47, reserved seating: $67. Tickets are on sale now for 2025 Summer Festival subscribers and will go on sale to the general public on April 1, 2025. To order, call 513-241-2742 or visit cincinnatiopera.org.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

CINCINNATI (February 18, 2025)—For anyone who’s dreamed of appearing on the Cincinnati Music Hall stage, Cincinnati Opera is ready to give you your moment in the spotlight. No singing skills are required!

Cincinnati Opera will hold two open casting calls for supernumerary roles for the company’s 2025 Summer Festival. The information and casting sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, March 26, 2025, 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m., and Saturday, March 29, 2025, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. at the Corbett Opera Center at Music Hall (1243 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202).

Supernumerary—or “super”—roles are non-singing, non-speaking roles, much like extras in film and television. Supers will share the stage with internationally renowned artists and work with celebrated directors and conductors. No experience is necessary and all super positions are filled on a voluntary basis. Individuals of all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, and abilities are welcome and encouraged to apply.

Cincinnati Opera seeks applicants for the following roles:

Rigoletto
Commitment period: May 19–June 14, 2025
Performances: June 12 and 14, 2025
Supers needed: Male- and female-presenting adults

Tosca
Commitment period: June 2–June 28, 2025
Performances: June 26 and 28, 2025
Supers needed:

• Male- and female-presenting adults

• One (1) child

Fiddler on the Roof
Commitment period: June 25–July 27, 2025
Performances: July 23, 25, 26, 27, 2025
Specific supers needed:

• Male- and female-presenting adults

• Eight (8) children

Cincinnati Opera’s productions of Rigoletto, Tosca, and Fiddler on the Roof will be presented in Springer Auditorium at Cincinnati Music Hall. Supers are required to attend approximately 10–15 rehearsals. Daytime rehearsals may be scheduled.

Attending a casting call does not obligate a person to participate. Interested individuals may attend simply to learn more about supernumerary opportunities. For more information, please visit cincinnatiopera.org or email supers@cincinnatiopera.org.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

The gift enables the continuation of the company’s acclaimed partnership with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music that nurtures the development of new American operas.

The next workshop to be featured as part of Opera Fusion: New Works is The Post Office by Laura Kaminsky and Elaine Sexton, with a free, public performance of excerpts on March 22, 2025.

CINCINNATI (February 12, 2025)—Cincinnati Opera is delighted to announce a generous donation in support of Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW), its joint creative venture with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). The company has received an anonymous gift that will extend OF:NW by three years.

Cincinnati Opera and CCM launched Opera Fusion: New Works in 2011 to foster the development of new American operas, receiving significant support from the Mellon Foundation. Jointly led by Robin Guarino, professor of opera at CCM, and Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, the nationally unique initiative offers composers and librettists the opportunity to workshop their operas-in-progress, utilizing the facilities, personnel, and talent of both Cincinnati Opera and CCM.

To date, the program has hosted 34 workshops or orchestral readings for 28 operas, including several works which have since received multiple productions throughout the U.S.: Fellow Travelers by Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce, Eurydice by Matthew Aucoin and Sarah Ruhl, and Champion by Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer. Two OF:NW projects received their New York City premieres earlier this month to enthusiastic audience and critical acclaim: Blind Injustice by Scott Davenport Richards and David Cote, and Morgiane by Edmond Dédé.

Funding from the Mellon Foundation, which has supported OF:NW since its inception, is due to end in 2025. The newly announced gift will enable the program to continue through 2028 and host workshops for six additional operas.

Said Evans Mirageas, “Opera Fusion: New Works has been transformative for Cincinnati Opera, CCM, and opera in America. This generous gift will allow this unique creative collaboration to continue to thrive, giving composers and librettists valuable resources to shape their stories and ensuring the vibrancy of the art form for decades to come.”

“CCM is proud to continue our partnership with Cincinnati Opera, and we are grateful for the wonderful gift that makes this possible,” said Peter Jutras, the Thomas James Kelly Professor of Music and Dean at CCM. “Opera Fusion: New Works is an initiative that exemplifies the spirit of our university’s ‘Next Lives Here’ strategic direction, connecting our students with the artists who are shaping the future of their industry and adding to the opera repertoire with impactful stories that resonate with contemporary audiences.”

To learn more about Opera Fusion: New Works, visit ofnw.org.

Up Next for OF:NW: The Post Office
Cincinnati Opera and CCM are also pleased to share details of the next opera to be workshopped through OF:NW: The Post Office, with music by Laura Kaminsky and libretto by Elaine Sexton. A public performance of excerpts will take place Saturday, March 22, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at Cincinnati Music Hall.

The work is set in a one-room post office, where three U.S. postal workers and a customer from disparate backgrounds take sides in a blistering conflict centered around same-sex marriage. The formerly collegial friendship between the postmaster, who is Black and straight, and his colleague, who is white and gay, turns foul when the latter happily announces his upcoming wedding. Taking place in the present day, with increasing hostility, toxicity, and violence playing out in the news, everyday exchanges become fraught: civil rights, reproductive rights, and LGBTQIA rights are challenged and threatened, and the sanctity of the postal service itself is at risk. 

Event Details

What:
Opera Fusion: New Works presents The Post Office

When and Where:
Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.
The Presidents’ Garret | Corbett Opera Center at Cincinnati Music Hall
1243 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Tickets:
Admission is free, though seating is limited and reservations are required. Reservations are available by calling 513-241-2742 or visiting cincinnatiopera.org.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

CINCINNATI (December 18, 2024)—Cincinnati Opera announces the return of its popular Opera Raps series, offering audiences a fascinating exploration of the history, controversy, and personalities behind the works featured during its 2025 Summer Festival. Led by Cincinnati Opera’s Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director Evans Mirageas along with special guest artists, the four-part series runs from January 8 through April 3, 2025, and delves into Rigoletto, Tosca, and Fiddler on the Roof with exclusive performances, stories, and insights. See below for details.

Cincinnati Opera
2025 OPERA RAPS CALENDAR

January 8, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Opera Houses Lost and Found: A Season Preview
Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 

The works featured during Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Summer Festival—Rigoletto, Tosca, and Fiddler on the Roof—received their world or US premieres in New York City opera houses and theaters. Join Evans Mirageas and guest artists to trace the histories of these productions tied to historic and now-mostly-vanished venues. With exclusive video and live performances, they’ll share the stories of how these works came to be in America.

Admission: Free. Reservations are available beginning December 18 at noon; call 513-241-2742 or visit cincinnatiopera.org.

February 12, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Rigoletto: Banned at the Box Office

Mercantile Library
414 Walnut Street, Suite 1100, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Though Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto now occupies a secure position in the operatic canon, at its premiere, it was the subject of significant controversy and censorship. The source material for the libretto had already been banned in France: the drama Le roi s’amuse by Victor Hugo. Determined to adapt the play into an opera, Verdi fought at every turn to preserve the power of the story and integrity of the source material, with varying degrees of success. Join in this exploration of Rigoletto, as well as Verdi’s other hotly contested operas, featuring special musical performances.

Admission: Free. Reservations are available beginning December 18 at noon; call 513-241-2742 or visit cincinnatiopera.org.

March 12, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Tosca: A Roman Evening

Cincinnati Opera Production Facility
7712 Reinhold Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45237

Throughout Giacomo Puccini’s opera Tosca, the city of Rome plays an ever-present role. The opera is set among iconic Roman landmarks like the Castel Sant’Angelo and Palazzo Farnese, and even includes music in the Roman dialect. Evans Mirageas and featured artists will lead guests on a musical tour of Rome, interweaving music from Tosca with classic Roman songs.

Admission: Free. Reservations are available beginning December 18 at noon; call 513-241-2742 or visit cincinnatiopera.org.

April 3, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Fiddler on the Roof: The Songs That Got Away

Mayerson Jewish Community Center
The Amberley Room
8485 Ridge Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236 

The beloved musical Fiddler on the Roof is full of classic tunes like “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Matchmaker, Matchmaker.” The creators of the show—Jerry Bock (music), Sheldon Harnick (lyrics), and Joseph Stein (book)—were so prolific that they also produced many songs that did not make the final cut. Evans Mirageas and musical guests will serve as guides through the forgotten songs of Fiddler on the Roof, including hits from the show as we know it today and surprises from the archives.

Admission: Free. Reservations are available beginning December 18 at noon; call 513-241-2742 or visit cincinnatiopera.org.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

CINCINNATI (December 11, 2024)—Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) invite the public to a free preview of Lalovavi, a new opera by composer Kevin Day and librettist Tifara Brown.

Taking place February 1, 2025, the event is part of CCM and Cincinnati Opera’s creative partnership, Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW), and will feature a performance of excerpts from Acts II and III of the opera, following a May 2024 performance that highlighted Act I. This event marks an exciting milestone in the development of Lalovavi, which will premiere in summer 2026 as part of Cincinnati Opera’s trailblazing Black Opera Project.

Lalovavi is an Afrofuturist opera set 400 years into the future. It follows the journey of Persephone, the youngest teenage daughter of the Primus of Atlas, formerly the city of Atlanta. Currency and status in Atlas are determined based on the presence of Syndica, a rare gene that promotes vitality and longevity. When Persephone is found to possess this gene, she is betrayed by her family and must run for her life. She is thrust into an epic adventure, uncovering a hidden past that leads her to discover love’s true meaning and the power to determine her own destiny.

Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW) is co-directed by Robin Guarino, professor of opera at CCM, and Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, and provides composers and librettists the opportunity to collaborate with singers and creative personnel to refine their operas-in-progress. Lalovavi will receive a 10-day workshop, during which Day and Brown will work alongside stage director and dramaturg Kimille Howard, conductor Kevin Miller, and a cast of singers to further develop the work, culminating in the performance of excerpts.

EVENT DETAILS

What:
Opera Fusion: New Works presents Lalovavi

When and Where:
Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 2 p.m.
Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Tickets:
Admission is free, though seating is limited and reservations are required. Reservations are available by calling 513-241-2742 or visiting cincinnatiopera.org.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

Performances take place June 12 through July 27, 2025, at Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall.

Cincinnati Opera’s 2025 Summer Festival will feature (L to R): Rigoletto (photo by Opera Omaha), Tosca (photo by Philip Groshong), and a new production of Fiddler on the Roof (set rendering by Andrew Boyce).

CINCINNATI (October 30, 2024)—Cincinnati Opera’s Christopher Milligan, The Harry Fath General Director & CEO, and Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, have unveiled details for the company’s 2025 Summer Festival, its 105th anniversary season.

Next summer, Cincinnati Opera will present one of the world’s all-time favorite musicals, Fiddler on the Roof, in a brand-new production. Also featured will be a new-to-Cincinnati production of Rigoletto, Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic story of vengeance gone wrong, and a revival of the company’s production of Tosca, Giacomo Puccini’s gripping tale of love, betrayal, and political intrigue. Rounding out the 2025 Summer Festival is the return of Studio Sessions, a series of intimate, artist-curated concerts presented cabaret-style. Performances run from June 12 through July 27, 2025, at Cincinnati Music Hall (1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202).

The 2025 Summer Festival also marks Evans Mirageas’s 20th season as Cincinnati Opera’s artistic director. Said Mirageas, “For our 105th summer of opera and my 20th with this extraordinary company, we’re excited to offer opera as a catalyst for connection, both with oneself and one’s community. From the affecting emotional landscapes of Tosca and Rigoletto to the life-affirming message of Fiddler on the Roof to the soul-stirring intimacy of Studio Sessions, the 2025 season offers experiences that will resonate deeply with the spirit and illuminate our shared humanity.”

Said Christopher Milligan, “We’re thrilled to invite audiences to experience our 2025 Summer Festival, a season that reflects our commitment to both tradition and exploration. We aspire to offer accessible points of entry to enjoy opera, and we hope that productions like Fiddler on the Roof alongside classics like Rigoletto and Tosca, plus our Studio Sessions series, will open the doors of Music Hall to all who are curious about exploring this inspiring art form.”

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

Officers were elected at Cincinnati Opera’s Annual Meeting on September 18, 2024, and will serve one-year terms. They include:

• President Ronald T. Bates, Managing Director, 1919 Investment Counsel

• Chair Melanie M. Chavez, Partner, Chavez Properties

• Treasurer Robert Bitter, Partner, Deloitte & Touche

• Secretary Charles E. Baverman III, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl

Also as of the Annual Meeting, new trustees and new members of the Cincinnati Opera Board Associates, a subsidiary of the board of trustees composed of young professionals, began their three-year terms.

New trustees include:

• Aine Baldwin, Senior Attorney, The Kroger Co.

• Onassis Caneris, M.D., interventional pain management specialist, Riverhills Neuroscience

• Kristy Davis-Mustain, Employee Engagement and Internal Communications Manager, Johnson & Johnson MedTech

• Mike Kelly, founder and principal advisor, Kelly Financial Planning, LLC

• Helen Kemp, R&D Director, Disruptive Innovation and Feminine Wellness Platform, Procter & Gamble

• Bo-Kyung Kim Kirby, retired, Northern Kentucky University

• Tarita Preston, professional life and leadership coach

• Cristina Rugg, Senior Brand Manager, Procter & Gamble

• Ann Santen, retired, 90.9 WGUC

New Board Associates include:

• Sawyer Clifton, Account Executive, Integrity Express Logistics

• Nicolette Rader, Engagement Officer, Cincinnati Parks Foundation

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

CINCINNATI (Oct. 2, 2024)—Relive the magic of Cincinnati Opera’s 2024 Summer Festival on Sunday evenings this November when 90.9 WGUC, Cincinnati’s classical public radio station, broadcasts performances from Cincinnati Opera’s 2024 season. Each broadcast will begin at 8 p.m. ET and can be heard locally on air at 90.9 FM and online at wguc.org.

Cincinnati Opera’s 2024 Summer Festival took place June 13–July 27, 2024, at Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall. The operas to be broadcast include Don Giovanni, La Traviata, and Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio. For additional details, please visit wguc.org.

CINCINNATI OPERA’S 2024 SUMMER FESTIVAL ON 90.9 WGUC
Broadcast Schedule:

Sunday, November 3 | 8 p.m. ET
Don Giovanni

Originally performed June 13 and 15, 2024, at Cincinnati Music Hall
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte

Dame Jane Glover, conductor; Alison Moritz, stage director
Featuring Elliot Madore, Jessica Faselt, Jessica Rivera, Aaron Blake, Christian Pursell, Erin Keesy, Joseph Parrish, Patrick Guetti; Cincinnati Opera Chorus; Cincinnati Ballet; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Description:
Mozart’s riveting masterpiece follows Don Giovanni, a man who uses people without a care for their hearts, or the consequences. All the while, the Don’s servant Leporello records his master’s misdeeds. By killing the father of a woman he’s attacked, Giovanni sets in motion events that could lead to his end. Will he get away with his unrepentant pursuit of selfish desire, or will there be hell to pay?

Sunday, November 10 | 8 p.m. ET
La Traviata

Originally performed June 27, 28, and 30, 2024, at Cincinnati Music Hall
Music by Giuseppe Verdi; libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

Lorenzo Passerini, conductor; Trevore Ross, stage director
Featuring Gilda Fiume, Santiago Ballerini, Anthony Clark Evans, Taylor-Alexis Dupont, Demetrious Sampson, Jr., Mike Young, Thomas Dreeze, Samuel Smith, Tanya Harris, Ivan Griffin; Cincinnati Opera Chorus; Cincinnati Ballet; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Description:
Alfredo wants to be with Violetta, but they come at love from different sides. Alfredo toasts to true love, affection that endures, while Violetta celebrates desires that are fun, free, and fleeting. Persuaded to try another way of life, she agrees to stop playing games. But old habits die hard. Featuring one of opera’s ultimate soprano roles, La Traviata explores the passions and pitfalls of the heart. Will Violetta find love that lasts, before it’s too late?

Sunday, November 17 | 8 p.m. ET
Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio

Originally performed July 18, 20, 21, 25, and 27, 2024, at Cincinnati Music Hall
Music and lyrics by Paul McCartney and Carl Davis

Joseph Young, conductor; Caroline Clegg, stage director
Featuring Andrew Owens, Jacqueline Echols McCarley, Kayleigh Decker, Kevin Short; Cincinnati Opera Chorus; Cincinnati Boychoir; Cincinnati Ballet; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Description:
Memories from Paul McCartney’s life in Liverpool, England, inspire this story of growing up and finding our way. Beginning with Latin text that means “not for ourselves, but for the whole world were we born,” Liverpool Oratorio explores formative moments, relationships, and the responsibilities we accept. Cincinnati Opera proudly presents the world-premiere stage adaptation of McCartney’s acclaimed 1991 work for orchestra, chorus, and soloists. It’s a powerful story, full of heartfelt lyrics and soaring melodies, presented in a brand-new stage production.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

CINCINNATI (Sept. 30, 2024)—Cincinnati Opera today announced that it has revised the timeline for The Black Opera Project, the company’s groundbreaking three-opera commissioning initiative that engages Black creators to develop new works celebrating Black stories.

As previously announced, The Black Opera Project seeks to illuminate the resilient spirit and vibrant heritage of the Black American experience. The project is the outgrowth of a grant from the Mellon Foundation to support Cincinnati Opera’s development of three new operas by Black creators focused on uplifting stories about the Black community.

Also as previously announced, the first work in The Black Opera Project, Lalovavi, an Afrofuturist grand opera with music by Kevin Day, libretto by Tifara Brown, and stage direction and dramaturgy by Kimille Howard, was initially set to premiere on Juneteenth 2025; Lalovavi will now open during Cincinnati Opera’s 2026 Summer Festival. The second opera—Good Trouble: The Boy from Troy, inspired by the life of U.S. Congressman John Lewis with music by Maria Thompson Corley, libretto by Diana Solomon Glover, and stage direction and dramaturgy by Timothy Douglas—will premiere as part of the company’s 2027 summer season. The third, as-yet-unnamed work will be presented during the summer of 2028.

“Artistic ventures of any kind take time, but creating a new opera is a particularly complex and intricate endeavor,” said Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera. “We’re committed to providing each of these important new stories the creative space and resources to achieve their creators’ respective visions. This adjustment will allow additional time for each opera’s development and refinement.”

The company will announce its 2025 Summer Festival in October 2024. On-sale dates for Lalovavi, Good Trouble: The Boy from Troy, and the third work in The Black Opera Project will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

CINCINNATI (September 11, 2024)—Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) have announced the next opera to be workshopped through their joint program, Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW): Hildegard, with music and libretto by Sarah Kirkland Snider.

Commissioned and produced by Beth Morrison Projects, Hildegard imagines three of the most pivotal events in the life of 12th-century German Benedictine nun, visionary, composer, and polymath Hildegard von Bingen. It’s the year 1147, and Hildegard begins transcribing her visions of God. She enlists the assistance of a young convalescent, Richardis von Stade, and the two women quickly develop a transformative partnership that awakens them creatively, spiritually, and—much to the internal conflict of both women—romantically. In the meantime, a dispute with Hildegard’s superior costs her and her novitiate daughters the right to make music, underscoring Hildegard's fundamental lack of agency in the male-dominated monastic culture and jeopardizing her standing within the Church. As Hildegard anxiously awaits the Pope to declare her prophet or heretic, the love between Hildegard and Richardis becomes impossible to ignore, and an unforeseen crisis threatens both their hard-won accomplishments and the intimacy, in all its complexity and secrecy, that has become their salvation.

Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW) is co-directed by Robin Guarino, professor of opera at CCM, and Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, and provides composers and librettists the opportunity to collaborate with singers and creative personnel to refine their operas-in-progress. During the October workshop for Hildegard, Snider will work to further develop the work alongside director Elkhanah Pulitzer, dramaturg Annie Wang, and a cast of singers that includes Kiera Duffy as Hildegard and Mikaela Bennett as Richardis.

A public performance of excerpts from Hildegard will take place on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. (ET) at Cincinnati Music Hall’s Wilks Studio (1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202). Admission to the public performance is free, though seating is limited and reservations are required. Reservations are available by calling 513-241-2742 or visiting cincinnatiopera.org.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

CINCINNATI (July 3, 2024)—Cincinnati Opera concludes its 2024 Summer Festival July 18-27 with the highly anticipated world stage premiere of Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio at Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall. The touching and topical classical piece features music and lyrics by Paul McCartney and Carl Davis with all new sets, costumes, lighting, staging, and choreography. Please see below for complete details.

CALENDAR INFORMATION

Who and What:
Cincinnati Opera presents the world stage premiere of Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio.

When:

• Thursday, July 18, 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, July 20, 7:30 p.m.

• Sunday, July 21, 3:00 p.m.

• Thursday, July 25, 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, July 27, 3:00 p.m.

Where:
Music Hall’s Springer Auditorium, 1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Description:
Written by Paul McCartney in collaboration with the late, esteemed composer and conductor, Carl Davis, Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio was commissioned by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society in honor of its 150th anniversary and premiered in 1991. The piece tells the semi-autobiographical story of a young man named Shanty, who is born during the turbulent years of World War II and grows up in Liverpool. The work follows his life journey, depicting his struggles and joys and exploring the themes of childhood, school days, love, war, and reconciliation. McCartney’s melodic pop sensibility is evident alongside stunning classical orchestration, resulting in an accessible yet intricate musical work.

Cincinnati Opera’s production of Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio will be the work’s first-ever operatic staging, featuring all new sets, costumes, lighting, staging, and choreography, plus a dazzling cast, a 48-voice chorus, dancers from the Cincinnati Ballet, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

In a letter to the company, McCartney said, “I am writing to express my wholehearted support for this project. I believe that the Cincinnati Opera is uniquely positioned to bring this work to life in a new way, and I have no doubt that your production will be an inspiring experience for all who see it.”

The public is encouraged to join in the effort to invite McCartney to attend this historic event by creating tribute videos, sharing them on social media, and tagging @cincinnatiopera and #GetPaulToMusicHall. For more information on the regional campaign, “Come Together, Cincy! Get Paul to Music Hall!” visit GetPaulToMusicHall.org.

Cast and Creative Team:
Composers/Librettists … Paul McCartney and Carl Davis
Conductor … Joseph Young
Stage Director … Caroline Clegg
Set and Costume Designer … Leslie Travers
Associate Costume Designer … Kelli Haase
Lighting Designer … Thomas C. Hase
Wig and Makeup Designer … James Geier
Choreographer … Michael Pappalardo
Chorus Master … Henri Venanzi
Cincinnati Boychoir Director … Jason Alexander Holmes

Shanty … Andrew Owens
Mary Dee … Jacqueline Echols McCarley
Miss Inkley/Chief Mourner/Nurse … Kayleigh Decker
Headmaster/Preacher/Mr. Dingle … Kevin Short
Boy Soloists … Nick Kruckeberg, Eli DeHoff

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera Chorus, Cincinnati Boychoir, and Cincinnati Ballet

Tickets and Information:
Tickets start at $36. To order, call 513-241-2742 or visit cincinnatiopera.org/liverpool-oratorio.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526

CINCINNATI (May 31, 2024)—Cincinnati Opera celebrates the kickoff of its 2024 Summer Festival with a free community concert in the heart of Over-the-Rhine.

On Sunday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m., Cincinnati Opera presents Opera in the Park, a free concert in Washington Park featuring a selection of opera and musical theater favorites performed by star singers from Cincinnati Opera’s 2024 Summer Festival, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Brass Institute. Guests who arrive early can also enjoy a free preview performance by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Brass Institute, beginning at 6 p.m.

Admission to Opera in the Park is free and open to the public. Visit cincinnatiopera.org for more information.

Media Contact:
Katie Syroney
Director of Communications
ksyroney@cincinnatiopera.org / 513-768-5526