On May 22-30, the 2015 Cincinnati May Festival brought all the old-world charm and tradition that has come to define the Western Hemisphere’s longest-running choral festival alongside fresh vibrancy that speaks to the power of music. From herald trumpets announcing the start of the concert in the lobby (and outside on the balcony to passersby in Washington Park) to the show-stealing flower presenters congratulating soloists during the applause after each concert, poignant moments made it a Festival to remember.
Opening Night featured a pre-concert Garden of Eden-themed dinner, a nod to Haydn’s The Creation which kicked off two weeks of rich repertoire, where guests gathered to celebrate the start of another Festival. The May Festival wrapped up its 142nd year with the annual “Amen!” party, in which Music Director James Conlon and members of the renowned May Festival Chorus and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, gathered with audience members still reveling in pristine performances of works by Shostakovich, Berlioz, Palestrina, Vaughan Williams and more that marked this year’s Festival programs. Two weeks of sweeping music, sharp performances and standing ovations left audiences pining for May Festival 2016.