May Festival

06/18/2026

Toi, toi, toi to our friends at the Cincinnati Opera for the opening of their exciting season tonight! Best of luck!😄

06/10/2026

The 2026 May Festival has come and gone, but it has created many lasting memories for audiences and our singers!

Hear May Festival Youth Chorus member Grace Manning reflect on her time performing at the MAY 17 recital "A Dream Deferred: Langston Hughes in Song" with Festival Director Julia Bullock at Memorial Hall OTR.

The May Festival is made possible in part by the generous contributions of our supporters. Please consider making a gift to help the 2027 May Festival create even more special moments and memories! → mayfestival.com/your-support

06/01/2026

Newly announced 2027 Festival Director Marin Alsop recently appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show to reflect on how she got into the profession, and explain why there are still barriers for women in classical music. Alsop also shared on how she is creating more opportunities for women in music through her Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship, and surprised aspiring conductor Kayla with a chance to shadow her at Carnegie Hall!

Check out our 2027 Festival Director Announcement → bit.ly/4dpHtsW

Watch the full interview → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=784KfbAjReY

05/28/2026

We are pleased to share The New York Times published a major feature on this year's May Festival!

The piece highlights Julia Bullock’s artistic leadership, the collaborative work with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Ballet and local community schools, ensembles and cultural organizations, and the May Festival's commitment to being an artistically ambitious and community-connected institution.

THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to the 2026 May Festival for making it such a memorable event! → https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/27/arts/music/may-festival-julia-bullock.html

05/26/2026

The Cincinnati Business Courier's Janelle Gelfand shares her thoughts on the final performances of the 2026 May Festival.

REVIEW: From Carl Orff to ‘Porgy and Bess,’ May Festival’s final weekend is powerful, inspiring⬇️

Internationally renowned conductor Marin Alsop was named director of the 2027 May Festival.

05/24/2026

And with that, the glorious 2026 May Festival comes to a close!

Last night's Festival Finale featured American music of historical significance, from Festival Director Julia Bullock and Alfred Walker performing "Porgy and Bess" in honor of the 70th anniversary of the first time Black soloists took to the stage at the May Festival, to William Grant Still's "Plain-Chant for America," Leonard Bernstein's "Make our Garden Grow" and more.

The end of the evening perfectly encapsulated the celebration and community of the May Festival with a packed Cincinnati Music Hall singing as one for the "Hallelujah Chorus."

THANK YOU to everyone who joined us at our concerts and events this season for making it such a special and memorable May Festival!

Photos by JP Leong

05/24/2026

We are excited to share that acclaimed conductor Marin Alsop has been appointed Festival Director for the 2027 Cincinnati May Festival!

Alsop will bring her extensive experience on the international stage, advocacy for gender and education equity, and a dynamic approach to both conducting and repertoire to the year-long directorship.

The 2027 May Festival will take place MAY 17-30, 2027, and will feature the U.S. premiere of a new work by Anna Clyne, 2024 Festival Director Julia Wolfe’s "Fire in My Mouth," Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s "Scheherazade," Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with text by former Poet Laureate of the U.S. Tracy K. Smith and Roxanna Panufnik’s "Across the Line of Dreams." Alsop and May Festival Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson are set to curate a series of concerts and activities that, through music, showcase the power of women’s voices and celebrates the contribution of women throughout history.

Details → bit.ly/4dpHtsW

05/24/2026

A spectacular Hallelujah Chorus to wrap up what has been a magnificent 2026 May Festival!

THANK YOU to everyone involved for making this year’s festival so special!😍🙌👏

05/24/2026

A roaring ovation following “Porgy and Bess” for Festival Director Julia Bullock, Alfred Walker, Anthony Parnther, Victoria Okafor, Robert Lomax, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and our wonderful chorus!

Bravo!👏👏👏