From poetry-inspired works to a bold, genre-blending Mass, this celebratory opening night honors the May Festival’s history while embracing the sound of its future.
Join us for anunforgettable opening night of the May Festival! Bruckner’s Psalm 150 sets the tone with a fanfare of voices, then anchored by the words of Langston Hughes and fellow Harlem Renaissance poets, the evening traverses spiritual depths, culminating in a work of the May Festival’s own curation — the “Eclectic Mass” — a collection of pieces from the sacred music tradition, including a vibrant new Sanctus from Grammy-nominated composer, Carlos Simon. Combined, this concert is a powerful celebration of music from across centuries and genres, reflecting the Festival’s storied past while boldly stepping into its future.
Program
Anton Bruckner Psalm 150
Alexander von Zemlinsky Selections from Symphonische Gesänge
Margaret Bonds Selected Songs & Songs from Songs of the Season
- To a Brown Girl Dead
- Negro Speak of Rivers
- Poème d’Automne from Songs of the Season
- Winter Moon from Songs of the Season
- April Rain
ECLECTIC MASS:
Selections from:
- Carlos Simon Good News Mass and Sanctus
- Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina Missa Assumpta est Maria
- Johann Sebastian Bach Cantata No. 191
- Margaret Bonds Credo
- George Frideric Handel arr. Mounsey “Soulful Hallelujah”
Artists
Cristian Măcelaru conductor
Julia Bullock soprano
Sankara Harouna baritone
Norman Garrett baritone
Carlos Simon hammond organ
Jason Alexander Holmes preacher
May Festival Chorus Matthew Swanson director
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
