Dive into the elemental power of water — from the soulful currents of Duke Ellington’s The River to the vast, choral expanse of Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony.
Explore the elemental power of water through two bold visions. Duke Ellington’s jazz-infused The River flows with elegance and swing, portraying the river’s journey from tranquil beginnings to its powerful arrival at the sea. Its momentum leads into Ralph Vaughan Williams’ monumental A Sea Symphony, which sets the poetry of Walt Whitman in a choral celebration of the ocean’s mystery and majesty — part hymn, part voyage into the unknown. Together, these works invite us to listen deeply — to the pull of tide and current, and to the human longing for connection and discovery.
Program
Duke Ellington The River
Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 1, A Sea Symphony
Artists
Cristian Măcelaru conductor
Tamara Wilson soprano
Norman Garrett baritone
May Festival Chorus Matthew Swanson director
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
