“For the first time since it was founded in 1873, the Cincinnati May Festival will have a different leadership model,” writes Janelle Gelfand in Sunday’s (6/12) Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio). The festival “will not be holding a search for a music director to succeed James Conlon, who held the position for 37 years. Instead, the … festival will be headed by a principal conductor … and a rotating creative partner. Gerard McBurney has been named as the first to occupy the creative partner position for the 2017 festival. A search is underway for the initial principal conductor, while four guest conductors will populate the 2017 season. Also unique to 2017, Grammy-winning bass-baritone Eric Owens will serve as the May Festival’s first-ever artist-in-residence…. The May Festival’s director of choruses Robert Porco … will remain in his current role…. Officials describe the rotating creative partner as someone who will ‘infuse the festival with artistic innovation and imagination.’ … McBurney is a British composer and writer, best known as creative director of the ‘Beyond the Score’ series at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra…. The principal conductor will [lead] many, but not all performances [and] plan programs and take part in community engagement.”
Posted June 13, 2016
