Cincinnati Ballet - Carmina Burana 2022

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TABLE OF

LETTERS FROM LEADERSHIP SEASON SPONSORS

SPONSORS

DEAR NEW CINCINNATI FRIENDS,

On behalf of Cincinnati Ballet’s artistic team and all our dancers, I am so pleased to welcome you to this production of Nicolo Fonte’s Carmina Burana and Alejandro Cerrudo’s Extremely Close I also want to take a moment to thank the Cincinnati community for such a warm welcome. I am enjoying getting to know my new home and all of you!

This production of Carmina Burana and Extremely Close is breathtaking. From the first cymbal crash of the iconic “O Fortuna,” the audience knows they are in for a visceral experience. The cantata opens with our dancers on stage, with intense orchestral and choral accompaniment that drops quickly to a whisper, building slowly to a crescendo that suddenly stops. The movement is just two and a half minutes, but the storytelling that happens in those 150 seconds is magical. That incredible moment is possible thanks to the combined artistry of Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and the May Festival Chorus.

Cincinnati is a truly collaborative arts city, and my hope is to expand space at Cincinnati Ballet for unique and innovative partnerships. Partnerships like the one you’ll see in this production are one example, but there are many other opportunities, whether it be dance and music collaborations, or perhaps fashion and visual art. There are voices that have not been heard and stories that need to be told. The arts are the perfect vehicle for this expression. We must look beyond what is expected and build a future that reflects Cincinnati’s wonderful cultural fabric in new ways, especially in partnership with the expansion of the city. We can increase the reputation of this nationally treasured dance company by collaborating with local and national partners. Additionally, our new home at the Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance allows us to create fresh, innovative programming that fills the incredible studios with even more opportunities for the community to fall in love with this art form.

I look forward to working with our community as we build Cincinnati Ballet’s future together.

With gratitude,

JODIE GATES

Artistic Director

Sue and Bill Friedlander Endowed Chair

Otto M. Budig Academy Artistic Director

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DEAR FRIEND OF CINCINNATI BALLET,

Thank you for joining us for this production of Nicolo Fonte’s Carmina Burana and Alejandro Cerrudo’s Extremely Close. You are in for a treat! This double bill is a tour-de-force sensory ride. This production of Carmina Burana also demonstrates the artistry that can be created when the synergy of music and dance is center stage. Unlike many ballet companies in the United States, Cincinnati Ballet is able to perform with live music. We must thank our generous donors for this opportunity, as well as the longtime patronage of the Cincinnati Ballet community who have such a deep appreciation for the arts. Imagine hearing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score for The Nutcracker and looking down to find an empty orchestra and no conductor? What is a luxury to many audiences across the country is an expectation for our region’s audiences. What a gift it is to often create work with the incredible musicians of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and for this production, the talented voices of the May Festival Chorus. The May Festival is celebrating its 150th Anniversary Season this year, making it the longest continuously running choral festival in the western hemisphere. To experience these singers on stage with our dancers, bringing to life the lyrics of German composer Carl Orff for Carmina Burana is truly immersive, compelling, and mesmerizing. As a former Opera singer myself, it’s near and dear to my heart and one of the highlights of the 2022–2023 Season. So compelling and immersive is the experience, it’s one our audiences have been asking us to produce again for several years. What a wonderful time to partner with the May Festival during this important commemorative season in their history. The marriage of music and dance in this production is a metaphor of sorts for the incredible relationships Cincinnati Ballet has with out region’s arts organizations. I invite you now to sit back and enjoy this unforgettable production.

SCOTT ALTMAN President and CEO

A proud sponsor of the musical arts

SEASON FUNDERS

SPONSOR

CHOREOGRAPHER SPONSOR Jennifer Conklin and the late Robert Conklin

The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation is a proud season partner of Cincinnati Ballet

EXTREMELY CLOSE

CHOREOGRAPHY

Alejandro Cerrudo

MUSIC Philip Glass and Dustin O’Halloran SCENICDESIGN Alejandro Cerrudo

COSTUMEDESIGN Janice Pytel

STAGING Pablo Piantino

LIGHTINGDESIGN Tanja Ruehl

LIGHTINGRECREATION Michael Korsch

Extremely Close was created for and premiered by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago at the Joyce Theatre in New York, August 4, 2008

Costumes courtesy of Sacramento Ballet

CALLING STAGE MANAGER Brian S. Newman

ALEJANDRO CERRUDO CHOREOGRAPHER

Alejandro Cerrudo was born in Madrid, Spain. His professional career includes work with Victor Ullate Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater 2 and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC). Cerrudo became HSDC’s first-ever resident choreographer in 2008 and held that position until 2018. Cerrudo’s body of work has been performed by over 20 professional dance companies around the world. Honors include an award from the Boomerang Fund for Artists (2011) and the Prince Prize for Commissioning Original Work from the Prince Charitable Trusts (2012) for his acclaimed, first evening-length work, One Thousand Pieces. In 2014 he was awarded the USA Donnelley Fellowship by United States Artists. Also, Cerrudo was one of

four choreographers invited by New York City Ballet’s Wendy Whelan to create and perform original duets for RestlessCreatures. In 2017 Cerrudo was invited by Daniil Simkin to choreograph a site-specific performance for the Guggenheim Rotunda, a Works & Process Rotunda Project commission, featuring Daniil Simkin and original costumes by Dior. Cerrudo’s Sleeping Beauty, created with Ballet Theater Basel in 2016, was nominated as “Production of the Year” in Switzerland in the “Tanz, Jahrbuch 2016” by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. In 2020 Cerrudo was appointed Pacific Northwest Ballet’s resident choreographer, with that, he became the first artist in the company’s history to have the honor of holding that title. Independently, he directed and choreographed his show, “It Starts Now,” which premiered in 2020 at The Joyce Theater in New York. In 2022, Cerrudo was appointed artistic director of Charlotte Ballet.

PABLO PIANTINO STAGER

Pablo Piantino is originally from Mendoza, Argentina. He studied privately with Héctor Zaraspe, among many other teachers, and at the Colón Theatre Ballet School. At a very young age, he entered the corps de ballet of the Colón Theatre and remained there for three years, until he was offered a full scholarship to study at The Juilliard School where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Following graduation, Piantino joined the San Francisco Ballet where he danced a broad span of classical and neo-classical repertory in the works of Mark Morris, Hans van Manen, George Balanchine, Kenneth McMillan, Jerome Robins, Paul Taylor, and Christopher Wheeldon to name a few. He eventually joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and had the pleasure of working with choreographers such as Aszure Barton, Nacho Duato, Mats Ek, William Forsythe, Jirí Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Alejandro Cer-

rudo, and Twyla Tharp, among many others. Upon culmination of his time at Hubbard Street, Piantino moved to Seattle, where he received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance Education from the University of Washington. Since graduation, Piantino has taught at George Mason University, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Joffrey Ballet Trainee Program, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, USC Kaufman School of Dance, Royal New Zealand Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet among several other institutions. He has staged works by choreographers Nacho Duato, Alejandro Cerrudo, and Penny Saunders, at the University of Washington, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Ballet Arizona, George Mason University, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Los Angeles Ballet, SFDanceworks, Ballet Hagen in Germany, and at The Juilliard School. Piantino is currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Dance at the University of Utah and continues to restage choreography and teach master classes around the world.

EXTREMELY CLOSE CREATIVE TEAM

BRIAN S. NEWMAN STAGE MANAGER

Brian S. Newman is delighted to be making his debut with Cincinnati Ballet. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor and Production Manager at Cal Poly Pomona in the Department of Theatre and New Dance. Previously, he has served as Production Manager for Indiana Repertory Theatre; General Stage Manager for Cirque du Solei’s ZAiA in Macau, SAR, China; and Production Manager for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily Circus. Previous

Stage Management credits include Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Helen Hayes Theatre Company, Surflight Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Hangar Theatre Company, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, and Merry-GoRound Playhouse in addition to several corporate and special events in various locations. Newman earned his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Louisiana State University and his Master of Fine Arts from the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Delaware.

TANJA RUEHL LIGHTING DESIGNER

Tanja Ruehl is a freelance lighting designer and lighting supervisor. She was born and resides in Germany. In 1999 she began her theatrical engineering apprenticeship at Frankfurt Opera House. After completion of the apprenticeship with distinction, Ruehl joined Ballet Frankfurt under the artistic direction of William Forsythe in 2002 as Assistant to the Lighting Supervisor. She was then appointed Lighting Supervisor with the newly founded Forsythe Company in 2005. In 2006 she completed her master of theatrical engineering majoring in lighting. Since 2007 Ruehl has been acting as the company’s lighting designer, mostly in cooperation

with her mentor Forsythe as well as with her colleague in the company’s lighting department. As a member of Forsythe Productions, Ruehl acts as technical and design consultant, collaborating with ballet and dance companies in matters of Forsythe licensed works. Since 2014 she has worked full-time as a freelance lighting designer, collaborating with choreographers, companies, and artists throughout the world. She still works with William Forsythe on his new works and on recreations of his existing repertoire. Productions she has created the original design for have been performed at Opéra Garnier, Paris; Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York; Tate Modern, London; Kawasaki Arts Center, Japan; Ruhrtriennale Jahrunderthalle, Bochum and Taichung National Theater, Taiwan.

CARMINA BURANA

CHOREOGRAPHY Nicolo Fonte

MUSIC CarlOrff*

CONDUCTOR BeatriceAffron

SCENIC AND LIGHTING DESIGN MichaelKorsch

COSTUMEDESIGN ChristineDarch

STAGING JohannaBernsteinWilt

DIRECTOR OF MAY FESTIVAL CHORUS Robert Porco

PROGRAM NOTES

In tackling an iconic score such as Carl Orff’s 20th century masterpiece Carmina Burana, one of my first considerations was scale—how to match the massiveness of this powerful music. I had always envisioned an integrative production where both music and dance share equal parts. A world of visual beauty set in the lyricism and audacity of the scenic cantata, I liken my version to a medieval etching blasted with 21st century athleticism and speed. –Nicolo Fonte

Carmina Burana is a co-production of

CINCINNATI BALLET

Jodie Gates Artistic Director

BALLET WEST Adam Sklute Artistic Director

Carmina Burana premiered at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah, November 3, 2017

*Used by arrangement with European American Distributors Company, sole U.S. and Canadian agent for Schott Music GmbH & Co., KG, Mainz, Germany, publisher and copyright owner.

CALLING STAGEMANAGER Brian S. Newman

CARMINA BURANA CREATIVE TEAM

NICOLO FONTE CHOREOGRAPHER

Choreographer Nicolo

Fonte is known for his unique movement language as well as the highly developed fusion of ideas, dance and design. A first generation American, Fonte (whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from Argentina) started dancing at the age of 14. He studied at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, San Francisco Ballet and School of American Ballet and also completed a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts at SUNY Purchase. His dance career took him from Peridance in NYC to Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and, ultimately, to Nacho Duato's Compañia Nacional de Danza in Madrid. Fonte received a Choo San Goh award for Almost Tango, his 2002 choreography for Pacific Northwest Ballet. It was also voted as one of Dance Europe’s “Best Premieres” when it was re-staged for The Australian Ballet in 2004. His first full-length work, Re: Tchaikovsky, created for The Gothen-

burg Ballet in 2005, appeared on the “Best of 2005” lists of both Ballett-Tanz and Dance Europe. Since that time, Fonte has created two additional full-evening works for BalletX in Philadelphia: Beautiful Decay (2013) and Beasts (2015). Fonte’s choreography has been performed by companies large and small all over the globe, from Het National Ballet in Amsterdam to the National Dance Company of El Salvador. In addition to his original full-length ballets, re-invigorated versions of classic scores and extraordinary collaborations with artists across many disciplines are all well represented in his work over the past 20 years. From 2002 to 2006 Fonte enjoyed an ongoing creative partnership with The Gothenburg Ballet in Sweden, and he’s been an important contributor to the repertories of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and BalletX in Philadelphia. He is currently the Resident Choreographer for Ballet West in Salt Lake City and has contributed numerous successful works to the repertory of this acclaimed ensemble.

BEATRICE JONA AFFRON CONDUCTOR

Beatrice Jona Affron joined Philadelphia Ballet (formerly Pennsylvania Ballet) as assistant conductor in 1993. Four years later, she became the company’s music director. In Philadelphia Affron has conducted many works by George Balanchine and a large repertoire of full-length works, including Giselle, The Firebird, Romeo and Juliet, and The Sleeping Beauty. In 2004, she led the world premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s Swan Lake. Born and raised in New York City and a graduate of Yale University, Affron studied conducting with Robert Spano and with Pascal Verrot at the New England Conservatory, where she later served on the faculty. She led the national tour of Philip Glass’s Les

Enfants Terribles and received international attention while conducting the world premiere of Glass’s Galileo. Affron’s other engagements include Miss Havisham’s Fire with Opera Theatre Saint Louis, Lucie de Lammermoor with Glimmerglass Opera, Akhnaten and Die Fledermaus with Boston Lyric Opera, and Hansel and Gretel and The Tender Land at the New England Conservatory. She has conducted both dance and opera productions at the Boston Conservatory, as well as concerts with Boston’s Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and the Boston Landmarks Orchestra. With Philadelphia Ballet, Affron has performed at the Kennedy Center, New York City Center, and the National Arts Center of Canada. She has appeared as a guest conductor with Atlanta Ballet, Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Nashville Ballet, and Oklahoma City Ballet.

CARMINA BURANA CREATIVE TEAM

MICHAEL KORSCH

SCENIC AND LIGHTING DESIGNER

Michael Korsch is a lighting, projection, and scenic designer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he earned his BA in theatre at Temple University. He has worked with numerous directors and choreographers, creating hundreds of visual designs for dance, theater, and other live performances throughout North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Korsch has been the resident lighting designer and technical director for Complexions Contemporary Ballet since 1998, the resident lighting designer/director for Ballet Arizona since 2001, and the lighting/technical director for the Laguna Dance Festival since 2005. He is also

CHRISTINE DARCH

COSTUME DESIGNER

Christine Darch designs and builds costumes and sets for choreographers Julia Adam, Marc Brew, Val Caniparoli, Alison Cook Beatty, Robert Dekkers, Jorma Elo, Nicolo Fonte, Jodie Gates, Adam Hougland, Jae Man Joo, James Kudelka, Gabrielle Lamb, Edwaard Liang, Stephen McMahon, Matthew Neenan, David Palmer, Gina Patterson, Brian Reeder, Ailey II, Amy Seiwert, Merián Soto, and Septime Webre. She is the resident costume designer for Complexions in New York City and has also been commissioned by Alvin Ailey, Ballet Arizona, Ballet Hawaii, Ballet Memphis, Atlanta Ballet, Axis, Charlotte Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Diablo Ballet, Houston Ballet, Imagery, Israel Ballet,

the resident lighting designer/director for the Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center at USC. In addition, Korsch has designed for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, BalletMet, Ballet Nice Méditerranée, BalletX, Carolina Ballet, Charlotte Ballet (formerly North Carolina Dance Theatre), Cleveland Play House, DanceBrazil, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Disney Creative Entertainment, English National Ballet, FELA! The Concert, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, MOMIX, Oakland Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Royal Danish Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Staatsballett Berlin, and Washington Ballet, among others.

Kansas City Ballet, Madco, Marin Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Le Ballet Nice Méditerranée, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Pennsylvania Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Post: ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, Smuin Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Washington Ballet and Ballet X. She lives in East Northport, New York with acclaimed classical American ballet composer Matthew Pierce. New projects include the world premiere of Jae Man Joo’s Goodnight for Complexions Contemporary Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty for Dayton Ballet, Nicolo Fonte’s new work for Astana Ballet and Dwight Rhoden’s new work for San Francisco Ballet.

JOHANNA BERNSTEIN WILT BALLET REPETITEUR

Johanna Bernstein Wilt joined Cincinnati Ballet in 1981 and danced for 11 seasons before becoming Ballet Mistress in 1992. Throughout her 36 years with Cincinnati Ballet, she served as an integral part of the artistic team in various roles, including Artistic Associate, Associate Artistic Director and Ballet Master. She restaged many ballets for notable choreographers such as Victoria Morgan, Septime Webre, Kirk Peterson, David Nixon, Peter Anastos, Val Caniparoli, William Whitener and Jessica Lang. She recreated the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Movements of

Léonide Massine’s Seventh Symphony in conjunction with Frederic Franklin, CBE, which has received praise in The New York Times as well as many other national and international dance publications. Wilt has choreographed for Cincinnati Ballet’s New Works, Lumenocity, Cincinnati Ballet’s second company and Cincinnati Opera, and has staged Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella for Orlando Ballet, Val Caniparoli’s The Bridge for Sacramento Ballet and Nicolo Fonte’s Carmina Burana for Nevada Ballet Theatre. She continues to stage ballets, including Septime Webre’s Peter Pan and ALICE (in wonderland). In addition, she teaches the Gyrotonic Method and Gyrokinesis at BodyMind Balance in Cincinnati.

VISITING ARTISTS

JONATHAN BLALOCK TENOR

American tenor Jonathan Blalock has sung with The Santa Fe Op era, The Dallas Opera, Washington National Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, The Pacific Symphony, Memphis Symphony, Winston Salem Symphony, PROTOTYPE Festival, Carnegie Hall, The White House,

Oakland Symphony, and Opera Hong Kong. This is his sixth production of Carmina Burana , and he is happy for a return to Cincinnati, where he was born. In addition to performing regularly, Blalock currently serves full-time as The Associate Director of Development for Major and Planned Gifts at The Atlanta Opera, and he is a member of the Classical Singer Magazine editorial board.

EMILY MISCH SOPRANO

Emily Misch has been praised by Opera News for her "stratospheric coloratura with scintil lating precision," while the Times Argushas called her soprano voice “brilliant and virtuosic.” In 2021, she returned to the Glimmerglass Festival to sing in The Magic Flute; The New York Times called her performance “impressive” and “fearsome,” and The Wall Street Journal said her “capable, bright-voice...ably navigated the Queen of the Night’s coloratura.” Other performances in the 2021-22 season included Madame Goldentrill in The Impresario with Syracuse Opera and

Handel’s Messiah with Naples Philharmonic. She also performs as a soloist in Berg’s Wozzeck with Boston Symphony Orchestra and performs as Musetta in La Bohème with Newport Classical. In 2023, Misch makes her Arizona Opera debut as the Queen of the Night in their revival production of Die Zauberflöte. She made her Glimmerglass Festival debut in 2019 as Florestine in The Ghosts of Versailles, a role she reprised with Château de Versailles Spectacles in France for her European debut. A 2018 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions National Finalist, she has also been awarded prizes from the Schuyler Foundation for Career Bridges, the Gerda Lissner Foundation, Mannes College, and Yale University.

TITUS MUZI III BARITONE

Titus Muzi III is a sought after baritone from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Florida State University where he earned a B.M. in Vo cal Performance. Muzi is a recipient of multiple awards including a Richard Gaddes Career Grant from Opera Theater of St. Louis (2022), an Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan National Council Auditions (2020), as well as the Presser Foundation Scholarship Award at FSU (2019).

Muzi has engaged with various festivals and companies in the United States including Annapolis Opera (2022), Opera Theater of St. Louis (2022), Opera Saratoga (2020, 2021), Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artist Vocal Academy (2019), and the Music Academy of the West (2019). His various roles include Schaunard in La Bohème with An napolis Opera, Escamillo in Carmen with Opera Theater of St. Louis (2022), Pedro in Man of La Mancha with Opera Saratoga (2021), and Monroe/Pangle in the west coast premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain (2019).

incinnati Balle

JODIE GATES

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | SUE AND BILL FRIEDLANDER ENDOWED CHAIR

| OTTO M. BUDIG ACADEMY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Jodie Gates has contributed to the profession as a visionary leader, director, arts educator, choreographer, and dancer. She is a former principal ballerina with the Joffrey Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, as well as an international guest artist. She is the Founding Director of the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance where she also served as Vice Dean and Professor while creating a one-of-a-kind curriculum. She is Founder and Artistic Director of the presenting organization Laguna Dance Festival based in Laguna Beach, California, establishing a sustainable organization that cultivates world-class dance performance and education. As an accomplished choreographer she has been commissioned by numerous companies such as Ballet West, Staatsballett Berlin, and the

Vail International Dance Festival. Additionally, she created content for television commercials, curated performances for singer/songwriter John Legend, and collaborated for a global ad campaign for Los Angeles Tourism. She is an artistic collaborator with choreographer William Forsythe, staging ballets internationally for Forsythe Productions and has worked at Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Houston Ballet, La Scala Theatre Ballet, and Zurich Ballet, among others. She was awarded the distinguished Residency Fellowship from The Center for Ballet and the Arts at New York University, a recipient of the Jerome Robbins New Essential Works Program and Altria/ABT fellowship from American Ballet Theatre. Gates received a Psychology of Leadership Certificate from Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business and studied with the Higher Education Leadership Program for Women (HERS Institute) at Bryn Mawr College.

SCOTT ALTMAN

PRESIDENT AND CEO Scott Altman joined Cincinnati Ballet as President and CEO in August 2016. Under his visionary leadership, Cincinnati Ballet has reached many noteworthy milestones, more than tripling asset growth to over $75 million, implementation of its first $11 million operating budget, a dynamic new logo and brand identity, record-breaking ticket sales, the launch of a new Family Series, as well as expanded Academy and community programs. To accommodate this incredible growth, Cincinnati Ballet launched a $31 million capital campaign to construct a new, larger, state-of-the-art ballet center; the 62,000-square-foot Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance celebrated its grand opening in September 2021. During his tenure, Altman has been honored for three consecutive years by Cincinnati Magazine in its Cincinnati 300—a compilation of the city’s top 300 executives, and currently serves as Trustee on the Board of DanceUSA and as its Executive Managers Council Chair, Trustee on the Board of Ohio Citizens for the Arts, and member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for Cincinnati

Conservatory of Music. Altman has been featured guest speaker for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Americans for the Arts, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Altman brings with him nearly three decades of experience in nonprofit administration and performing arts. Prior to his roles in administration, Altman enjoyed a 20-year career as a professional opera singer and performed 40 opera roles internationally. He has held leadership positions as General Director at both Arizona Opera and Opera New Jersey, and just prior to coming to Cincinnati Ballet he was Executive Director of Ballet West. During his tenure, Ballet West experienced phenomenal expansion, including growth in ticket sales, a vastly expanded touring schedule, robust growth in donor development, and the construction of a new building. He is an alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music as well as State University College at Purchase and taught for three years at Princeton University. Altman earned a certificate from Stanford University’s Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders, was a Utah Business 2016 CEO of the Year Honoree, and is a three-time recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Citation of Excellence Award.

LEADERSHIP

DALE SHIELDS

REHEARSAL DIRECTOR

Dale Shields trained at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Butler University before joining Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, where she rose to principal dancer under Artistic Director George Verdak. Shields performed principal roles in productions including Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Coppelia, Night Shadow, The Moor’s Pavane, and many original works. She served as Principal Bal-

let Mistress for Ballet Internationale, assisting with the original choreography of full-length ballets by Artistic Director Eldar Aliev and worked alongside Irina Kolpakova in staging many well-known classics. Accepting Artistic Director John McFall’s invitation to join Atlanta Ballet as Ballet Mistress gave her the opportunity to assist in mounting numerous full-length productions. She assisted on works by inspiring national and international choreographers including Alexander Ekman, Helen Pickett, Twyla Tharp, Liam Scarlett, David Bentley, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Amy Seiwert, among others. She is now in her third season with Cincinnati Ballet.

CERVILIO MIGUEL AMADOR REHEARSAL DIRECTOR

A skilled artist, entrepreneur, and change agent for the world of dance, Cervilio Miguel Amador received his education and training from the Vocational Ballet School in Camagüey, Cuba, and the National Ballet School of Cuba. He danced with the National Ballet of Cuba as a corps de ballet dancer and then as a corifeo (demi-soloist) before joining Cincinnati Ballet in 2004 as a Soloist. He was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2006 becoming one of the youngest Principals

in the history of the company. During his professional career he has performed as a guest artist in galas all over the world as well as a guest teacher for numerous schools. He has represented Cincinnati Ballet dancers as a Union delegate for over 10 years and after retiring from dance, he became the Rehearsal Director for Cincinnati Ballet. He is currently the Rehearsal Director for Cincinnati Ballet and Co-Artistic Director/Founder of Moving Arts. Amador is also a member of the Cincinnati Ballet Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Task Force leading sustainable change for dancers now and future artists.

SUZETTE BOYER WEBB DIRECTOR OF SECOND COMPANY Suzette Boyer Webb joined Cincinnati Ballet in 1979. As a Principal Dancer, under the direction of David McClain, Frederic Franklin, and Ivan Nagy, she danced classical and contemporary roles in works by choreographers Frederic Franklin, Ivan Nagy, George Balanchine, Ruth Page, Peter Anastos, John Butler, Sir Kenneth McMillian, Ben Stevenson, James Truitte, Lester Horton, and Vincente Nebrada. Upon retirement from Cincinnati Ballet, Webb served on the Dance Division faculty at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. There, she was awarded The Outstanding Adjunct Teacher of the Year award.

As the director of the Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company – CB2 and Young Performers Rehearsal Director, Webb has been instrumental in providing technical and artistic learning opportunities to CB2 and Academy dancers in various Cincinnati Ballet productions, including the highly successful Cincinnati Ballet Family Series Webb has choreographed numerous works for the Cincinnati Ballet Second Company. She has staged many ballets, including children’s roles for Victoria Morgan’s The Nutcracker, in Cincinnati; Anchorage, Alaska; at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C.; and at the Detroit Opera House.

Webb has worked nationally as guest teacher, adjudicator, and panelist.

BALLET LEADERSHIP

CARMON DELEONE

MUSIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS

Carmon DeLeone, Music Director Emeritus of Cincinnati Ballet and Conductor Laureate of The Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and The Middleton Symphony, has served as Conductor and Host of the Family Concert Series at New York’s Carnegie Hall and has conducted orchestras in Germany, England, Luxembourg, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Under his leadership, The Illinois Philharmonic was twice named “Illinois Orchestra of the Year.” He has composed many original scores for the ballet. His bestknown work, Peter Pan, is frequently performed nationally and overseas. As Assistant and later Resident Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, DeLeone served on its staff with Music

Directors Max Rudolf, Thomas Schippers, Walter Susskind, and Erich Kunzel. He was also selected by Maestro Erich Leinsdorf to participate in an intensive master conducting seminar at The Lincoln Center. He possesses a wide range of musical interests; he is versed in both the classics and jazz playing the French horn or leading his own “Studio Big Band” from the drum set. Maestro DeLeone made his New York conducting debut with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at City Center, and his Carnegie Hall debut with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. DeLeone is a recipient of the Post-Corbett Award and most recently was awarded the esteemed MacDowell Medal by the Cincinnati MacDowell Society. His very popular weekly radio show, Sunday Morning Music Hall, can be heard on WDJO-FM 99.5 & 107.9 and AM 1480.

Melissa Gelfin De-PoliSirui LiuRafael Quenedit

Minori Sakita

PRINCIPALS FIRST SOLOISTS

Maizyalet Velázquez

SOLOISTS

Chandler ProctorMarcus RomeoJoshua Stayton

CORPS DE BALLET

Daniel Baldwin Nikita Boris Taylor Carrasco Gabrielle Collins Luca De-Poli

Matthew Griffin Samantha Griffin Christina Laforgia Morse Michael Mengden Katherine Ochoa

Jace Pauly Caroline Perry Simon Plant Samantha Riester Bella Ureta Daniel Wagner

NEW DANCERS

Catherine Lasak Jhaelin McQuay Lenai Wilkerson

APPRENTICE

Llonnis del Toro Cintra

SECOND COMPANY: CB2

Nicolas Bierwagen

Erin Blair

Nikolas Button Anderson Da Silva Sam Epstein

Hailey Flanagan Julia Gundzik Ramsay Miller Isabelle Morgan

Simone Muhammad Scott Reed Anthony Rhee-Reynoso Mia Steedle

The Artists of Cincinnati Ballet are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO.

MELISSA GELFIN DE-POLI

PRINCIPAL DANCER |

PHILADELPHIA, PA | JOINED CINCINNATI BALLET IN 2014 Melissa Gelfin De-Poli began her ballet training with Lisa Collins Vidnovic at Metropolitan Ballet Academy and continued with Barbara Sandonato and Andrea Long-Naidu at Barbara Sandonato School of Ballet. She joined the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in 2009, under the direction of Franco De Vita and Raymond Lukens, and was awarded a National Training Scholarship with ABT. Prior to dancing with Cincinnati Ballet, Gelfin De-Poli danced for Orlando Ballet II and Orlando Ballet Company from 2011 to 2014 and was a finalist in the 2014 Jackson International Ballet Competition. Gelfin DePoli joined Cincinnati Ballet as a New Dancer for the 2014–2015 Season and was promoted to Corps De Ballet in February of 2015. She was promoted to Senior Soloist in 2017 and Principal Dancer in 2018. As a dancer with Cincinnati Ballet, Gelfin De-Poli’s repertoire includes classical and contemporary works by Septime Webre, Yuri Possikov, Victoria Morgan, Val Caniparoli, Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine, Nicolo Fonte, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Adam Hougland, and Ma Cong. She has danced Principal roles in Septime Webre’s ALICE (in Wonderland) and The Wizard of Oz, Victoria Morgan’s The Nutcracker, King Arthur’s Camelot, and Romeo & Juliet, Kirk Peterson’s Coppélia and Swan Lake, George Balanchine’s Rubies and Serenade, Devon Carney’s The Sleeping Beauty, and originated roles in Penny Saunders’s Nannerl, Myles Thatcher’s Anamoly, Andrea Schermoly’s Swivet, and several works by Jennifer Archibald. Gelfin De-Poli debuted as a choreographer in a solo work for the inaugural 2018 Female Choreographic Initiative Festival hosted by Houston Ballet. She has since debuted two world premieres for Cincinnati Ballet’s 2019 and 2020 The Kaplan New Works Series with her works Clockwise and Ain’t I a Woman respectively. During the summer months, Gelfin De-Poli performs and tours with Moving Arts Company.

SIRUI LIU

PRINCIPAL DANCER | SHANGHAI, CHINA | JOINED

CINCINNATI BALLET IN 2011

Sirui Liu trained at Shanghai Dance School affiliated to Shanghai Theater Academy from 2000 to 2007 and went on to the Shanghai Dance College of Shanghai Theater Academy for four years. The desire to expand her dance horizons upon graduation led Liu to Cincinnati Ballet, for which she left her school and family in China. Liu won a gold medal competing in senior group of ballet of the Ninth Taolibei National Dance Competition in China in 2009 and the gold medal of senior group of Beijing International Ballet Invitational in China in 2010. Liu was invited to perform in Night of Ballet Gala in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia in June 2016. Sirui competed in 2014’s USA International Ballet Competition, progressing to the third and final round. Liu was named one of the Top 25 Dancers to Watch in 2017 by Dance Magazine. She has danced several Pas de Deux including Black Swan, Don Quixote, Esmeralda, Diana and Acteon, Le Corsaire, Paquita, Coppelia. She has also performed Principal roles such as Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, Waltz Girl in Balanchine’s Serenade, Tall Girl in Balanchine’s Rubies, The Chosen One in Rite of Spring, Pas couple in Minus 16, amongst other ballets. Liu has also worked with internationally acclaimed choreographers such as Val Caniparoli, Yuri Possokhov, Kirk Peterson, Trey Mcintyre, Alejandro Cerrudo, Ohad Naharin, Annabelle Lope Ochoa, Nicolo Fonte, Garrett Smith, Justin Peck, Septime Webre, Jennifer Archibald, Ma Cong, Travis Wall, and more. Liu is the co-owner of Improvedance and Active Royale. She was named a Cincinnati Ballet Soloist in 2015 and promoted to Principal Dancer in 2017.

COMPANY

RAFAEL QUENEDIT

PRINCIPAL DANCER | HAVANA, CUBA | JOINED CINCINNATI

BALLET IN 2021

Rafael Quenedit began his training in 2006 in Cuba at Escuela Elemental de Ballet Alejo Carpentier where he trained for five years. He then spent eight years training with the National Ballet School of Cuba. He graduated in 2014 and joined the National Ballet of Cuba as a Corps de ballet dancer. Quenedit was quickly cast in Soloist and Principal roles, before being named Principal dancer at the prestigious international company. Principal roles with the National Ballet of Cuba include Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Giselle, La Fille Mal Gardée, The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, Carmen, La Bayadere, Cinderella, and Theme & Variations. He made his Cincinnati Ballet debut during the 2020–2021 Season in Bold Moves Plus. He has also worked with internationally-renowned choreographers including Alicia Alonso, Alexei Ratmansky, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Giuliano Peparini, and Alberto Mendez, among others. He has performed lead roles in the United States, Italy, Spain, France, Canada, Mexico, and several others. Competition awards include the bronze medal at the International Ballet competition in Havana, Cuba, Junior division; gold medal at the International Ballet competition in Cape Town, South Africa, Junior division; and gold medal at the XX International Ballet competition in Havana, Cuba. He was also awarded best Artistic Performance, Senior division; and winner at Amici World Dance competition in Italy.

MINORI SAKITA

FIRST SOLOIST

Born in Washington, D.C., Minori Sakita began her training at the Maryland Youth Ballet and continued at the Houston Ballet Academy. In 2014, she joined Tulsa Ballet and was promoted to demi-soloist in 2018. She joined Cincinnati Ballet as soloist in 2019 and was promoted to First Soloist the following year. Sakita has performed

principal roles in Victoria Morgan’s The Nutcracker, Cinderella and KingArthur’s Camelot, John Cranko’s Onegin, Andre Prokovsky’s TheThreeMusketeers, Derek Dean’s StrictlyGershwin, Balanchine’s Serenade and Who Cares?, and Septime Weber’s The Wizard of Oz. She has also performed in Classical and Contemporary works by Alexander Ekman, David Dawson, Christopher Bruce, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Ma Cong, Jorma Elo, Yuri Possokhov, Jirí Kylián, and Dwight Rhoden.

MAIZYALET VELÁZQUEZ

FIRST SOLOIST

A native of Puerto Rico, Maizyalet Velázquez began her training at Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, training in both the conservatory and company. She graduated from the Virginia School of the Arts in 2007, where she studied under David Keener and the late Petrus Bosman. Velázquez joined Cin-

cinnati Ballet upon graduation and was promoted to Soloist in 2012. She enjoys working with Cincinnati Ballet because it offers the opportunity to perform both classical and contemporary repertoire. She has performed the leading role, Marguerite, in Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, as well as the title role in Amedeo Amodio’s Carmen. Velázquez was promoted to First Soloist for Cincinnati Ballet’s 2017–2018 Season.

CHANDLER PROCTOR SOLOIST

Chandler Proctor was born in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, where he studied dance until 2013 before joining Houston Ballet II. In 2015 he was off ered a company position

with Tulsa Ballet and was promoted to Soloist in 2019. While in Tulsa he performed in works by renowned choreographers Jiří Kylián, Nacho Duato, Derek Deane, Wayne McGregor, Ma Cong, and Edwaard Liang. This is Proctor’s second season with Cincinnati Ballet.

MARCUS ROMEO SOLOIST

Marcus Romeo began training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary. He completed his last three years of pre-professional training at The School of American Ballet, where he was awarded the Columbus Citizen Foundation Scholarship, the Linda and Arthur Collins Scholarship, and the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation Scholarship. Following his graduation, Romeo joined Boston Ballet II under Mikko Nissinen and was promoted to the corps de ballet in 2014. During his time with Boston Ballet, he appeared in works such as George Balanchine’s DonizettiVariations, Kammermusik No.

2, Theme and Variations, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Diamonds, and Episodes, Jerome Robbins’ The Concert, John Neumeier’s ThirdSymphony of Gustav Mahler, Ivan Liska’s Le Corsaire, and William Forsythe’s Artifact2017. Romeo joined Cincinnati Ballet in 2017 and was promoted to Soloist. Since joining Cincinnati Ballet, Romeo has enjoyed dancing the works of Jiří Kylián, Justin Peck, Helen Pickett, Cathy Marston, Nicolo Fonte, Penny Saunders, David Morse, Andrea Schermoly, Myles Thatcher, Septime Webre, Ohad Naharin, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Devon Carney, Victoria Morgan, Jerome Robbins, and George Balanchine. In 2022, he earned an Associate of Applied Business degree from Eastern Gateway Community College with a finance focus.

JOSHUA STAYTON SOLOIST

A Cincinnati native, Joshua Stayton began his training at the School for Creative and Performing Arts before joining the Orlando Ballet School (Peter Stark) and Houston Ballet II (Claudio Muñoz). Prior to joining Cincinnati Ballet, Stayton was a Demi-Soloist at Sarasota Ballet and a soloist at Tulsa Ballet. His repertoire includes leading roles in The Green Table (Joos), Onegin (Cranko), Strictly Gershwin (Deane), A Million Kisses to My Skin (Dawson), Concerto (MacMillian), Mirror

Walkers (Sir Wright), Cinderella (Morgan), Age of Innocence (Liang), Bolero (Fonte), Midsummer (Wheeldon), One/end/One (Elo), Sleeping Beauty (Angelini), Romeo & Juliet (Liang), and Extremely Close (Cerrudo), among others. Stayton has performed internationally in Hungary, Italy, Finland, Spain and Switzerland. As a choreographer, he has had world premieres for Ballet 22, Tulsa Ballet’s second company, DeLa Dance Company, Azara Ballet, and SCPA’s Dance Ensemble. Beyond his love for the stage, Joshua enjoys teaching the future generation of dance.

THE COMPANY

DANIEL BALDWIN CORPS DE BALLET

Daniel Baldwin trained at the Governors School of Arts and Humanities from 2013-2014 under Josee Garant and Miriam González. From 2014-2015, he trained with Kirov Academy of Ballet under Adrienne Dellas and Stanislav Issaev, and in 2015 trained at the San Francisco Ballet School with Patrick Armand, Rubén Martín Cintas, and Pascal Molat. In 2017, he joined Cincinnati Ballet

Second Company-CB2 and was promoted to Apprentice the following year. Baldwin has performed in myriad productions such as Helgi Tomasson’s Meistens Mozart, Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella, Septime Webre’s The Wizard of Oz, Jennifer Archibald’s Passage and Quem Viver Vera, Adam Hougland’s Rite of Spring, Colby Damon’s I’m Still Here, Jiří Kylián’s Sechs Tänze, Mark Morris’ Silhouettes, Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella and Bolero, David Morse’s OurStory, Helen Pickett’s Petal, and Ohad Naharin’s Minus16

NIKITA BORIS

CORPS DE BALLET

Nikita Boris began her ballet training at the Irine Fokine School of Ballet. She continued her studies at the Valentina Kozlova Dance Conservatory of New York. In 2016, she was invited to the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia. She performed in the winner’s gala of the Vaganova Prix at the Mariinsky Theatre. Boris traveled internationally for competitions and was awarded several medals, as well as the Grand Prix at Concorso di Danza Internazionale “Citta di Spoleto” Italy, and at VKIBC in St. Petersburg, Russia. She has danced as a guest

artist with Tanzolymp in Berlin, the Ballet Beyond Borders Gala in Los Angeles, and the International Baltic Ballet Festival in Riga. She joined Boston Ballet II in 2018, where she performed works by choreographers including George Balanchine, Sir Frederick Ashton, Mikko Nissinen, Bruce Wood, and Samuel Kirkjian. She performed with New York Dance Project in the revival of Alberto Alonso’s Carmen Suite and in works by Gerald Arpino. Boris joined Cincinnati Ballet as an Apprentice in 2020. Since joining, she has danced soloist roles in Paquita , a variation from Raymonda, Winter Fairy in Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella, and works by Amy Seiwert, Anabelle Lopez Ochoa, Ohad Naharin, and Twyla Tharp.

TAYLOR CARRASCO CORPS DE BALLET

“When I was 3, my sister was six and in ballet like every other little girl. My parents would bring me to her classes, and I would try to dance with them from the hallway. They assumed I’d like it, enrolled me in class, and I never stopped,” says Taylor Carrasco. He trained at the School of American Ballet and New Mexico Ballet Company and has attended summer intensives with Boston Ballet,

Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Ballet Chicago. He joined Cincinnati Ballet Second Company–CB2 in the 2014-2015 season and was promoted to apprentice for the 2015-2016 Season and then Corps de Ballet for the 2017-2018 Season. He has had three of his ballets performed by the main company of Cincinnati Ballet, two of them created for The Kaplan New Works Series (2018 and 2019). Carrasco’s favorite dancing memories are tied to dancing with his sister. He says that “sharing the stage with family is the best experience.”

GABRIELLE COLLINS

CORPS DE BALLET

Gabrielle Collins is from West Hartford, Connecticut, and began training at the Hartt School. In 2014, she was a New York City finalist at the Youth America Grand Prix and won the gold medal at the Connecticut Classic for both the senior female and pas de deux categories. From 2014-2017, she danced with Atlanta Ballet II and performed leading roles such as Marya in John McFall’s The Nutcracker and had the opportunity to dance in The Atlanta Opera’s Romeo and Juliet. Collins is an alumnus of the 2016 Ballet Program at Jacob’s Pillow un-

der Anna-Marie Holmes. In 2017 she joined Tulsa Ballet II, where she appeared in a soloist role in Helen Pickett’s Meðaland performed in works by renowned choreographers Ma Cong, Jennifer Archibald, and Penny Saunders. In February 2020, she performed the title role in Septime Webre’s Carmen with Dayton Ballet. Since joining Cincinnati Ballet in 2020, Collins has performed in Helen Pickett’s Petal, Stephanie Martinez’s Kiss, David Morse’s OurStory, Twyla Tharp’s NineSinatraSongs, “Spring” and “Autumn” in Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella, Don Quixote Pas de Deux, and most recently in Cathy Marston’s Moving, Still.

LUCA DE-POLI

CORPS DE BALLET

Luca De-Poli, a native of West Palm Beach, Florida, began his training when he was 14 years old at Ballet Florida’s school under the direction of Marie Hale and at A.W Dreyfoos School of the Arts under the direction of Jan Goetz. He attended the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music and graduated in May 2015, when he

joined Cincinnati Ballet Second Company-CB2. In 2016, he was promoted into the company and has danced in a world premiere by Ma Cong, Minus 16 by Ohad Naharin, debuted the role of Zeus in the North American premiere of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s ErosRedux, the title role in Nicolo Fonte’s world premiere of CarminaBurana, Justin Peck’s MurderBallads, Jiri Kylian’s SechsTänze, and works by Victoria Morgan, Devon Carney, Adam Hougland, Kate Weare, and Septime Webre.

MATTHEW GRIFFIN CORPS DE BALLET

Matthew Griffin began his ballet training in Sarasota Florida at the International Ballet of Florida under the direction of Sergiy Mykhaylov and Darya Fedotova. He attended Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, and graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor's of Science in Dance Arts Administration. He started with Cincinnati Ballet as an Apprentice for the 2017-2018 Season. He was promoted to New Dancer for the 2018-2019 Season and then Corps de Ballet in the 2019-2020 Season. Griffin has performed featured roles in classical and con-

temporary ballets including Petal by Helen Pickett, Kiss by Stephanie Martinez, and Cinderella by Victoria Morgan (step sister). In 2020, Helen Pickett created the solo Balance for him as part of Cincinnati Ballet’s New Works program. Griffin has also danced in works by Ohad Naharin, Twyla Tharp, Jiří Kylián, George Balanchine, Jennifer Archibald, Travis Wall, Myles Thatcher, Jiří Kylián, David Morse, Taylor Carrasco, Melissa Gelfin, Nicolo Fonte, Devon Carney, Septime Webre, Heather Britt, Adam Hougland, Amy Seiwert, and others. Off the stage, he enjoys exploring the Cincinnati food scene, listening to music, and quality time with his friends, two dogs and cat.

THE COMPANY

SAMANTHA GRIFFIN CORPS DE BALLET

Originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Samantha Griffin received her preliminary training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. After graduating, she then went on to dance with Charlotte Ballet before joining Cincinnati Ballet in 2015. She was promoted to Corps de Ballet for the 2017-2018 Season. In 2018 she was recognized in Pointe Magazine’s “Stars of the Corps.” Since being with Cincinnati Ballet, she has enjoyed performing roles in a variety of classical and contemporary works by Septime Webre,

Val Caniparoli, Georgie Balanchine, Nicolo Fonte, Ma Cong, Stephanie Martinez, Ohad Naharin, Jiří Kylián, Twyla Tharp, Helen Pickett, Cathy Marston, Travis Wall, Jennifer Archibald, and others. Some of these principal & soloist roles include Tall Girl in Balanchine’s Rubies, Dark Angel in Balanchine’s Serenade, Princess Tsarevna in Adam Hougland’s Firebird, Fairy Godmother in Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella, Tiger lily in Septime Webre’s PeterPan, Carabosse in Devon Carney’s SleepingBeauty, and Garrett Smith’s Facades. When Griffin is not dancing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kitties, eating good food, having good drinks, traveling and exploring new places.

CHRISTINA LAFORGIA MORSE

CORPS DE BALLET

Christina LaForgia Morse began dancing at 11 years old in Summerville, South Carolina. She spent her high school years at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts under the direction of Ethan Steifel. While there, she was awarded the Dean's Merit Scholarship. In 2011

she was offered a second company position with the Charlotte Ballet and was quickly promoted to join the main company the subsequent season. Following her time in Charlotte, Morse joined Cincinnati Ballet as a corps de ballet member in 2014. Her most cherished memories on stage include performing David Morse’s As I Stare at Dust (2019) and Our Story (2022).

MICHAEL MENGDEN CORPS DE BALLET

Michael Mengden began his training at the age of 10 at Allegro West Academy of Dance with Catriona Steel. In 2012 Mengden trained in Moscow at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy under Ilya Kuznestov. Prior to his training overseashe furthered his training in the pre-professional program at the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School in Florida and had the unique opportunity to train and travel with Dr. Ramona de Saa, Director of the Cuban National Ballet School in Havana. He was then invitedto dance in Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company program in the fall of 2016. Since joining the company in 2017 Mengden has had the

opportunityto perform with the company in various productions such as Victoria Morgan’s King Arthur’s Camelotand Cinderella, Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16,Nicolo Fonte’s Carmina Burana,Septime Weber’s Wizard of Oz , Val Caniparoli’s Isben’s House, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Limoncello, Jerome Robins’s Fancy Free, Justin Peck’s Murder Ballads, Adam Hougland’s Rite of Spring, Devon Carney’s Sleeping Beauty, Garret Smith’s Facades, Kirk Peterson’s Coppelia and Swan Lake, George Balanchine’s Rubies and JiříKylián’s Sechs Tänze. Mengden has also been a part of world premiere works from choreographers such Jennifer Archibald, Myles Thatcher, Penny Saunders, Andi Schermoly, David Morse, Travis Wall, Taylor Carrasco and Melissa GelfinDe-Poli.

KATHERINE OCHOA

CORPS DE BALLET

Katherine Ochoa began training in 2009 at the National School of Ballet in Cuba, where she learned a vast repertoire of variations and won both gold and silver medals in the Havana International Ballet competition. She later joined the Cuban National

Ballet and in 2019 had the opportunity to participate in the semifi nals of YAGP in Chicago and won the Grand Prix Award. Ochoa moved on to participate in the semifinals of YAGP in New York, where she placed in the top 12. As a member of the Corps de Ballet in Cuba, she performed in Giselle, SwanLake, Cinderella, DonQuixote, and Umbral and was quickly promoted to First Soloist. This is Ochoa’s second season with Cincinnati Ballet.

CAROLINE PERRY

CORPS DE BALLET

Caroline Perry grew up in Tustin, California, and began her professional training in 2015 at the Houston Ballet Academy, where she worked and performed alongside the company and second company until 2016, when she officially joined Houston Ballet II. In 2017, she represented the Houston Ballet Academy at the Prix de Lausanne competition, where she

received an offer to join the corps de ballet. Perry continued dancing in Houston until 2022, performing various works including George Balanchine’s Jewels and Siegfried’s Sisters in Stanton Welch’s Swan Lake and new works created by company members Connor Walsh and Melody Mennite. Before joining Cincinnati Ballet for the 2022-23 season, she expanded her contemporary repertoire performing with Ishida Dance Company in creations by Bret Ishida and Doma choreographed by Jeremy Galdeano and Vera Kvarčáková.

JACE PAULY CORPS DE BALLET

Jace Pauly hails from the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, where he began dancing under Melissa Miller-Port in Wenatchee, Washington. In 2015, he graduated with honors from the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, where he trained under Michael Owen, Denise Lewis, and Russell Clarke. As a dancer for Cincinnati Ballet, Pauly’s most recognized performances are the Act III Pas de Deux from Don Quixote, Ohad Naharin’s Mi-

nus16, and Nine Sinatra Songs by Twyla Tharp, among others. He loves performing for Cincinnati audiences and takes pride in the mental and physical challenges that dance brings every day. Among his biggest supporters are his parents, Katie and Doug, and his sisters, Skye and Chelan, who inspire him inside the studio and beyond. His other passions in life include music, cooking, and the great outdoors. He enjoys exploring the eclectic neighborhoods of Cincinnati and can often be found in a hammock on sunny afternoons.

THE COMPANY

SIMON PLANT CORPS DE BALLET

Simon Plant was born in Sydney, Australia, and started dancing at the age of 7. After graduating from The Australian Ballet School in 2013, he joined the Australian Ballet, where he performed works by choreographers Wayne McGregor, Graeme Murphy, Kenneth MacMillian, Simon Dow, Peter Wright, Stanton Welch, Jiří Kylián, Tim Harbour, and others. After moving to New York City with his husband in 2017, he became a company dancer with Complexions Contemporary Ballet

and danced five seasons there, premiering multiple world premieres under co-artistic director and choreographer Dwight Rhoden and co-artistic director/co-founder Desmond Richardson. Plant came on as faculty for the 2022 Complexions Academy Summer Intensives, teaching company repertoire and NIQUE, Rhoden and Richardson’s proprietary contemporary ballet technique, to students around the country. He is also a published author; when he’s not dancing, he’s writing or spending quality time with his husband. He is thrilled to be joining Cincinnati Ballet for the 2022-2023 season.

SAMANTHA RIESTER CORPS DE BALLET

Samantha Riester trained at the School of American Ballet from 2012-2015. She attended summer courses at the School of American Ballet and Miami City Ballet and, after graduating SAB, joined Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company and was promoted to the main company in 2017. She has danced soloist roles in repertoire such Jiří Kylián’s SechsTanze, Pas de Trois in Kirk Peterson’s SwanLake, Duet Mabul in Ohad Naharin’s Minus16, Curly Cue in Septime Weber’s TheWizard of Oz, Beauty Fairy in Devon Carney’s Sleeping Beauty, Summer Fairy in Victoria Morgan’s Cin-

derella and in Andrea Schermoly’s Swivet. She has performed numerous ballets choreographed by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Henkel Pickett, Ma Cong, Septime Weber, Nicole Fonte, Stephanie Martinez, Adam Hougland, Jennifer Archibald, Garett Smith, Victoria Morgan, Myles Thatcher, David Morse, and fellow company members Taylor Carrasco and Daniel Baldwin. Riester has enjoyed dancing with outside organizations such as Cincinnati Opera for its 100th anniversary celebration and production of Aida, as well as guesting for her home studio in Indiana, where she performed principal roles in George Balanchine’s Emeralds and ConcertoBarocco.

BELLA UTREA CORPS DE BALLET

Bella Ureta, a native of Seattle, began her training at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School in 2004 and attended the elite summer programs at the School of American Ballet, Pacifi c Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, and the National Ballet of Canada until 2016, when she joined Boston Ballet II. She has performed in repertoire by world renowned choreographers including Jean Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette, Crystal Pite’s Emergence, William Forsythe’s Artifact 2017, Jiří Kylián’s SechsTänze, Duet Mabul in Ohad Naharin’s Minus16, Snow Queen in Victoria Morgan’s The

Nutcracker, Charm Fairy in Devon Carney’s The SleepingBeauty, Pas de Trois in Kirk Peterson’s SwanLake, and originated a leading role in Emmy-Award-winner Travis Wall’s Then...Now. Ureta has performed in ballets choreographed by George Balanchine, Kent Stowell, Victoria Morgan, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Twyla Tharp, Christopher Wheeldon, Mikko Nissinen, Jill Johnson, Marius Petipa, Devon Carney, Septime Webre, Garret Smith, Jennifer Archibald, and Nicolo Fonte. She has enjoyed dancing with Cincinnati Opera in its productions of LaTraviata and Aida. She joined Cincinnati Ballet’s corps de ballet in 2017 and in 2020 was named one of Pointe Magazine’s “Star of the Corps.”

DANIEL WAGNER CORPS DE BALLET

Daniel Wagner was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where he began his dance training at Pasadena Civic Ballet under the tutelage of Craig Williams. After attending summer intensives at ABT and the Kirov Academy, he moved to finish high school at the University of North Carolina

School of the Arts. He then finished his training at Houston Ballet under Claudio Muñoz and Andrew Murphy. He has danced professionally with Tulsa Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet, where he performed principal roles in classical and contemporary works such as George Balanchine’s Serenade, Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s ErosRedux, Penny Saunders’ Nannerl, and Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16.

CATHERINE LASAK NEW DANCER

Catherine Lasak began dancing at the Judith Svalander School of Ballet in Crystal Lake, Illinois when she was just 9 years old. Throughout high school, she trained at Ballet Chicago and spent two summers at the School of American Ballet. She received a full scholarship to join the Professional Division at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and later accepted an Apprentice position at Grand Rapids Ballet. In 2018, she joined Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company-CB2 and in 2021 was invited into the Company. Nota-

ble roles include Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16, Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs, Septime Weber’s Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz, Juliet in Kenneth MacMillan’s Balcony Scene in Romeo and Juliet, and George Balanchine’s SquareDance, Who Cares?, and TheNutcracker. When not in the studio or on stage, Lasak has a passion for cooking, listening to country music, cross training, kayaking, being outdoors, and spending time at her family’s cabin in northern Wisconsin. She enjoys listening to holistic wellness podcasts and is currently working on her business degree and is proud of her Midwest roots and her time in Cincinnati, a place that truly feels like her home.

JHAELIN MCQUAY NEW DANCER

Jhaelin McQuay began dancing at the age of 11 at the Marina Del Rey Magnet School for the Performing Arts. He soon expanded his dance training at the Debbie Allen’s Dance Academy, where he found a love and appreciation for numerous styles, including hip hop, modern, tap, flamenco, contemporary, ballroom, and African. In his teens, he spent his summers on scholarship at The Rock School, Bolshoi Ballet, Ballet West, and San Francis-

co Ballet. He performed with Ballet West’s Academy for three years before joining Cincinnati Ballet II in the 2019-2020 season. McQuay has danced for the Oscars and has appeared on stage with Mariah Carey, Chris Brown, Raven Symone, and Debbie Allen. He has also performed works choreographed by George Balanchine, Fredrick Aston, Bruce Marks, Jennifer Archibald, Martha Graham, Lester Horton, Dwight Roden, Desmond Richardson, and William Christiansen. In early 2021, his choreography placed top five in the YAGP finals. He is celebrating his second season in the company at Cincinnati Ballet.

THE COMPANY

LENAI WILKERSON NEW DANCER

Lenai Alexis Wilkerson hails from Washington, D.C., where she attended the Baltimore School for the Arts under the direction of Norma Pera. She graduated from the inaugural class at the University of Southern California as a Glorya Kaufman scholar with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Political Science. Upon graduation, she became a company artist with Ballet Hispánico, where she toured internationally for three seasons and had the pleasure of delving deeper into community engagement opportunities and teaching youth at institutions around the world. Addition-

ally, she has assisted Patrick Corbin in setting a Paul Taylor work for Miami City Ballet. Wilkerson has performed works by choreographers including George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Martha Graham, Barak Marshall, Azure Barton, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, d.Sabela Grimes, and Dwight Rhoden. Additionally, she has trained seasonally with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Bolshoi Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Jacob’s Pillow and with legendary ballerina Suzanne Farrell. She is a YAGP Top 12 finalist and was one of the seven 2016-17 dance scholars to be awarded a scholarship from Nigel Lythgoe’s DizzyFeet Foundation.

LLONNIS DEL TORO CINTRA APPRENTICE

Llonnis Del Toro Cintra was born in 1999 in Havana, Cuba, and began his ballet career at the Fernando Alonso National Ballet School under the direction of Ramona De Saa Bello. He has participated in several national and international ballet competitions, winning two silver medals and a special mention. He was part of the National Ballet of Cuba under the direction of

Alicia Alonso. Del Toro’s repertoire includes La Bayadere , FlamesofParis , Carnival of Venice , Giselle, DonQuixote, LeCorsaire, Napoli, The Talisman, Coppelia, La Fille mal Gardée, Theme and Variations , Carmen , In the Shadows of a Waltz,Cinderella , TheMagicFlute , Earthand Moon , and SleepingBeauty , among others. He has participated in festivals in Peru, Mexico,and China and is very excited to join the company of Cincinnati Ballet.

LOUIS LANGRÉE, Music Director

Louise Dieterle Nippert & Louis Nippert Chair

JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL, Cincinnati Pops Conductor

Louise Dieterle Nippert & Louis Nippert Chair

Matthias Pintscher, CSO Creative Partner

Damon Gupton, Pops Principal Guest Conductor

Samuel Lee, Assistant Conductor Ashley and Barbara Ford Chair

Daniel Wiley, Assistant Conductor Ashley and Barbara Ford Chair

FIRST VIOLINS

Stefani Matsuo

CONCERTMASTER, ANNA

SINTON TAFT CHAIR

Felicity James

ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER, TOM & DEE STEGMAN CHAIR

Philip Marten

FIRST ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER, JAMES M. EWELL CHAIR++

Eric Bates

SECOND ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER, SERGE SHABABIAN CHAIR

Kathryn Woolley

NICHOLAS TSIMARAS–PETER G. COURLAS CHAIR++

Anna Reider

DIANNE & J. DAVID ROSENBERG CHAIR

Mauricio Aguiar§ ANNE G. & ROBERT W. DORSEY CHAIR Minyoung Baik James Braid

MARC BOHLKE CHAIR GIVEN BY KATRIN & MANFRED BOHLKE

Michelle Edgar Dugan

DONALD & MARGARET ROBINSON CHAIR

Rebecca Kruger Fryxell CLIFFORD J. GOOSMANN & ANDREA M. WILSON CHAIR

Gerald Itzkoff

JEAN TEN HAVE CHAIR

Sylvia Mitchell

JO ANN & PAUL WARD CHAIR

Charles Morey†

Luo-Jia Wu

SECOND VIOLINS

Gabriel Pegis

PRINCIPAL, AL LEVINSON CHAIR

Yang Liu*

HAROLD B. & BETTY JUSTICE CHAIR

Scott Mozlin**

HENRY MEYER CHAIR

Kun Dong Cheryl Benedict

Evin Blomberg§

Rachel Charbel

IDA RINGLING NORTH CHAIR Chika Kinderman Hyesun Park

Paul Patterson

CHARLES GAUSMANN CHAIR++

Stacey Woolley

BRENDA & RALPH TAYLOR CHAIR++

VIOLAS

Christian Colberg

PRINCIPAL, LOUISE D. & LOUIS NIPPERT CHAIR

Christopher Fischer

ACTING ASSOCIATE

PRINCIPAL, GRACE M. ALLEN CHAIR

Julian Wilkison**

Rebecca Barnes§

Emilio Carlo†

Stephen Fryxell

MELINDA & IRWIN SIMON CHAIR

Caterina Longhi Gabriel Napoli

Denisse Rodriguez-Rivera Dan Wang Joanne Wojtowicz

CELLOS

Ilya Finkelshteyn

PRINCIPAL, IRENE & JOHN J. EMERY CHAIR

Daniel Culnan*

ONA HIXSON DATER CHAIR

Norman Johns**

KARL & ROBERTA SCHLACHTER FAMILY CHAIR

Daniel Kaler§ MARVIN KOLODZIK CHAIR

Isabel Kwon†

Hiro Matsuo

LAURA KIMBLE MCLELLAN CHAIR++

Theodore Nelson

PETER G. COURLAS–NICHOLAS TSIMARAS CHAIR++

Alan Rafferty RUTH F. ROSEVEAR CHAIR

BASSES

Owen Lee

PRINCIPAL, MARY ALICE HEEKIN BURKE CHAIR++

James Lambert*

THOMAS VANDEN EYNDEN CHAIR

Stephen Jones** TRISH & RICK BRYAN CHAIR

Boris Astafiev§

Luis Arturo Celis Avila Rick Vizachero

HARP Gillian Benet Sella

PRINCIPAL, CYNTHIA & FRANK STEWART CHAIR

FLUTES

Randolph Bowman

PRINCIPAL, CHARLES FREDERIC GOSS CHAIR

Henrik Heide*†

Haley Bangs JANE & DAVID ELLIS CHAIR

PICCOLO

Rebecca Tutunick

PATRICIA GROSS LINNEMANN CHAIR

OBOES

Dwight Parry

PRINCIPAL, JOSEPHINE I. & DAVID J. JOSEPH, JR. CHAIR

Lon Bussell*

STEPHEN P. MCKEAN CHAIR Emily Beare

ENGLISH HORN

Christopher Philpotts

PRINCIPAL, ALBERTA & DR. MAURICE MARSH CHAIR++

CLARINETS

Christopher Pell PRINCIPAL, EMMA MARGARET & IRVING D. GOLDMAN CHAIR

Joseph Morris*

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL AND E-FLAT CLARINET, ROBERT E. & FAY BOEH CHAIR++ Ixi Chen

VICKY & RICK REYNOLDS CHAIR IN HONOR OF WILLIAM A. FRIEDLANDER

BASS CLARINET Ronald Aufmann

BASSOONS

Christopher Sales

PRINCIPAL, EMALEE SCHAVEL CHAIR++ Martin Garcia* Hugh Michie

CONTRABASSOON Jennifer Monroe

FRENCH HORNS

Elizabeth Freimuth

PRINCIPAL, MARY M. & CHARLES F. YEISER CHAIR [OPEN]*

ELLEN A. & RICHARD C. BERGHAMER CHAIR Molly Norcross**

ACTING ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL, SWEENEY FAMILY CHAIR IN MEMORY OF DONALD C. SWEENEY Lisa Conway

SUSANNE & PHILIP O. GEIER, JR. CHAIR Duane Dugger MARY & JOSEPH S. STERN, JR. CHAIR Charles Bell

TRUMPETS

Robert Sullivan

PRINCIPAL, RAWSON CHAIR Douglas Lindsay* JACKIE & ROY SWEENEY FAMILY CHAIR Steven Pride OTTO M. BUDIG FAMILY FOUNDATION CHAIR++ Christopher Kiradjieff

TROMBONES

Cristian Ganicenco

PRINCIPAL, DOROTHY & JOHN HERMANIES CHAIR Joseph Rodriguez** SECOND/ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL TROMBONE

BASS TROMBONE

Peter Norton

TUBA

Christopher Olka

PRINCIPAL, ASHLEY & BARBARA FORD CHAIR

TIMPANI

Patrick Schleker

PRINCIPAL, MATTHEW & PEG WOODSIDE CHAIR Joseph Bricker* MORLEEN & JACK ROUSE CHAIR

PERCUSSION

David Fishlock

PRINCIPAL, SUSAN S. & WILLIAM A. FRIEDLANDER CHAIR Michael Culligan* Joseph Bricker * MORLEEN & JACK ROUSE CHAIR Marc Wolfley+

KEYBOARDS

Michael Chertock James P. Thornton Chair Julie Spangler+ James P. Thornton Chair

CSO/CCM DIVERSITY FELLOWS~ Mwakudua waNgure, violin Tyler McKisson, viola Luis Parra, cello Samantha Powell, cello

LIBRARIANS

Christina Eaton

PRINCIPAL LIBRARIAN, LOIS KLEIN JOLSON CHAIR Elizabeth Dunning

ACTING ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL LIBRARIAN [Open] INTERIM ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN

STAGE MANAGERS

Brian P. Schott

Phillip T. Sheridan

Daniel Schultz Andrew Sheridan

MAY FESTIVAL

THE MAY FESTIVAL CHORUS

The May Festival Chorus is endowed by the Betsy & Alex C. Young Chair.

DIRECTOR OF CHORUSES Robert Porco

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF CHORUSES Matthew Swanson

ACCOMPANIST Heather MacPhail

CONDUCTING FELLOW Christin Sears

CHORUS MANAGER Kathryn Zajac Albertson

CHORUS LIBRARIAN Bryce Newcomer

SOPRANO

Natalie Badinghaus Tracy Bailey Karen Bastress Laurel Boisclair Ellsworth Dawn Bruestle Caitlyn Byers Joanna Chapman Renee Cifuentes

Ally Clifton Kathy Dietrich Jennifer Dobson Rachel Dummermuth Anita Marie Greer Sarah Grogan Melissa Haas Gaynelle Hardwick Dana Harms Mary Wynn Haupt Carolyn Hill Sara Hook Alexandra Kesman Lisa Koressel Judith C. LaChance Hilary Landwehr Julia Lawrence Julia Marchese Audrey Markovich Alison Peeno Lauren Peter Anna Pranger Kristi C. Reed Beth Roberts Justine Alexandra Samuel Noelle Scheper Julia H. Schieve Christin Sears Yvon F. Shore Mary Ann Sprague Barbara Timmins Alex Vale

Sam Walker Patricia Wilkens Taraneh R. Wilkinson Samantha Zeiger

ALTO Alaina Diane Arwood Robin Bierschenk Kathy Falcon Sarah Fall Alexis Gabbard Amanda Gast Sally Vickery Harper Sarah Keeling Horseman Beth Huntley Spence B. Ingerson Karolyn L. Johnsen Jenifer Klostermeier Julie Laskey Megan Lawson Katherine Loomis Elaine P. Lustig Kathy Mank Teri McKibben Jennifer Moak Rachel Seymour Amy M. Perry Kate Robertson Christy Roediger Amanda Schwarz Rosenzweig Karen Scott-Vosseberg Sarah Stoutamire Kristie Stricker Megan Weaver Robin Rae Wiley

TENOR

Lawrence Adams Lydia Rose Ball Avery Bargasse David Bower Douglas Easterling David Gillespie Robert Henderson Fansheng Kong Elijah Lanham Kevin Leahy Matthew Leonard Robert Lomax Andrew Miller H. Scott Nesbitt Jason Ramler Larry Reiring Edward Rosenberry Adam Shoaff David W. Skiff Jeffrey Stivers Matthew Swanson Stephen West Barry Zaslow

BASS Mark Barnes Jim Baxter Nathan Bettenhausen Andrew L. Bowers Scott Brody Douglas J. Bruestle Darren Bryant Christopher Canarie Matthew Cheek Lawrence Coleman Antonio Cruz Steven L. Dauterman David Dugan Grant Ebert Steve France Mark Hockenberry Christopher Kanney Takuya Konishi Jim Laskey D. Stuart Lohrum John McKibben Daniel Parsley Michael Pekel Justin Peter James V. Racster Mitch Radakovich Brian Reilly Joshua Wallace Mark Weaver Paul Wessendarp Tommy Wessendarp

ROBERT PORCO

DIRECTOR OF CHORUSES FOR THE MAY FESTIVAL

Robert Porco has been recognized as one of the leading choral musicians in the U.S., and throughout his career he has been an active preparer and conductor of choral and orchestral works, including most of the major choral repertoire, as well as of opera. A highlight of his career was leading an Indiana University student choral and orchestral ensemble of 250 in a highly acclaimed performance of Leonard Bernstein’s MASS as part of the Tanglewood Music Festival’s celebration of the composer’s 70th birthday. In 2011 Porco received Chorus America’s “Michael Korn Founders Award for Development of

the Professional Choral Art.” In 2016 he led the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah for Chorus America’s National Conference.

Porco’s conducting career has spanned geographic venues and has included performances in the Edinburgh Festival; Taipei, Taiwan; Lucerne, Switzerland; Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Israel; and Reykjavik, Iceland; and at the May Festival, Tanglewood Music Festival, Berkshire Music Festival, Blossom Festival, and Grant Park Festival. He has been a guest conductor at the May Festival and with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra, among others.

The 2022–23 season is Robert Porco’s 35th as Director of Choruses.

Founded in 1873, the Cincinnati May Festival is the oldest choral festival in the Western Hemisphere and is distinguished by its unique community-based structure and standard of extraordinary artistic excellence. The annual Festival, celebrating its 150th anniversary in May 2023, anchored by the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO), hosts an international array of guest artists and presents nine dynamic productions. The Festival is under the leadership of Principal Conductor Juanjo Mena and Director of Choruses Robert Porco. Many important choral works have received their world and American premieres at the May Festival in the past 150 years, including Johann Sebastian Bach’s Magnificat, Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Benjamin Britten’s Gloriana, Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Death of the Bishop of Brindisi, and Robert Nathaniel Dett’s The Ordering of Moses. In 2021 and 2022, May Festival earned BBC Magazine’s distinction as “One of the Best Classical Music Festivals in the US and Canada” and Chorus America recognized the May Festival as a leader in increasing diversity, equality, inclusion, and access in the choral world.

goodies, experiences, and products. This collection of classic Cincinnati favorites and Best of the City winners makes a great holiday gift.

Carmon DeLeone. Say the name and you instantly smile. With an ever-present smile and twinkle in his eye, Carmon instantly engages everyone he meets with his authenticity, intelligence, and kindness. Whether you’ve known him for 50 years or five minutes, everyone just loves Carmon. The phrase, “being blessed,” is often overused, but Cincinnati Ballet has been truly blessed to have Maestro DeLeone as Music Director for more than 50 years. Cincinnati Ballet is now pleased to announce that Carmon has decided to transition to a new role as Music Director Emeritus during the 2022–2023 Season. “As I’ve gotten to know Carmon, it quickly became clear how connected he is to the artistic excellence and caliber of the company and how important he is to the Cincinnati community,” says Cincinnati Ballet Artistic Director Jodie Gates. “His sensitivity to our dancers and the art form and its connection to music has truly been a gift we will long cherish.”

For decades, audiences have grown accustomed to glancing into the orchestra pit to see the Maestro guiding his musicians to match the rhythm and movement of our Cincinnati Ballet dancers. No need to worry yet about goodbyes! We will still see Carmon leading the orchestra during the remainder of the 2022–2023 Season as he conducts select performances. “He has certainly created an unmatched legacy, one his extended Cincinnati Ballet family will continue to celebrate for years to come,” Gates adds.

Cincinnati Ballet Music Director Carmon DeLeone transitions to a new role

We were eager to ask Carmon a few questions as he reflects on his tenure with Cincinnati Ballet.

Cincinnati Ballet: You have been our Music Director for 54 years, actually spanning seven decades—from the 1960s til now! How do you feel about this new chapter in your musical journey?

Carmon DeLeone: This is a very appropriate time. With many things changing at Cincinnati Ballet, it allows an open musical slate for our new Artistic Director to reimagine. In the future, it will be fair to the orchestra and dancers to see a different face in the pit. There’s a lot of energetic young conducting talent out there that deserves the chance to work with one of the very best ballet companies in the world.

Cincinnati Ballet: Will you miss always being there?

Carmon DeLeone: Well, yes, of course I love the connection with the orchestra and dancers, and most importantly the love I feel from our audience. Please remember that I began conducting the Cincinnati Symphony in 1968, one year before I became Music Director of the Ballet. Therefore, sadly, there are very few members of the CSO that are still in the orchestra who were a part of my grow-

ing up with them. That said, I do cherish the company of dear friends who are still there, like Norman Johns, Paul Patterson, Lois Johnson, Susan Petersen, Sylvia Mitchell, Lon Bussell, Chris Philpotts, Ron Aufmann, Charlie Bell, Steve Pride, Mike Chertock, and others.

Cincinnati Ballet: Four years ago, during your 50th season with the Ballet, we asked you to mention some highlights of your career with the company. You said that there is special joy in being on the podium conducting music you have composed, whether it’s Peter Pan or Princess and the Pea. But you also said, “I hope folks feel that we’re providing the very best quality of music at the Ballet. People come to our performances and spend their hard-earned money to see us. I hope they’re not only getting the very best experience from what they see on stage, but also from the music they hear.” Do you feel the same way now?

Carmon DeLeone: Even more so. I don’t think I’ll be slowing down. Peter Pan is being presented this season in Modesto, California, and Dayton, Ohio, and I’m doing some ballet guest conducting in Oklahoma City [Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias], so the old arms will keep waving at orchestras here and there.

Cincinnati Ballet: Anything else you’d like to add?

Carmon DeLeone: Well, my list of loves starts with my amazing wife, Kathy, and continues with music, musicians, dancers, and puppies. Everyone knows that the American art form of jazz is also very close to my heart, and in the near future, with whatever talents I have in that direction, I hope to devote more time to it.

Cincinnati Ballet: For a man who once said, “I’m just a guy who was born in a small town in Ohio and was given an extraordinary musical life in Cincinnati.” Carmon DeLeone, may we repeat: You have certainly created an unmatched legacy, one that your extended Cincinnati Ballet family will continue to celebrate for years to come. Bravo, Maestro.

Carmon DeLeone: Thank you very much— it’s been my pleasure.

Where Have I Heard That Before?

Carmina Burana and pop culture

“O Fortuna.”

It’s one of the most recognizable pieces of music in the modern classical canon. The context and meaning of “O Fortuna” may be a mystery to many but given its appearance in everything from beer commercials to NFL football games to television shows and movies, it’s undoubtedly powerful. When it’s used in movies and TV, it’s usually setting the tone for a dramatic or cataclysmic event. One might even go so far as to say it’s the most overused piece of music in the classical canon. That opinion is irrelevant though, as the music is mesmerizing and has become a pop culture staple.

So what exactly is “O Fortuna”? It’s based on 24 of the 254 poems found in the medieval collec-

tion Carmina Burana, a manuscript composed of 11th to 13th century poems and dramatic texts, believed to be written by clergy in Italy and Western Europe for traveling scholars, universities, and theologians. The collection of texts was discovered in 1803 in a Benedictine monastery in Germany. When composer Carl Orff came across the text more than 100 years later in 1935, he organized the poems into a libretto, mostly in Latin verse. The poem’s topics range from love and lust to gluttony, fortune, and the transient nature of life. When Orff wrote Carmina Burana, it’s said he told his publisher it was the penultimate work of his life. Little did he know, it would be celebrated in ways he’d never imagine!

Here are some of the top uses of “O Fortuna” in popular culture:

Played at New England Patriots

Used in the soundtracks of the films for The Hunt for Red October and The General’s Daughter; trailers for the films Waterworld,The Nutty Professor,Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Natural Born Killers, Cheaper by the Dozen, and Glory

Played at The University of Notre Dame during football games when the president of the college walks onto the field

home games prior to the team exiting the tunnel

It was used in The Black Eyed Peas ’ The E.N.D. World Tour

A rendition performed by the Boston Pops Orchestra and conducted by John Williams

It was used as part of the ring entrance for The Undertaker in WWE Wrestlemania

Featured in commercials for Gatorade and Old Spice

It has been used in numerous television shows, including Friends (when Chandler and Joey play foosball), Glee, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The X Factor

“O Fortuna” was first introduced to mainstream media in the 1981 John Boorman film, Excalibur

Snoop Dog used it in his introduction at Glastonbury 2010

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2022–2023

GOVERNING BOARD

Joel Stone CHAIR Emerson Moser VICE CHAIR Kristin Fishbaugh TREASURER Jennifer Knight Zelkind SECRETARY

Sergio Arreola Fran Carlisle

Smokey Clay David Cook Andrea Costa Judy Dalambakis Jennifer Damiano Sarah Frank-Fogarty

Michael Bailes Bernie Calonge Sheila Cohen Connie Dow Sandra Eisele Jerry Ewers Kathryn Harsh Edmond Hooker Beth Levy

Debbie Brant Kelly Brown Laura Brunner Trish Bryan Otto M. Budig Nancy Clagett

Paul Frodge

Jodi Geiser Rico Grant Linda Greenberg Bruce Halpryn Cynthia E. Henderson Lydia Jacobs-Horton Bruce Jeffery

Daphne Jurgensen Peter Laffoon Mark McAndrew Megan McCarthy-Wolf Jack Miner Katy Moeggenberg Alexandra Ollinger Jim Papakirk

2022–2023 SUSTAINERS

Leon Loewenstein Madelynn Matlock Larry McGruder Skip Merten Alex Munoz Cathy Nwankwo Marilyn Osborn Joselyn Pfeil Julie Richardson

Kitty Rosenthal Morleen Rouse Diane Rumpke Keke Sansalone Tom Schiff Beth Snyder Chris Sprecher Brett Stover Mary Talbott

2022–2023 EMERITUS

William Cordes Lynn Good Lorrence Kellar Charles MacDonnell Richardson McKinney Tom Neyer

Carol Duane Olson Paul Ose Melody Sawyer Richardson Michael Rozow James Sammarco Kathleen Selker

2022–2023 FOUNDATION BOARD

Alandes Powell Thomas Quinn Jennifer Stein

Toilynn O’Neal Turner Faith Whittaker

Heather Theders Pamela Thompson Serena Tsuang Kelly Vanasse Catherine Vernon Gary West Barbara Weyand

Rhonda Sheakley Russell Shelton Shelly Sherman Julie Shifman Linda Smith Ronna Willis

Robert Pitcairn CHAIR Debbie Brant VICE CHAIR Madelynn Matlock TREASURER Kelly Brown SECRETARY

Scott Altman Michael Bailes

Joe Carolin* Joe Dehner Kristin Fishbaugh Rhonda Sheakley

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Craig F. Maier Rhoda Mayerson+

Jen Stein Joel Stone

C incinnati Balle

CINCINNATI BALLET STAFF

Scott Altman

PRESIDENT AND CEO

ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

Joe Carolin

VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND CFO Tiffany Whitcomb

VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Mary French

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DATA SERVICES

Stacey Rich, CPA STAFF ACCOUNTANT

Thomas E. Johnston, CCI, CHI™ INTERPRETER

ARTISTIC

Carmon DeLeone

MUSIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS

Cervilio Miguel Amador REHEARSAL DIRECTOR

Dale Shields REHEARSAL DIRECTOR

Suzette Boyer Webb DIRECTOR OF SECOND COMPANY AND YOUNG PERFORMERS

Angelika Bonyhati-Kovacs

Brian Cashwell

Janet Langhorst

Ted Seaman

BALLET ACCOMPANISTS

Wynn White

LEAD YOUNG PERFORMERS COORDINATOR

Kelly Daley

YOUNG PERFORMERS COORDINATOR

Gina Cerimele-Mechley

INTIMACY COORDINATOR

Elizabeth Robinson

ARTISTIC COORDINATOR

PHILANTHROPY

Sara Pomeroy

VICE PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPY

Katharine Nemeth

MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER

Ilona Piaskowy

INDIVIDUAL GIVING MANAGER

Alexandria Wright DONOR RELATIONS MANAGER

MARKETING AND BRAND STRATEGY

Nicole Doll

VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND BRAND STRATEGY

Nicholas Peltz

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND CONTENT MANAGER

Katie Daly GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Dan Wood

VIDEOGRAPHER

Noelle Johnson COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

Louanna Wyatt PATRON EXPERIENCE MANAGER

Eline Bauwens

Ja’Nay Brown

Julianna Eidle

Butch Hamm

Rebekah Lorenz

Jenna Mays

Pam Taylor

PATRON EXPERIENCE ASSOCIATES

OTTO M. BUDIG ACADEMY AND EDUCATION

Ginger Johnson VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMY AND EDUCATION

Sarah Hairston Berkley ACADEMY DIRECTOR

Carolyn Guido Clifford DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Mike Krauss

DIRECTOR OF ACADEMY OPERATIONS

Maura Korn STUDENT SERVICES MANAGER

Jodie Gates

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

SUE AND BILL FRIEDLANDER ENDOWED CHAIR

OTTO M. BUDIG ACADEMY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Elizabeth Metz

REGISTRATION SERVICES MANAGER

Ihaiah Miller

PRINCIPAL FACULTY, CONTEMPORARY AND CHOREOGRAPHY

David Morse

RESIDENT FACULTY

Kara Louis YOUTH PROGRAMS COORDINATOR

Kate Stark

CB MOVES COORDINATOR

Caitlin Ackerman Dana Ackley Donna Anderle Oliver Arana Jamie Berkley Ja’Nay Brown Rosa Compostella Jacqueline Damico Amador

Emily Egner Isabele Elefson Kerry Enders Sam Epstein Jeri Gatch Melissa Gelfin De-Poli Julia Gundzik Sasha Hart Nicole Hershey Helen Jardon Julius Jenkins Mary Kamp Christina LaForgia Morse Liz Liauba Julie Locker Mae Miller Victoria Morgan Chrissy Pan Patty Pille Emily Reinhart Samantha Riester Cynthia Riesterer Jennifer Rutherford Rowan Salem Maggie Silverstein Alison Sollisch

Joshua Stayton Cassidy Steele Shauna Steele Rose Sunila Rebecca Walther Michelle Ziegler

ACADEMY AND EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS

Elizabeth Reyna Iliana Rich Sierra Severt

STUDENT EXPERIENCE REPRESENTATIVES

PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS

Rachel Hinger

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS

Dena D’Andrea

COMPANY MANAGER

Carissa Gandenberger

STAGE MANAGER

Noelle Wedig-Johnston WARDROBE SUPERVISOR

Laura Hofmann

FIRST WARDROBE ASSISTANT

Cherl Beyersdoerfer SECOND WARDROBE ASSISTANT

Scott Berkley MASTER CARPENTER

Michael Meuché MASTER ELECTRICIAN

Jonathan Chevalier ASSISTANT CARPENTER Kevin Barth PROPERTY MASTER

Emily Hetzer ASSISTANT ELECTRICIAN

James Geier WIG AND MAKE-UP CONSULTANT Baron Leon

CCM LIGHTING INTERN

Quinn Nicole Morgan ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

ATHLETIC TRAINERS

Carolyn Crampton

Kelly Jo Rodrigo COURTESY OF MERCY HEALTH ORTHOPEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE

DONOR HONOR ROLL

FOUNDER

Donald Beck and Dr. Lawrence Eynon Trish and Rick Bryan Dianne Dunkelman and Peter Schwartz Helen Dupree Sue and Bill Friedlander

Susan Brenner and Steven Mombach Jennifer and Robert Conklin

Lynn and Brian Good Anne Heldman Betsy and John LaMacchia Doris M. and Charles B. Levinson Fund*

Karen F. Maier and Delane Starliper Loretta Motz Cook and David Cook

Halle and T. Quinn Dianne and J. David Rosenberg*

DIRECTOR

Arna and Bobby Fisher In Memory of Carole Giuliani

Linda and Gary Greenberg Lauren Hannan Shafer Fred and Patti Heldman*

PRINCIPAL

Anonymous

Cheryl A. Bierwagen Sue and Ben Blaney Deborah and Jody Brant Fran and Wayne Carlisle Judy and Chris Dalambakis Jennifer and M. Vito Damiano Ms. Susan Domonkos Jerry Ewers and Brian L. Tiffany Kristin and Chris Fishbaugh

Sarah Frank Fogarty and Timothy Fogarty Paul and Michelle Frodge Jodi M. Geiser and James Miller III Kenneth Heldman and Felicia Zakem Cynthia E. Henderson Daphne and Jason Jurgensen Barbara and Larry Kellar Peter and John Laffoon Jeffrey and Jody Lazarow and Janie and Peter Schwartz Family Fund*

Anne and Craig F. Maier Debby and Jim Mason Madelynn and Raymond Matlock Jack Miner and Brian Dozer Emerson and Mitzie Moser Sara and Alex Muñoz Barbara K. Myers Alexandra H. and Cole Ollinger Maria and Jim Papakirk Anne Pierce

Larry A. and Rhonda Sheakley

Jen and John Stein Margaret and Michael Valentine Barbara M. Weyand Nancy and David Wolf

Christy and Terry Horan Marilyn and Jack Osborn Justin and Lisa Shafer Julie and Steven Shifman

Diane and William J. Rumpke, Jr. Alice Schneider Lisa and Joel Stone Susan and John Tew Kelly and Guy Vanasse Gary and DeeDee West Faith C. Whittaker, Partner with Dinsmore & Shohl Christine and John Willig

Amy and Michael Bailes

Charles and Bonnie Bensonhaver Elaine and David Billmire Amy Bixel Bob and Jane Bohinski Susan and Robert Brant Daniel Cifuentes Paula and William Cordes Martha and Stuart Dornette Andrea GeorgopoulosStraus

Anonymous

Chris Bergman and Stacey Devlin Ruth Bley William Borek and Evelyn Joseph Robert and Pamela Bosley Jacklyn Bryson Lanthan and Louise Camblin Kristin and David Coppage Andrea Costa Kelly M. Dehan Connie and Buzz Dow

Anonymous

Sarah Alkire Lois and Ken Allen Lisa and Scott Altman Carolyn Barham Alison Belew Marianna Bettman Tanu M. Bhati Sandra and Robert Blanchard Neil Bortz Rick Boydston Edwin Brott Debbie Campbell Lois and Philip Cohen Dr. Thomas S. Cook Dr. Sarah Corathers and Mr. James Anthony Tanya Cornejo and Aaron Kellenberger Aaron and Bobbi Crary Dr. Michael Curran and Dr. Manisha Patel Lisa and Richard Damico Cynthia and Stephen DeHoff Maureen and John Doellman

SOLOIST

Suzanne and Frank Hall Kathryn and Keith Harsh Mrs. Robert Hasl Theresa and Eddie Hooker Noel Julnes-Dehner and Joe Dehner Marcy and Mark Kanter Marcene Kinney Jennifer Knight Zelkind Lynn and Daniel Langmeyer Joanie and Lou Lauch

David Martin Larry and Jill McGruder Amy and Gary Mitchell Susan Murray Karen Petrosky and Brad Dunn

Joselyn Michelle Pfeil Joseph A. and Susan E. Pichler* Marilyn and Paul Porcino Bradley and Amy Resch Kitty and Dick Rosenthal

CORPS

Shirley Duff Greta Elenbaas Jason Faulkner and Theresa Tran Barry and Sandy Feist Valerie Folger Ralph P. Ginocchio Arielle M. Goldberg Kateri Haskett Margaret Hess Karlee Hilliard Steven and Esther Johnson Michelle D. Jones Jean Knuth

Michael and Renee Kreeger Susan and Andrew Krott Rick and Christine Lefever Frances and Craig Lindner Sophia McAllister Stephanie and Arthur McMahon David and Nina Meranus Mary Lou Motl Valerie L. Newell and Timothy Smith Kathy O’Brien

THIRD POSITION

Barbara Doviak Joyce Elkus Merry Ewing Michele Finch Ashley and Bobbie Ford Melissa Frederiksen Melinda Gardner Bill and Christy Griesser Anna Gudmundsdottir and Kristinn Kristinsson Barbara and Dr. Jack Hahn Ham and Ellie Hamilton Scott and Sue Harrington Maureen Heekin Rob and Genita Heidenreich Howard D. and Mary W. Helms Jennifer and Thomas Herzog Jane Hopson Heidi Jark and Steven Kenat

Brenda Jones Gayle and Donald Jones Moya M. Jones

Linda and James Jurgensen Kara and Michael Kennedy Cheri King Mary Ann and Jeff Knoop Heather and H. Lee Krombholz Carol L. Kruse Susan and Richard Lauf Geoffrey Leder Becky and Thomas Long Phil and Laura Lucas Lynn and Robert Macrae Alan Margulies and Gale Snoddy Cynthia C. Mason Cassie and Lachlan McLean Raymond McNeil and Kathleen Compton Lane and Skip Merten Stacey and Mark Miller Anne Mitchell Ruiz and Robert Ruiz Larry and Leslie Newman Betsy and Peter Niehoff Benjamin and Katherine Ohlander

Keke and Tony Sansalone Lorraine and Jerry Schlagheck Gayle and Bill Sherman Dr. Michael and Mrs. Debbie Snyder Jo Ann Wieghaus George and Kathy Wilkinson

Ronna and Dr. James B. Willis David and Sarah Wise Dr. Karen Zaugg, Ph.D.

Carol and Bob Olson Beth Plummer Kim Pollock and Wendy Turner Sid and Sara Pomeroy Martha and Nick Ragland David and Priya Rolfes Charitable Fund Susan and Russell Shelton Huiqing and Scott Stanley Katrina Trimble Christopher and Nancy Virgulak Beverly Williams Jennifer Young

Tim O’Toole Alice Palmer John Pape Bronwyn Park Alexandra and Andrew Quinn Maribeth and Martin Rahe Irene and Daniel Randolph Family Brandon and Margo Rapp Ellen Rieveschl Carole and Edwin Rigaud Rachel and Luke Robinson Stephen Rogers Lisa M. Sampson Janet and Bill Sarran Tom Schiff Nicole Schneider Janet Schultz and Russell Lascelles Marianne Schwab and George Stricker Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Schwartz Barbara Seiver Sonia Sharma Linda Siekmann

Susan and David Smith

Debra W. Smith

Elizabeth A. Snyder

Linda and Nicholas Spadaccini

Anonymous (2)

John Back

William Banks

Henrietta Barlag

Amy Berger

Bernard Berk Pam Biederman

James Brown and Judith Masset-Brown

Dr. Onassis A. Caneris Phil and Katharine Clayton Nancy Crace

Regina and Dan Daily Tina and Michael Disanto M. Patricia and T. Patrick Donnelly

Risa and Stephen Feagins Nancy Finke

THIRD POSITION

J. Shane Starkey

Cindy Starr

Dee and Tom Stegman

Tom and Torey Torre

Susie Tweddell

Louise and Jeremy Vaughan

Barbara Wagner and William Partin Mary and Jim Wahl

SECOND POSITION

Margaret Fiora

Betsy and Peter Frame

Mary and Christopher French

Kenneth Frey Julie Gabriel Sandra Gans

Mary and James R. Gardner Ellen Gentry

Sharon Giddings

Judith and Samuel Gilardi

Zac Greenberg

Brooke Guigui

Jessica Hall

Larry and Maggie Herms

Robert Hodges and Anthony McIntire

Florette Hoffheimer

Ms. Minette Hoffheimer

Bridget and Brian Hoffman

Amy Ruschulte

Laura Hurley Mary and Bill Ivers George E. Kavalauskas Jr. Katherine E. Keough-Jurs Amber Kincaid Kathryn Kipp Linda Kollar

Heather and Pete Kopf Mary and John Kuempel Kim Lauch Caroline A. Love Tanzy Love and Zach Dietz Anne Lovell Larry A. Lutz

Estate of Gene M. Wilson

Glen Wright* John Yacher

Jaclyn and Brenden Zenni Nick and Michelle Ziegler

Amy Magenheim

Dr. James L. Mahon

Amy Marmer

JoAnn Martin

Bruce McIntosh

Candice and David McKeen

Michael Miller

Leah and Joe Miramonti Steven I. Monder

Amy D. Moon Regine Moulton Pamela Reilly RUGiving2?*

Burton Roehr Gabriella Scacchetti Martha and Lee Schimberg

Proudly Preferred

incinnati Balle

t

Susanna and Seth Schwartz

Kathy Selker

Anne Sesler

Aparna and Shimul Shah

Keven E. Shell and Sandra L. Wittman-Shell

Jay and Joanne Smale

Philip Smith

Emily Stahl

SECOND POSITION

James Stapleton and Elizabeth Shaughnessy

Mary M. Stein

Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Stoll

Elizabeth Stone

Allison Thornton

Roxann Tillinghast and Roberto Molina Bridgette Tucker

Jennifer Tullo

Ginger and David Warner Susan B. Warren

Chad and Betsy Warwick M. Richmond and W. Watterson Debbie and Dick Westheimer Susan M. Wulsin

Jody Yetzer and Alexander Kayne

Col. Joseph E. Zeis Jr. Marcy and Bob Ziek

Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Zierolf Tamela and Tim Zimmerman

*Funds held at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Thank you to the donors whose gifts we received by August 12 2022. The above donor pages represent the information available at the time of print. If you find that you are listed incorrectly or we did not recognize you appropriately, we apologize and want to include you. Please contact our Donor Relations Manager, Alexandria Wright, at awright@cballet.org or 513.873.5812.

ACADEMY AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Cincinnati Ballet’s

personal passion,

PRE-PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH DANCE PROGRAMS

ADAPTIVE DANCE PROGRAMS

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DIVISION

Enrollment by

Photography: Hiromi Platt

Photography: Angie Lipscomb

Photography:

Photography:

PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS

IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES

Cincinnati Ballet is delighted to provide elementary schools in

greater Cincinnati area with FREE residency experiences sure to inspire

students

to develop

appreciation for the art of dance.

Focus: Second Grade

Available: September - December

The CincyDance! program starts in the classroom using a combination of physical education curriculum and dance training to activate a student’s desire to express themselves through movement. Following the residency, students are invited to audition for scholarships to continue their training at Cincinnati Ballet.

Focus: Pre-K

Available: January - April

The CincyDance! Pre-K program activates a student’s imagination while introducing them to the joy of creative movement and ballet. Students will explore locomotor movement, balance and other key coordination skills with highly skilled Cincinnati Ballet teaching artists.

PERFORMANCES FOR SCHOOLS

Photography: Hiromi Platt

Cincinnati Ballet makes the beauty of live performance available to students across the greater Cincinnati area through in-school touring productions and student matinees for all grade levels.

TOURING COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES

Bring Cincinnati Ballet directly to your school or community center! Each production is designed with a specific age group in mind and creates an experience that welcomes new audiences to dancethrough accessible storytelling, relatable themes, funchoreography,and interactive content.

STUDENT MATINEES

Cincinnati Ballet’s student matinees connect students to live dance at the Aronoff Center, Music Hall, and the Valentine Center for Dance. These special performances are offered at an accessible price and time, making for an extraordinary student experience and a unique connection to the region’s largest professional ballet company.

Herschede

Family Foundation Crosset Family Foundation

& Marjorie Daniel Foundation

Family Foundation

Judd Memorial Fund

Scott Riley III Foundation Warrington Foundation

PARTNERS

Family Foundation

Third Bank and the Fifth Third Foundation

Aviation

& Southern Financial Group Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

Cincinnati Insurance

of Cincinnati

Media

American

Group

National Financial Services

Third

Herschede Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Fdtn

Howe Scholarship Foundation

E.W.

Scripps Howard Foundation

Energy

Reds

In Pursuit of What Matters Most.

Since 1948, HORAN has created plans to control health care costs, protect your wealth and insure your life. But the end game at HORAN is more than a set of plans. We believe good health and true wealth create a better quality of life for our clients and their families.

HORAN is proud to support our valued client and one of the city’s cultural icons, the Cincinnati Ballet.

MEET THE ARTISTS

Cincinnati Ballet is pleased to offer Meet the Artists, a pre-performance discussion series connecting audiences to select dancers, choreographers, and members of the creative team who bring our performances to life. Admission to Meet the Artists is included in your ticket to the current production.

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

Throughout the year Cincinnati Ballet offers dynamic and interactive experiences to deepen your love of the art form. These programs are designed for everyone and include studio rehearsals, workshops, community and educational performances, pre-and post-performance discussions, and more.

BALLET AND BEER

Ballet & Beer is an event series providing an insider’s view into Cincinnati Ballet while enjoying drinks, light bites, and socializing. This season we will host these happy hour–style events at the new Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance in Walnut Hills. These events are free to attend, but due to space limitations for the rehearsals, advanced reservations are encouraged. Events include a cash bar.

COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE SERIES

Cincinnati Ballet is excited to open the Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance to the community for an inviting introduction to ballet and dance performance. These performances are designed to welcome new audiences to dance through accessible storytelling, relatable themes, fun choreography, and community partnerships. Join us at the new Center for Dance on select Sunday afternoons with your family and friends for these hour-long performances.

VOLUNTEER

Cincinnati Ballet offers a variety of volunteer opportunities. Get involved and support Cincinnati Ballet while meeting new people and learning more about ballet. Volunteering for Cincinnati Ballet is fun, educational, and a great way to support the arts. Volunteers are vital in supporting the mission of Cincinnati Ballet. To learn more, please contact Noelle Johnson at volunteer@cballet.org

AT MUSIC HALL

FOOD AND BEVERAGES are available at various lobby locations throughout Music Hall. All concessions and drinks sold at Music Hall should be consumed in designated areas throughout the hall. Only bottled water can be taken into Springer Auditorium.

RESTROOMS can be found on every level of Music Hall. Companion care restrooms can be found in these locations:

• Western & Southern Lobby

• North side of the Orchestra level of Springer Auditorium

• South side of the Balcony level of Springer Auditorium

• West side of the Ballroom

GUEST SERVICES is located in the northeast corner of the Lindner Grand Foyer. Services include assistive listening devices, coat check, courtesy phone, taxi service, and lost and found.

IF YOU LOSE AN ITEM while attending an event at Music Hall, check with the Guest Services attendant before leaving. If they are unable to locate the item, call the Administrative Office at (513) 744-3344 during business hours, 9 am–5 pm, Monday–Friday.

YOUR PARTICIPATION IN OUR RECYCLING effort is appreciated! Recycling containers are located near every concession stand. If you don’t want to keep your program you may simply leave it on your seat or hand it to an usher when you leave.

PLEASE NOTE

THE FOYER AT MUSIC HALL opens 60 minutes prior to curtain—admission to the auditorium (and late seating) may vary, depending on the policies and requirements of the production. Ushers will be available to assist with any seating questions.

LATE SEATING is at the discretion of the house manager. Due to the demands of the production, late seating might occur as late as intermission or may be accommodated in the Gallery. Should you need to leave the auditorium during the performance, re-admittance and seating will also be at the discretion of the house manager.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO of Cincinnati Ballet performances is strictly prohibited. SMOKING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED at Music Hall.

TO SCHEDULE A TOUR OF MUSIC HALL, contact the Administrative Office at (513) 7443344. Tours last approximately one hour, and guides are available through the Friends of Music Hall for a nominal charge.

ACCESSIBILITY

All event spaces in Music Hall are fully accessible, and many services are available for guests with mobility challenges. Our patron experience team and staff strive to provide everyone with a quality experience when they visit, and accommodations are available for persons with specific needs. All guests are encouraged to contact us for additional information.

WHEELCHAIRS are available upon request for guests needing assistance from the curb or lobby to their seats. Access Ambassadors are available at the southeast entrance on Elm Street. All levels of the theater have elevator service and offer wheelchair accommodations.

ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES designed to enhance sound are available at Guest Services.

SPECIAL SEATING is available for guests unable to transfer out of their mobility devices or with other special seating needs. When possible, contact our Patron Experience Office in advance. On the day of a performance, we will make every effort to meet the needs of the guests.

FIRST AID services are available in the North Concourse on the Orchestra Level. For assistance, speak with a Music Hall staff member.

SERVICE ANIMALS are always welcome at Music Hall.

For more information about Cincinnati Ballet please visit our website www.cballet.org, call (513) 621-5282, or visit us at 1801 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

VICTORIA

WOMEN’S

Thank you to everyone who donated to this fund established in honor of former Artistic Director Victoria Morgan’s 25th Anniversary Season and her career achievements as a champion of women choreographers and artists. This fund enables Cincinnati Ballet to annually draw financial support for a featured female choreographer or artist.

Rodríguez

You can see Irene Rodríguez perform in the Bold Moves Festival June 9-18, 2023. Presented by

VICTORIA MORGAN WOMEN’S CHOREOGRAPHER AND ARTIST FUND DONORS

Trish and Rick Bryan Paula I. Comisar Sarah Corathers and James Anthony Tanya Cornejo and Aaron Kellenberger Judy and Chris Dalambakis Jennifer and M. Vito Damiano Richard and Lisa Damico Connie and Buzz Dow Dianne Dunkelman and Peter Schwartz Ashley and Barbara Ford Sue and Lynne Friedlander Melinda Gardner Lynn and Brian Good Linda and Gary Greenberg Lauren Hannan Shafer Patti and Fred Heldman Anne Ilyinsky Randy and Jan Johnson The Kaplan Foundation

Mark and Marcy Kanter Michael and Renee Kreeger Peter and John Laffoon Lynn and Daniel Langmeyer Robert and Lynn Macrae Paul and Marilyn Porcino Elyse Morgan Roth Cheryl Spencer Susan and Russ Shelton Elizabeth A. Snyder Jen and John Stein Timothy Smith and Valerie Newell John and Susan Tew Katrina Trimble Margaret and Michael Valentine Barbara M. Weyand George and Kathy Wilkinson Ronna & Dr. James B. Willis Joseph Zeis, Jr.