For decades, The Cleveland Orchestra has consistently ranked among the very best orchestras in the world. Their excellence has kept Northeast Ohio in global arts and culture conversations and as a place where world-class art can thrive. Beginning in 2023, The Cleveland Orchestra and Music Director Franz Welser-M枚st launched the 鈥攁 new tradition of innovative opera presentations that tackles themes like "Reconciliation," "Power," and "The American Dream." The festival鈥檚 inaugural edition was praised by The New York Times as a 鈥渃ompelling proof of concept鈥� and 鈥渁n ambitious achievement.鈥� This year, the festival will explore the theme of "Courage." It centers Beethoven鈥檚 only opera, Fidelio, which serves as a testament to courage and human nobility.
Yet, what does opera mean today, and what might it become? At the heart of the Festival is a new creative partnership with American jazz trumpeter and opera composer Terence Blanchard. He will be joined on the City Club stage by tenor David Butt Philip, who appears as Florestan in Beethoven鈥檚 Fidelio, and Emmy-winning soprano Adrienne Danrich.
Join us at the City Club for a wide-ranging conversation on new creative voices, evolving audience expectations, and how opera continues to transform while retaining its emotional and artistic core.
Panelists
Terence Blanchard
Award-winning Musician and Composer
David Butt Philip
Operatic Tenor - "Florestan", Beethoven's Fidelio, The Cleveland Orchestra
Adrienne Danrich
Emmy庐 Winning Soprano
Moderator
Andr茅 Gremillet
President & CEO, The Cleveland Orchestra