The Cincinnati May Festival announces the programming for the 2026 May Festival under this year’s Festival Director, Julia Bullock.

Julia Bullock, Jason Alexander Holmes, and the May Festival Chorus give the opening concert. They are joined by Carlos Simon on the Hammond Organ and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The evening includes a new work co-curated by Bullock and chorus director Matthew Swanson. Cristian Măcelaru conducts.

Performance Date: May 15, 2026

“The Water’s Journey” features the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in Duke Ellington’s “The River” and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “A Sea Symphony.” The ensembles are led by Matthew Swanson and Cristian Măcelaru, respectively.

Performance Date: May 16, 2026

Soloists Victoria Okafor, Sara Couden, Nicholas Phan, and Yannis François perform with the May Festival Chorus and members of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. They are joined by the Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company – CB2 in Igor Stravinsky’s “Les noces” and Carl Orff’s “Catulli Carmina.”

Performance Date: May 21, 2026

In the “Festival Finale,” Bullock takes the stage as Bess in her own personal curation of Gershwin’s opera, “Porgy and Bess.” Alfred Walker joins as Porgy. This concert also features works by William Grant Still, Stephen Paulus, and Leonard Bernstein. The May Festival Chorus, May Festival Youth Chorus, and Classical Roots Community Choir perform under the direction of Matthew Swanson and Jason Alexander Holmes. Anthony Parnther conducts the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The night concludes in a May Festival tradition, closing out the Festival by singing the Hallelujah Chorus together as one.

Performance Date: May 23, 2026

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