Cincinnati’s six-year-old Constella Festival of Music and Art has a tantalizing array of events on tap for its 2017 spring festival.
Set for March 10-25, the Festival boasts everything from piano to opera, film to bandoneon.
“This year we are experimenting
with new venues and ideas,” said violinist Tatiana Berman, founder and artistic
director of Constella.
Known for its delightful eclecticism, the Constella Festival will take place at several venues in Greater Cincinnati, including Harriet Tubman Theater in the National Underground Freedom Center, the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Theater and the Unmuseum in the Contemporary Arts Center (all in downtown Cincinnati), Northside Tavern in Northside, and the New Riff Distillery in Newport, Kentucky.
“There is something really special going on in our city, and we wanted to capture that," Berman said.
Opening the Festival March 10 will be a Constella special event, the premiere of “Cincy,” a film directed by
David Donnelly (director of the film “Maestro”). "Cincy" is a documentary celebrating Cincinnati’s rich arts
scene.
On March 18, there will be opera excerpts (from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” Puccini’s “La Boheme” and others) by soprano Jessica Rivers and baritone Rodion Pogossov.
Participating March 19 will be musicians from Classical Revolution, the music group that entertains at Northside Tavern while visitors eat.
Sure to intrigue March 19, will be pianist Dan Tepfer, who will perform on the Yamaha Disklavier CFX piano, a “reproducing” piano that plays back to you. As the pianist improvises, the piano responds in real time with notes of its own. (You can watch the keys depress themselves.)
On the Constella roster March 23 are pianist/conductor Alissa Firsova, with violinist Berman, the Constella Festival Ensemble and musicians from Café Momus, a new music series at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Lightborne, the design studio that produced visual effects for the Cincinnati Symphony’s music and light show Lumenocity, will collaborate with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and MamLuft & Co., a Cincinnati-based modern dance company, on March 24.
Performing at the Festival March 25 will be bandoneonist/composer Richard Scofano, pianist Alfredo Minetti, violinist Berman and bassist Jeff Greene in an all-Latin program, to be followed by a traditional Argentine milonga (fiesta), with food and drinks.
There will be a concert for kids March 25 at the Unmuseum in the Contemporary Arts Center, featuring Constella musicians.
In short, the 2017 Constella Festival promises to be a “wow” event.
The 2017 Constella Festival
March 10. Constella special event. World premiere of “Cincy,” documentary film directed by David Donnelly. Venue to be announced.
March 18. “Everybody Loves Opera.” Music from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” Puccini’s “La Boheme” and others. Harriet Tubman Theater, Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Jessica Rivera, soprano. Rodion Pogossov, baritone. Lydia Brown, piano.
March 19. “Piano 2.0: Melding of Man and Machine.” Dan Tefner, piano. The New Riff Distillery, 24 Distillery Way, Newport, Kentucky.
March 19. Cincinnati Classical Revolution. Northside Tavern, 4163 Hamilton Ave.
March 23. “From Russia with Love.” 1100 Sycamore Street. Alisa Firsova, piano/conductor. Tatiana Berman, violin. Constella Festival Ensemble. MoMus (University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music new music series).
March 24. “Luminous Dance.” Harriet Tubman Theater, Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. MamLuft & Company. Lightborne.
March 25. “Constella for Kids.” Unmuseum, Contemporary Arts Center. Constella musicians.
March
25. “Saturday Night Latin Fever.” Gallery 708, 708 Walnut St. Richard Scofano, bandoneon, pianist Alfredo Minetti, Tatiana Berman,
violin. Richard, Jeff Greene, bass. Latin music, including Scofano's Nuevo Chamamé,to be followed by a milonga (traditional Argentine fiesta with food and drinks)
Season passes are available at constellafestival.org
Single ticket prices, additional information will be announced at a later date.