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The final chorus (of Elijah) brought the audience to its feet. Music director James Conlon added remarks from the podium for a personal touch, carnations were handed out at the door, and there was a jubilant “Amen” party in the Music Hall ballroom afterwards. All ratified the musical and societal heritage of this Midwestern city, so steeped in Old World traditions like choral singing, of which the 138-year old May Festival is the reigning aristocrat.

Mary Ellyn Hutton
ConcertoNet

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May Festival Music Directors

Theodore Thomas	1873–1904
Frank van der Stucken	1906–1912
Ernst Kunwald	1914–1916
Eugene Ysaye	1918–1920
Frank van der Stucken	1923–1927
Frederick Stock	1929
Eugene Goossens	1931–1946
Fritz Busch	1948–1950
Josef Krips	1954–1960
Max Rudolf	1963; 1967–1970
Julius Rudel	1971–1972
Leonard Bernstein	1973 (Honorary Music Director)
James Levine	1974–1978
James Conlon	1979–present
Note: In 1952, Thor Johnson, Jean Morel and Fritz Stiedry were guest conductors. No “Music Director” was designated. In 1965, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski and Robert Shaw were guest conductors. No “Music Director” was designated.