2027 May Festival

We are excited that Marin Alsop will be the 2027 Festival Director. Be the first to know about 2027 May Festival details. 

The 2027 May Festival will take place May 17–30, 2027, and will feature the U.S. premiere of a new work by Anna Clyne, 2024 Festival Director Julia Wolfe’s Fire in My Mouth, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with text by former Poet Laureate of the U.S. Tracy K. Smith and Roxanna Panufnik’s Across the Line of Dreams. Marin Alsop and May Festival Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson are set to curate a series of concerts and activities that, through music, showcase the power of women’s voices and celebrates the contribution of women throughout history.

A familiar face to the Cincinnati May Festival, Marin Alsop conducted R. Nathaniel Dett’s The Ordering of Moses for the Festival’s 150^th anniversary, which the May Festival premiered in 1937. She also conducted Samuel Barber’s First Symphony and Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915.

“The May Festival Chorus shared an instant bond with Marin when she conducted the Chorus as part of the 150^th anniversary Festival,” remarks Director of Choruses Matthew Swanson. “The Choruses and I are excited to work more in depth with Marin in 2027. Marin’s unique amalgamation of innate creativity, advocacy for equity and enthusiasm for music and choral singing will create a once-in-a-lifetime May Festival.”

Marin Alsop is one of the foremost conductors of our time and a powerful and inspiring voice. Alsop will bring her extensive experience on the international stage, advocacy for gender and education equity, and a dynamic approach to both conducting and repertoire to the year-long directorship. She is the first woman to serve as the head of major orchestras in the United States, South America, Austria and Great Britain. A “formidable musician and a powerful communicator” and a “conductor with a vision” (The New York Times), Alsop is internationally recognized for her innovative approach to programming and audience development, for her deep commitment to education and for championing the importance of music in the world. She is also the first and only conductor to receive a MacArthur Fellowship.

"It’s a tremendous honor to serve as Festival Director of the 2027 Cincinnati May Festival,” said Marin Alsop. “This festival has such a rich and meaningful history, and I’m excited to collaborate with Matthew Swanson and the extraordinary May Festival Chorus on programs celebrating the power, resilience and artistry of so many remarkable women composers with whom I’ve shared meaningful artistic partnerships and collaborations across many years."

Read Marin Alsop's Bio

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