2026
AMERICA AT 250 JULY 3, 2026
AMERICA AT 250 Friday, July 3, 2026, at 8 PM The Cleveland Orchestra Edwin Outwater, conductor 2026
JOHN STAFFORD SMITH The Star-Spangled Banner (1750–1836)
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
Overture to Candide
(1918–1990)
CARLOS SIMON (b. 1986)
Ring Shout from Four Black American Dances
TRADITIONAL
Witness arr. Hall Johnson; orch. Nicholas Hersh
PRESENTED BY
Russell Thomas, tenor Give Me Jesus arr. Moses Hogan; orch. Johnie Dean
Russell Thomas, tenor SEASON PARTNER
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
America from West Side Story Suite for Violin and String Orchestra
MOVIE NIGHT PRESENTER
GEORGE GERSHWIN
An American in Paris
arr. Paul Bateman (1898–1937)
I N T E R M I S S I O N | 20 minutes FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PARTNER
JOHN WILLIAMS
Sound the Bells!
(b. 1932)
CHARLES IVES
Variations on “America”
(1874–1954)
orch. William Schuman
FLORENCE PRICE
Andante moderato from String Symphony in G major (after String Quartet No. 1)
(1887–1953)
arr. Peter Stanley Martin
AARON COPLAND
COVER PHOTO BY ROGER MASTROIANNI
(1900–1990)
Lincoln Portrait Russell Thomas, narrator
Total approximate running time: 1 hour 35 minutes
A fireworks display will immediately follow the performance, weather permitting. Tonight’s concert is sponsored by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Edwin Outwater’s performance is generously sponsored by Budd and Judy Dworkin. PLEASE RECYCLE
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OUT OF MANY, ONE: A TAPESTRY OF AMERICAN MUSIC
T
he history of music in America — even classical music — is so vast, rich, and colorful that one concert alone could never capture its full, glorious diversity. Naturally, such a program could include composers from many different eras
and cultural backgrounds. It could explore how these same composers have tried to
write music that sounds American — not an obvious task. Bold, brash, vivacious? Folksy, multicultural, patriotic? Expansive and awe-inspiring, like the land itself? Or it could foreground music that doesn’t sound especially American. But one thing is certain: the music would show that, for 250 years, a monumental creative spirit has animated this country across every victory and defeat, every challenge and opportunity, and every moment of our shared past. Two pieces on tonight’s program — The Star-Spangled Banner and an arrangement of Charles Ives’s Variations on “America” — tell the story of contested musical patriotism. Before 1931, the United States had no official national anthem. Over the previous century and more, various tunes had vied for the honor: “Yankee Doodle,” “Hail Columbia,” and “America the Beautiful.” Each one is so different — in musical style and lyrical subject matter — that no one could agree on the best fit. On more than one occasion, wealthy donors joined efforts to sponsor national anthem contests to solve the problem once and for all! Perhaps ironically, both The Star-Spangled Banner and “America the Beautiful” have musical roots in Britain, the very imperial power Americans overthrew. But, in this new context, they show that Americans can remake music from elsewhere into something distinctly their own. Three selections on this
IMAGE – LIBRARY OF CONGRESS (C. 1861) | PUBLIC DOMAIN
program explore the rich musical contributions of enslaved Africans: Carlos Simon’s Ring Shout (from his larger work Four Black American Dances) and the spirituals “Witness” and “Give Me Jesus.” Their inclusion on this program can be attributed in part to Antonín Dvořák, who, in 1893, urged American composers to clevelandorchestra.com
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integrate African-derived folk music into classical frameworks, openly acknowledging the creativity of people who had long been dehumanized. Simon’s 2023 work hearkens back to colonial history with its evocation of the ring shout, a lively group dance with clear African roots. The music at times brings us into the dance itself with hand clapping and shouting from the orchestra, whereas at others we get a more picturesque scene with a driving melody underscored by colorful percussion. “Witness” and “Give Me Jesus” show two separate sides of the spiritual as a genre. “Witness” is upbeat, whereas the other is fully contemplative. One of Dvořák’s students, the gifted baritone and composer Harry T. Burleigh, popularized the use of arranged spirituals on concert programs in a performance tradition that has included Roland Hayes, Marian Anderson, Leontyne Price, and, more recently, Karen Slack and Lawrence Brownlee. A distinctly international multiculturalism marks four more pieces: the two selections from Leonard Bernstein’s stage works Candide and West Side Story, George Gershwin’s An American in Paris, and John Williams’s Sound the Bells!. In their own way, the Overture to Candide and Gershwin’s tone poem followed Dvořák’s prescription with their obvious jazz and big band influences, demonstrating that composers have long used the energy of jazz to communicate a vivacious American spirit. That one depicts a tourist visiting the equally vibrant city of Paris in the 1920s makes sense; that the other has origins in an 18th-century French play may not! Both “America” from West Side Story and Sound the Bells! engage more directly with music from outside the United States. Famously, the rhythmic profile of Bernstein’s song evokes Latin American dance as two characters argue over the merits of the United States and Puerto Rico. Williams wrote Sound the Bells! for a more unifying purpose: celebrating the Crown Prince of Japan’s marriage while the Boston Symphony Orchestra was touring the country. Unlike the Bernstein song, Williams took no stylistic inspiration from Japan save for the use of tubular bells as a nod toward bonshō, the giant bells of Buddhist temples.
few weeks after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in April 1968, the National Symphony Orchestra led a memorial concert in which his widow, Coretta Scott King (herself a classically trained vocalist), narrated Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait. When Florence Price’s daughter learned about the concert, she tried unsuccessfully 6
BLOSSOM MUSIC FESTIVAL 2026
FLORENCE PRICE
PHOTO BY GEORGE NELIDOFF | PUBLIC DOMAIN
The last two pieces share a hidden history. A
to engage a performance of her mother’s cantata on a similar theme, Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight. Today, Price’s expansive catalog is finally earning international recognition while Copland’s moving work retains its due place as a transcendent reflection on democracy. Stylistically, Price’s String Quartet No. 1 and Lincoln Portrait could not be more different. Though Price occasionally based pieces on preexisting melodies like spirituals, the quartet’s second movement — arranged here for string orchestra — is an abstract but prayerful Andante with a quirky interlude, all drawing from the grand Romantic tradition. The Copland, in contrast, directly quotes two songs from Lincoln’s era, Stephen Foster’s “Camptown Races” and an old American folk ballad, “On Springfield Mountain.” Yet both pieces speak a fully American musical language. With composers as the centerpiece of any concert program, it can be easy to forget that performers bring music to life and are just as much a part of music history as anyone else. The vocalist originally scheduled to perform on tonight’s concert, tenor Limmie Pulliam, tragically passed away in May at age 50. And while the sounds of American history are woven through this concert in the compositional voices of Bernstein, Copland, Price, Gershwin, and others, Pulliam’s distinctively resonant voice would have provided the through-line connecting the various strands of American music history on display into a unified whole — out of many, one. Instead, as Pulliam joins these composers in the rich tapestry of American music history, Russell Thomas will bring their music to life. Indeed, the unique voices of everyone on stage — instrumentalists, conductor, and vocalist — form a sonic and visual reminder that democracy is at its best when we offer our distinctive gifts for the common good. — Douglas W. Shadle Douglas W. Shadle is an associate professor of musicology at Vanderbilt University and the author of two highly regarded books: Orchestrating the Nation and Antonín Dvořák’s New World Symphony. A leading authority on composer Florence B. Price, he sits on the board of the International Florence Price Festival.
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THE S U N G & S P O K E N TE X T S
Witness Traditional spiritual (arr. Hall Johnson; orch. Nicholas Hersh) Oh Lord, what matter of man is dis? All nations in Him are blest; All things are done by His will, He spoke to da sea a’ de sea stood still. Now ain’t dat a witness for my Lord? Ma soul is a witness for my Lord. Now dere was a man of de Pharersees, His name was Nocodemus an’ e’ didn’ believe. De same came to Chris’ by night, Wanted to be taught out o’ human sight. Nicodemus was a man desired to know How a man kin be born when he is ol’. Chris’ tol’ Nicodemus, as a frien’, “Man, you mus’ be born again.” Said, “Marvel not, man, ef you wanter be wise, Repent, believe, an’ be baptize.”
You read about Samson, from his birth Stronges’ man dat ever lived on Earth. ’Way back yonder in ancien’ times He killed ten thousan’ of de Philestines. Den ol’ Samson went wand’rin’ about; Samson’s strength was never found out Till ’is wife sat upon ’is knees. She said, “Tell me where yo’ strength lies, ef you please.” Now Samson’s wife, she talk so fair, Samson said, “Cut off-a my hair.” Shave my head jes as clean as yo’ han’ An’ my Strength will ’come lak a natchul man Ol’ Samson was a witness for my Lord, Soul is a witness for my Lord. Da’s another witness, Ma soul is a witness for my Lord!
Den you’ll be a witness for my Lord? Ma soul is a witness for my Lord.
Give Me Jesus Traditional spiritual (arr. Moses Hogan; orch. Johnie Dean) In the mornin’ when I rise, Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus, You may have all this world, Give me Jesus. Dark midnight was my cry, Give me Jesus.
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BLOSSOM MUSIC FESTIVAL 2026
Give me Jesus … Oh, when I come to die, Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus …
Lincoln Portrait by Aaron Copland Text by the composer, compiled from various speeches and writings of Abraham Lincoln “Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history.” That is what he said. That is what Abraham Lincoln said. “Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this congress and this administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the latest generation. We, even we here, hold the power and bear the responsibility.” Annual Message to Congress, December 1, 1862
He was born in Kentucky, raised in Indiana, and lived in Illinois. And this is what he said. This is what Abe Lincoln said. “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves and then we will save our country.” Annual Message to Congress, December 1, 1862
When standing erect he was six feet four inches tall, and this is what he said. He said: “It is the eternal struggle between two principles, right and wrong, throughout the world. It is the same spirit that says ‘you toil and work and earn bread, and I’ll eat it.’ No matter in what shape it comes, whether from the mouth of a king who seeks to bestride the people of his own nation, and live by the fruit of their labor, or from one race of men as an apology for enslaving another race, it is the same tyrannical principle.” Lincoln-Douglas debates, October 15, 1858
Lincoln was a quiet man. Abe Lincoln was a quiet and a melancholy man. But when he spoke of democracy, this is what he said. He said: “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy “Definition of Democracy,” c. August 1, 1858
Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of these United States, is everlasting in the memory of his countrymen. For on the battleground at Gettysburg, this is what he said: He said: “That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth.” Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863
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The Cleveland Orchestra rehearses under the baton of Karina Canellakis during a donor-exclusive open rehearsal.
Your Best. BLOSSOM. Ever! • Invitations to rehearsals and recitals • Sweet ticket and retail discounts • Private concessions, restrooms, and more! Learn more at clevelandorchestra.com/benefits
Sunday, July 26
Blossom Music Center An evening to benefit The Cleveland Orchestra’s summer home. TWO festive summer parties & a concert with Idina Menzel.
Blossom Summer Soirée A dinner party complete with seasonal summer cocktails, parking & Pavilion tickets.
A cocktail party with hors d’oeuvres, unlimited spritzes, parking & Lawn tickets.
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Proud presenting sponsor of the Blossom Summer Soirée:
Presented in collaboration with:
Mr. Richard K. Smucker
Young Professionals of TCO
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THE A RTI S T S
EDWIN OUTWATER conductor
A visionary conductor, curator and producer, Edwin Outwater regularly works with the world’s top orchestras, institutions, and artists to reinvent the concert experience. His effortless ability to cross genres has led to collaborations with a wide range of artists, from Metallica to Yo-Yo Ma. Outwater is music director of the San PHOTO BY DAVID J. KIM
Francisco Conservatory of Music, overseeing ensembles and shaping the artistic initiatives of this dynamic institution. From September 2024, he has served as principal guest conductor and curator of the BBC Concert Orchestra, working closely with the orchestra’s director to deliver an exciting range of concerts and community and education events. He is also music director laureate of the KitchenerWaterloo Symphony, which he led from 2007–17. Recent appearances include performances with The Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, San Francsico Symphony, and Seattle Symphony as well as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Brussels Philharmonic. He is a close collaborator for the symphonic shows of acclaimed performers such as Cynthia Erivo, Beck, and Trey Anastasio, and has worked with other stars such as Diana Ross, Leslie Odom, Jr., Lang Lang, Audra McDonald, and Stewart Copeland. Outwater has recently featured in several successful recordings. 2024 saw the release of Lara Downes’s Rhapsody in Blue Reimagined with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Orchestra, as well as GRACE: The Music of Michael Tilson Thomas. He was also associate conductor for the Sony Classical release A Gathering of Friends, with John Williams and the New York Philharmonic. A native of Santa Monica, California, Outwater graduated from Harvard University, where he was music director of the Bach Society Orchestra and the a cappella group Harvard Din and Tonics, and wrote the music for the 145th annual production of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals. He received a degree in conducting from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he studied with Heiichiro Ohyama and Paul Polivnick.
THE A RTI S T S
RUSSELL THOMAS tenor
American tenor Russell Thomas continues to make a name as one of the most commanding dramatic tenors of his generation. With a voice of remarkable power and expressive range, his ability to move seamlessly between vocal traditions is a testament to his technical mastery, stylistic versatility, and dramatic intelligence. The 2025–26 season was a landmark year in which Thomas added two major roles to his PHOTO BY LAJOY BLUE
repertoire: the Emperor in Die Frau ohne Schatten at The Metropolitan Opera and the title role in Tannhäuser at Houston Grand Opera. Thomas also returned to some of his most celebrated lyric roles, including Canio (Pagliacci) at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Don José (Carmen) at Opéra national de Paris, and also debuted as the title role in Werther at the Canadian Opera Company. A graduate of The Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Program, Thomas has appeared with the company in numerous roles and also joined the Met Orchestra on their 2023 European tour alongside Renée Fleming and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. His long-standing relationship with Los Angeles Opera — where he served as the company’s inaugural artist in residence — has seen him perform roles in Otello, Aida, and Turandot, while also mentoring young artists and curating their After Hours recital series. Other recent highlights include the world premiere of Joel Thompson’s Fire and Blue Sky and his acclaimed collaboration with Peter Sellars and John Adams in The Gospel According to the Other Mary, which was recorded for Deutsche Grammophon. On the concert platform, Thomas has appeared with the Vienna Philharmonic, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, New York Philharmonic, and Frankfurt Radio Symphony in repertoire ranging from Maher’s Das Lied von der Erde and Stravinsky’s Oedipus rex to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Rooted in the Italian lyric tradition, where he brings vocal elegance, emotional immediacy, and stylistic authenticity, and now firmly established in the German dramatic canon, Thomas continues to make fearless artistic choices, shaping a career of profound impact and enduring resonance.
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BLOSSOM MUSIC FESTIVAL 2026
IN MEMORIAM
LIMMIE PULLIAM The Cleveland Orchestra joins the classical music community in mourning the passing of tenor Limmie Pulliam, who was originally scheduled to appear on tonight’s concert. Tenor Russell Thomas has graciously agreed to join the program and wishes to dedicate his performance to the memory of his friend, Limmie. An artist with extraordinary vocal power and sincerity, Pulliam made his Cleveland Orchestra debut in 2022, stepping into the title role in Verdi’s Otello. He deepened his connection with our musicians and audiences through Puccini’s The Girl of the Golden West and, most recently, Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde. Cleveland held a special place in Pulliam’s heart. He considered his performances with The Cleveland Orchestra among the highlights of his career, once remarking that if he could sing an opera in Cleveland every year, he would be “a very happy man.” We are deeply grateful for the music and memories Limmie shared with us. The Cleveland Orchestra extends its heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends, and those who were touched by
PHOTO BY YEVHEN GULENKO
his remarkable voice.
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THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA Franz Welser-Möst Music Director KELVIN SMITH FAMILY CHAIR FIRST VIOLINS
VIOLAS
PICCOLO
CORNETS
Joel Link
Wesley Collins*
Mary Kay Fink
Michael Sachs*
Blossom-Lee Chair
Gareth Zehngut1^
OBOES
Michael Miller
Stanley Konopka Mark Jackobs
Frank Rosenwein*
TROMBONES
CONCERTMASTER
Elizabeth Fayette FIRST ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER Virginia M. Lindseth, PhD, Chair
Jung-Min Amy Lee ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER Gretchen D. and Ward Smith Chair
Zhan Shu ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER Clara G. and George P. Bickford Chair
Stephen Tavani
Chaillé H. and Richard B. Tullis Chair Charles M. and Janet G.Kimball Chair 2
Jean Wall Bennett Chair
Anne M. and M. Roger Clapp Chair
Edith S. Taplin Chair
Corbin Stair
Sharon and Yoash Wiener Chair
Lisa Boyko
Richard and Nancy Sneed Chair
Jeffrey Rathbun2
Everett D. and Eugenia S. McCurdy Chair
Richard Waugh Lembi Veskimets
Robert Walters
The Morgan Sisters Chair
ENGLISH HORN
Eliesha Nelson^
Robert Walters
Dr. Ronald H. Krasney Chair
Anthony and Diane Wynshaw-Boris Chair
Samuel C. and Bernette K. Jaffe Chair
Wei-Fang Gu
William Bender
CLARINETS
ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER
Drs. Paul M. and Renate H. Duchesneau Chair
Thomas Lauria and Christopher Lauria Chair
Kim Gomez
CELLOS
Elizabeth and Leslie Kondorossy Chair
Chul-In Park
Harriet T. and David L. Simon Chair
Afendi Yusuf*
Robert Marcellus Chair
Robert Woolfrey
Mark Kosower*
Victoire G. and Alfred M. Rankin, Jr. Chair
Louis D. Beaumont Chair
Daniel McKelway2
Miho Hashizume
Richard Weiss1
Jeanne Preucil Rose
Charles Bernard2 Helen Weil Ross Chair
E-FLAT CLARINET
Alicia Koelz
Bryan Dumm
Daniel McKelway
Yu Yuan
Tanya Ell
Theodore Rautenberg Chair Larry J.B. and Barbara S. Robinson Chair Oswald and Phyllis Lerner Gilroy Chair Patty and John Collinson Chair
Isabel Trautwein
Trevor and Jennie Jones Chair
Katherine Bormann Paul and Lucille Jones Chair
Analise Handke Gladys B. Goetz Chair
Genevieve Smelser SECOND VIOLINS
Stephen Rose*
Alfred M. and Clara T. Rankin Chair
Eli Matthews1
Patricia M. Kozerefski and Richard J. Bogomolny Chair
Jason Yu
2
Robert R. and Vilma L. Kohn Chair
The GAR Foundation Chair
Muriel and Noah Butkin Chair
Amy Zoloto
Myrna and James Spira Chair
Ralph Curry Brian Thornton
BASSOONS
William P. Blair III Chair
David Alan Harrell Martha Baldwin Dane Johansen
Gareth Thomas Catherine Van Handel2
Paul Kushious
Jonathan Sherwin
BASSES
CONTRABASSOON
Maximilian Dimoff*
Jonathan Sherwin
Clarence T. Reinberger Chair
Charles Paul1
Derek Zadinsky Mark Atherton Thomas Sperl Henry Peyrebrune
Jiah Chung Chapdelaine Liyuan Xie Gawon Kim Dustin Wilkes-Kim
Louise Harkness Ingalls Chair
Sandra L. Haslinger Chair
Sonja Braaten Molloy Carolyn Gadiel Warner Elayna Duitman Ioana Missits Jeffrey Zehngut^ Kathleen Collins Beth Woodside Emma Shook
Deborah L. Neale Chair
John Clouser*
Marguerite and James Rigby Chair
Mary E. and F. Joseph Callahan Chair
Yun-Ting Lee
Stanley L. and Eloise M. Morgan Chair
BASS CLARINET
Thomas J. and Judith Fay Gruber Chair
James and Donna Reid Chair
Dr. Jeanette Grasselli Brown and Dr. Glenn R. Brown Chair
Amy Zoloto
2
Charles Barr Memorial Chair
Charles Carleton Scott Dixon Brandon Mason HARP
Trina Struble* Alice Chalifoux Chair
FLUTES
Joshua Smith*
Elizabeth M. and William C. Treuhaft Chair
HORNS
Nathaniel Silberschlag* George Szell Memorial Chair
Michael Mayhew§
Gilbert W. and Louise I. Humphrey Chair
Richard Stout
Alexander and Marianna C. McAfee Chair
Shachar Israel2 BASS TROMBONE
Luke Sieve EUPHONIUM & BASS TRUMPET
Richard Stout TUBA
Yasuhito Sugiyama* Nathalie C. Spence and Nathalie S. Boswell Chair
TIMPANI
Peter Nichols2
Mr. and Mrs. Richard K. Smucker Chair
PERCUSSION
Marc Damoulakis* Margaret Allen Ireland Chair
Thomas Sherwood Tanner Tanyeri Peter Nichols KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS
Carolyn Gadiel Warner Marjory and Marc L. Swartzbaugh Chair
LIBRARIAN
Michael Ferraguto* Joe and Marlene Toot Chair
ENDOWED CHAIRS CURRENTLY UNOCCUPIED Sunshine Chair Otto G. and Corinne T. Voss Chair Rudolf Serkin Chair
CONDUCTORS
Jesse McCormick-Stepp
Christoph von Dohnányi †
Robert B. Benyo Chair
Hans Clebsch Richard King Meghan Guegold Hege^
MUSIC DIRECTOR LAUREATE
Taichi Fukumura ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR Elizabeth Ring and William Gwinn Mather Chair
Gay Cull Addicott and Robert R. Cull Chair
James Feddeck
TRUMPETS
PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR & MUSICAL ADVISOR OF THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Michael Sachs*
Robert and Eunice Podis Weiskopf Chair
Jack Sutte Lyle Steelman2^
James P. and Dolores D. Storer Chair
Michael Miller
Saeran St. Christopher Jessica Sindell2^ Mary Kay Fink
With sincere gratitude to the musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra for their in-kind contributions supporting community programs and securing funding opportunities.
BLOSSOM MUSIC FESTIVAL 2026
Brian Wendel*
Knight Foundation Chair
Austin B. and Ellen W. Chinn Chair
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Mary Elizabeth and G. Robert Klein Chair
Sidney and Doris Dworkin Chair
Lisa Wong DIRECTOR OF CHORUSES Frances P. and Chester C. Bolton Chair * Principal §
Associate Principal
1
First Assistant Principal
2
Assistant Principal
^ Alum of The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra †
In Memoriam
This roster lists full-time members of The Cleveland Orchestra. The number and seating of musicians on stage varies depending on the piece being performed. Seating within the string sections rotates on a periodic basis.
T
he Cleveland Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Franz Welser-Möst since 2002, is widely recognized as one of
the world’s leading ensembles. Praised by The New York Times as “America’s Finest,” the Orchestra is renowned for its virtuosity, elegance of sound, and chamber-like musical flexibility. In his 25th
and final season as Music Director, Welser-Möst concludes a transformative partnership that has been marked by exceptional artistic ambition, growing international recognition, and deep community connection. During his tenure, the Orchestra has achieved major institutional milestones, including groundbreaking residencies at the Musikverein in Vienna — the first by an American orchestra — and at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami. In 2023, The Cleveland Orchestra launched the annual Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival, presenting acclaimed opera productions alongside art exhibits, community events, and civic conversations. Through concerts, broadcasts, recordings, tours, and digital initiatives, The Cleveland Orchestra reaches an ever-growing audience around the world. Its in-house recording label and streaming platform, Adella.live, capture and share performances from the Welser-Möst era while introducing new generations of fans to the Orchestra’s artistry. Founded by Adella Prentiss Hughes, The Cleveland Orchestra gave its inaugural concert in December 1918. Over more than a century, it has grown into a treasured community institution, enriching lives through music, education, and a deep commitment to Northeast Ohio. Today, more than 400,000 people attend Cleveland Orchestra concerts each year. From its year-round home at Severance Music Center to its summer season at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Orchestra continues to serve audiences across the region. Seven Music Directors — Nikolai Sokoloff, Artur Rodziński, Erich Leinsdorf, George Szell, Lorin Maazel, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Franz Welser-Möst — have shaped the
PHOTO BY YE VHEN GULENKO
ensemble’s distinctive musical identity and celebrated “Cleveland sound.” Welser-Möst’s tenure as the longest-serving Music Director in Cleveland Orchestra history stands as a defining chapter in that evolution.
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2026 JUL 4 SALUTE TO AMERICA Blossom Festival Band* Michelle Rakers, conductor * Please note: The Cleveland Orchestra does not appear on this concert.
JUL 9 AN EVENING WITH ITZHAK PERLMAN Itzhak Perlman, violin and conductor BEETHOVEN Romances Nos. 1 and 2 BEETHOVEN Overture to Egmont BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7
JUL 18 BRAHMS & SHOSTAKOVICH
AUG 1 SCHUMANN’S SECOND SYMPHONY
Semyon Bychkov, conductor Karen Gomyo, violin
Kazuki Yamada, conductor Blossom Festival Chorus
SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Concerto No. 1
TAKEMITSU Dreamtime STRAVINSKY Symphony of Psalms R. SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2
BRAHMS Symphony No. 4
JUL 25 RACHMANINOFF’S SYMPHONIC DANCES Kevin John Edusei, conductor Mark Kosower, cello with the Kent Blossom Chamber Orchestra KODÁLY Dances of Galánta MARTINŮ Cello Concerto No. 1 RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances
AUG 8 THE VOICES THAT CHANGED MUSIC Lucas Waldin, conductor Capathia Jenkins, vocals Ryan Shaw, vocals
AUG 15 PROKOFIEV’S ROMEO & JULIET Tabita Berglund, conductor Simone Lamsma, violin SIBELIUS Finlandia SIBELIUS Violin Concerto PROKOFIEV Suite No. 2 from Romeo and Juliet
AUG 20 JON BATISTE WITH THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA
JUL 11 & 12 HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS IN CONCERT Brett Mitchell, conductor
JUL 26 AN EVENING WITH IDINA MENZEL Andy Einhorn, conductor Idina Menzel, vocals
Jonathan Taylor Rush, conductor Jon Batiste, vocals and piano
AUG 22 RAVEL’S PIANO CONCERTO IN G Antonello Manacorda, conductor Nelson Goerner, piano The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus DEBUSSY Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun RAVEL Piano Concerto in G DEBUSSY Nocturnes RAVEL Suite from Mother Goose
AUG 29 SUMMER IN VIENNA Franz Welser-Möst, conductor R. STRAUSS Introduction and Finale to Daphne MOZART Symphony No. 34 J. STRAUSS, JR. Overture and Ballet Music from The Carnival in Rome J. STRAUSS, JR. Entr’acte from A Night in Venice J. STRAUSS, JR. Bauern-Polka JOS. STRAUSS Friedenspalmen Walzer J. STRAUSS, JR. Quadrille from The Gypsy Baron
SEP 4–6 THE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS Sarah Hicks, conductor
AUG 23 COLE PORTER: LET’S MISBEHAVE Steven Reineke, conductor Tony DeSare, vocals and piano Aubrey Logan, trombone and vocals John Manzari, tap dancer and vocals
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clevelandorchestra.com/operaclub
SUMMER 2026
KENT BLOSSOM
Music Festival
PRESENTED BY THE KULAS FOUNDATION A Partnership between Kent State University and The Cleveland Orchestra
JUNE 21 — JULY 26 Celebrating its 58th season, the Kent Blossom Music Festival is an advanced institute for professional music training operated by Kent State University in cooperation with The Cleveland Orchestra presenting public performances by distinguished artist faculty and exceptional young musicians.
Concert & Ticket Information: WWW.KENT.EDU/BLOSSOM
BECOME A MEMBER TODAY! Membership begins with donations of $2,500 and more. UNDER 40? Join with your gift of $1,000!
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YOUR VISIT LATE SEATING
SMOKING
Guests with Pavilion seats who arrive after the start of the concert may be asked to wait outside the Pavilion until the first convenient pause in the music, after which our ushers will help you to your seats.
All Blossom Music Festival events are presented in a smoke-free environment. Smoking or vaping are not allowed anywhere on the grounds or in buildings once you have entered through the ticket gates. A smoking area is available outside the gates in a designated area of Parking Lot A.
LAWN SEATING Guests on the Lawn may bring their own chairs, but guests with high-backed chairs that obstruct others’ views may be asked to relocate to the rear of the Lawn. Rental chairs are available for a fee of $10 per evening. Tents, flags, balloons, or other structures that might obstruct views or present a hazard are not allowed. Open flames are also prohibited.
PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOGRAPHY & RECORDING Audio recording, photography, and videography are not allowed during performances at Blossom. Photographs and videos can only be taken when the performance is not in progress. As a courtesy to others, please silence all electronic devices prior to the start of the concert.
WEATHER INFORMATION In the event of severe weather, a coordinated campus-wide alert will be issued. Guests and staff will be directed to safety by venue staff and the public address system. Download The Cleveland Orchestra app or visit clevelandorchestra.com/weather for weather updates and more information.
FREE TRAM & ADA VAN SERVICE Free tram service between the parking lots and Smith Plaza and the Pavilion is available on a continuous basis before and after each concert. The ADA Van Service can pick up at the Main Gate with service to the Tram Circle.
QUESTIONS? Visit our Information Center, hosted by the Blossom Friends of The Cleveland Orchestra, inside the Main Gate on Smith Plaza.
THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA APP
The Cleveland Orchestra is grateful to these organizations for their ongoing generous support of The Cleveland Orchestra: National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Ohio and Ohio Arts Council, and to the residents of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.
Official Mobile App of TCO Explore upcoming concerts, purchase and access your tickets, receive performance updates, and more. For more information and direct links to download, visit
clevelandorchestra.com/visit/ tco-app or scan the QR code with your smartphone camera. Available for iOS and Android on Google Play and at the Apple App Store.
© 2026 The Cleveland Orchestra and the Musical Arts Association Program books for Cleveland Orchestra concerts are produced by The Cleveland Orchestra and are distributed free to attending audience members. EDITORIAL Kevin McBrien, Editorial & Publications Manager, The Cleveland Orchestra kmcbrien@clevelandorchestra.com Ellen Sauer Tanyeri, Archives & Editorial Assistant, The Cleveland Orchestra DESIGN Judy Barabas, Red Swing Creative ADVERTISING Live Publishing Company, 216-721-1800 PLEASE RECYCLE
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