In Tuesday’s (1/1) Cincinnati Enquirer, Janelle Gelfand writes, “Music Hall’s revitalization and new leadership at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra will dominate the region’s classical music news in 2013. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra begins a new era in September, when Louis Langrée opens his first season as the orchestra’s 13th music director. … His first season, which he has planned with the orchestra’s artistic team, will be announced Jan. 27. … Financially, the orchestra expects a small surplus for its fiscal year 2012, which ended in August. Thanks to the $85 million Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, which provides about $3 million annually to the orchestra’s bottom line, the Cincinnati Symphony is in better shape than many financially-strapped orchestras around the country. Said president Trey Devey last week: ‘When you look at the margins over the past few years, every subscriber, every donor, every ticket buyer is responsible for sustaining one of the best orchestras in the world. We’re in the middle of our story right now. There are a number of chapters yet to be written.’ Just before Christmas, the city of Cincinnati and the nonprofit Music Hall Revitalization Co. struck a 75-year lease deal that will allow the stalled renovation project of the historic building to move forward. Ambitious designs have been scaled back to $95 million, with $70 million in ‘extras’ trimmed out of the budget.”
Posted January 3, 2013
