It's one thing to post "Best of" lists at then end of the year, as long as complete subjectivity is understood. I'd rather throw out the events I most enjoyed, and those I'm glad to anticipate. The arts in Columbus are thriving in good times and bad. There is no way to be bored, or feel deprived. Once off the couch and out the door, you could easily never go home. Best of 2014, my list:
- Sunday afternoon concerts at First Congregational Church and St. Joseph Cathedral
- Britten Centennial Celebration at First Community Church (November 2014) conducted by Ronald J. Jenkins
- Opera Project Columbus Opera in Ebony, presenting long neglected music by African-American composers
- Opera Columbus reinventing the art form with The Merry Widow and Pagliacci in one hour English language versions at Shadowbox
- Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Mahler Symphony 2 2 Resurrection
- Columbus Symphony Happy Hour Concerts
- Columbus Symphony Concerto Festival with Gregory Vajda and Lilya Zilberstein
- Anu Tali conducting Columbus Symphony music by Tchaikovsky and Arvo Part
- Carmen in Concert, Opera Columbus and Columbus Symphony conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni
- ProMusica David Danzmayr's first concert as music director with music by Ives, Gulda and Schubert
- Timothy Russell Returns
- Mozart Great Mass with Lancaster Chorale
- Chamber Music Columbus, Jupiter String Quartet with James Dunham
- Chamber music concerts 'Sundays at Central' David Niwa, artistic director at Columbus Museum of Art
- Early Music in Columbus showing of 1923 silent film The Hunchback of Notre Dame starring Lon Chaney with live period music performed by Hesperus
- And on Earth Peace, Christmas program at Capital University
- Johnstone Fund for New Music presented Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time
Also in 2014 TWISTED a four performance collaboration between Columbus Symphony, Ballet Met, Opera Columbus. Full houses, riotously enthusiastic audiences and it was a new experience for many. A fantastic introduction to three of our most important cultural players. (Full disclosure: I was there too, but it was fantastic anyway)
Transitions Jean-Marie Zeitouni does not renew his contract as Music Director of the Columbus symphony. JMZ is a marvelous talent and an engaging guy. He never quite 'clicked' in Columbus. The maestro lived in Montreal and commuted to our city, causing some gnashing of teeth. His full community involvement would have been terrific. After yet another exhaustive search, Rossen Milanov became the CSO's new Music Director. His two concert programs here were evidence of first class music making. An openly gay man comes to a gay-friendly city offering new opportunities for community outreach. Cheri Mitchell resigns as Executive Director of Ballet Met. Her leadership saw huge growth in the Ballet's earned income and community profile. Cheri previously served at CATCO. The Ohio State University fires OSU Marching Band Director Johnathan Waters putting TBDBITL on the front pages for the wrong reasons. Robert Trocchia retires after 28 years leading the Lancaster Chorale. Tom Katzenmeyer is GCAC's new executive director. Julie Henahan retires as Director of the Ohio Arts Council, the new director is Donna S. Collins. Jimmy Orrante retires from Ballet Met. Looking toward the future
- Terence McNally's play Master Class about Maria Callas at CATCO
- Columbus Chamber Music presents the Borromeo and Emerson Quartets
- Opera Columbus presents Mozart's Marriage of Figaro in English
- Columbus symphony welcomes music director designate Rossen Milanov, conducting Rautavaara's percussion concerto
- Jean -Marie Zetouni conducts Nielsen's symphony 5 and the Faure Requeim
- Cirque du soleil performs with the CSO Pops
- The Ohio State University Orchestra and Chorus perform Verdi's Requiem in Mershon Auditorium
- Jimmy Orrante retires as prime danseur of Ballet Met in his own production of The Great Gatsby
- Opera Project Columbus stages Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana conducted by Alessandro Siciliani
PHEW! I missed a lot! Let me know your choices in the comments below.
