Did you BLINK? Have your feet recovered? Ready for more? No, not another multimile trek through the heart of Cincinnati and Covington. Just the usual bountiful array of weekly cultural and seasonal happenings. (Apologies for the Saturday pileup. I did not do the scheduling.)
The days are growing shorter, and the hummingbirds are heading south, so fall is on the way despite the persistent 90s. Our cultural organizations have already got their seasons in full gear. Up this week: a festival of films, new ballet works, a Tuesday chamber music showdown … and the chicken dance. Prost!
Theater (or is it theaTRE?) wins the week with season openers from Know to Playhouse to Cincinnati’s brilliant community theaters. Sing along with some Broadway showstoppers or settle in for the Bach B Minor. Great jazz, Lili Boulanger, a little poetry and a couple of good films round out your week.
School has already started, and the nights are chilly, but don’t be deceived by the pumpkin-flavored menus. It’s not fall yet. There’s plenty to do during these last breaths of summer: a live Bard broadcast, creepy movies, orchestral Zappa and a jazz world premiere for starters. See what you can fit in. It’s all good.
If you’re not acclimated to the heat yet, the weather gurus say weekend rain may temper things. Well, OK … if it actually happens. If not, there’s at least as much to do inside as outside this week. So no excuses for not enjoying some mid-July culture.
Now that the summer solstice has come and gone, we’ll be heavy on outdoor events for the next couple of months – this week with concerts and celebrations in the parks, woods and neighborhood centers, an art gallery “crawl,” movies under the stars and, of course, the ever-popular Panegyri Greek Festival.
You might not believe it with our chilly nights lately, but summer officially arrives Sunday. Around these parts, that means more than grilling and baseball: It means cultural celebrations (i.e., food), jazz galore and opera. Wrap your seven veils and pick a night on the town from our handy list.
There are people that actually enjoy hot weather and don’t mind humidity. For them, we have outdoor celebrations this week, if the rain holds off. For the rest of us, there’s plenty to do in air-conditioned comfort, where the only thing hot will be the music. Whichever you prefer, enjoy.
This week it’s about singing, shopping and books. All of my favorite things. May Festival steps onto the risers (don’t forget dinner in WP, first) while Simon and Garfunkel take the stage in Kentucky. Langston Hughes, Harriet Beecher Stowe and some acoustic blues each have their moment. Take your pick.
Many of our favorite groups conclude their seasons in the next few days. From Grateful Dead to Beethoven, there is plenty of music on tap. Our rich jazz scene holds its own and you can experience a “walking concert.” There’s not quite 525,600 minutes of culture, this week, but surely spring is the season of love.
