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To•Day

DIARY: Weekend, Friday-Sunday, May 29-31, 2026

by Daniel Hathaway

CLASSICAL MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS:

MAY 29 – FRIDAY

No Exit presents Songs, Soundscapes and Sonnets with Anika Kildegaard, soprano. The program includes three pieces for voice and ensemble: the world premiere of Robert Honstein’s Sonnets, Annika Socolofsky’s Don’t say a word, and Timothy Beyer’s Malekhamoves (7 pm at the Bop Stop, repeated on Saturday at Heights Arts, Free).

MAY 31 – SUNDAY

Renovare Music presents Journeys of Home, featuring original songs written collaboratively with refugee & immigrant storytellers from Syria, South Africa, and Peru, and instrumentals by Afghani composer Babrak Wassa, Layale Chaker, and South African traditionals. (2:30 at Young Latino Network, 2085 W. 114th St., Cleveland. Free, but RSVPs requested.)

CityMusic Cleveland presents its Brass Quintet performing James Stephenson’s Fanfare for an Angel, Nicole Piunno’s Monterey Sketches, Margaret Brouwer’s Timespan, and James Johnston’s Yale Quick March and Two-Step. (7 pm at the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus, Free).

For details of these and other classical music performances, please visit our Concert Listings.

TODAY’S ALMANAC:

Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz was born on this date in Camprodón. [Read More…]

Pre•Views & Features

Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival celebrates 26 years this June

by Mike Telin

With the flipping of the calendar next week, the summer festival season in Northeast Ohio is set to launch. Keeping with tradition, the Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival will once again be leading the way.

Celebrating its 26th year, the Festival will run from June 4 through 7 at the Cleveland Institute of Music. This year CICGF will be highlighted by six concerts performed by internationally renowned guitarists and supporting musicians, six lectures, six master classes, private lessons, a demonstration of fine concert guitars, and the seventh annual James Stroud National Classical Guitar Youth Competition.

“Year 26, believe it or not,” Festival founder and artistic director Armin Kelly exclaimed during a recent telephone conversation. He noted that the six concerts are equally divided between solo and chamber music recitals. All performances will be held in Mixon Hall.

[Read on…]

No Exit welcomes Anika Kildegaard back to Cleveland for “Songs, Soundscapes and Sonnets”

by Mike Telin

In his composer note for Sonnets, Robert Honstein writes, “At a time of high poetic modernism, [Edna St. Vincent] Millay injects the ancient form with vitality and stylistic ingenuity. In her hands the sonnet feels fresh and urgent.”

On Thursday, May 28 at 7:00 pm at Waterloo Arts No Exit will present “Songs, Soundscapes and Sonnets” featuring soprano Anika Kildegaard. The setlist features Robert Honstein’s Sonnets, as well as Annika Socolofsky’s Don’t say a word, and Timothy Beyer’s Malekhamoves. The program will be repeated at 7:00 pm at  The Bop Stop (May 29) and Heights Arts (May 30). As always, No Exit concerts are free.

I reached Anika Kildegaard by phone and began by asking her about Hohnstein’s piece.

Anika Kildegaard: This is a work that Robert wrote for No Exit a few years ago. Five of the songs were premiered by soprano Lauren Pearl. I’ll be singing those plus three new ones.

[Read on…]

Mandel Festival of Opera and Humanities: tenor David Butt Philip looks inside Fidelio

by Mike Telin

In his program note, Franz Welser-Möst writes that “Fidelio is not only an opera; it’s a philosophical statement about courage, liberty, love, and the triumph of the human spirit. Every stage director I’ve met wrestles with the same question when putting on Fidelio: How do you make it relevant to the time we live in? Here, we present it in concert to bring attention to the extraordinary ways that Ludwig van Beethoven’s music is philosophy set to sound.”

On Thursday, May 16 at 7:00 pm and Sunday May 24 at 3:00 pm in Mandel Concert Hall at Severance Music Center, Franz Welser-Möst will lead The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus in the second and third performances of Beethoven’s only opera as part of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival.

[Read on…]

See all previews

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