Local media spotlights CCM's fall performances

UC's College-Conservatory of Music brings its fall performance season to a festive finale in December, as holiday concerts and year-end celebrations mark the conclusion of the fall semester. CCM presented more than 60 major events between September-December, 2023 — and that doesn't include the many individual student recitals performed to complete degree requirements.

Local media featured the college's fall season in preview coverage shared by CityBeat, Movers and Makers, The News Record, Behind the Curtain Cincinnati, The Sappy Critic and All About the Arts. Local arts critics had rave reviews for many of CCM's fall performances; read their highlights below!

Talkin' Broadway

• Read Scott Cain's review of CCM's production of Sweet Charity (musical). "This cast, along with superb design and a traditional staging of the show (including a lovely re-creation of Bob Fosse's iconic dances), makes this a must-see musical this fall in Cincinnati."
• Read Rick Pender's review of CCM's production of Let The Right One In (play). "[CCM] not only turns out professional-caliber performers and artists: It is also a training ground where aspiring theatre designers and technicians gain top-quality experience."
• Read Scott Cain's review of CCM's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (musical). "The CCM cast is certainly game for the mayhem that the show requires and is outstanding without exception." 

All About The Arts

• Read Rafael de Acha's review of CCM Philharmonia's Back to Nature concert. "... A seamless musical tapestry that brought the sizeable audience to its feet at the end of the evening."
• Read Rafael de Acha's review of CCM Philharmonia's Viruosity Redux concert. "What in lesser hands could add up to an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink collection of snippets, is shaped by Bartók into a fascinating orchestral tour de force, which in the hands of the redoubtable Mark Gibson and his young musicians earned a sustained ovation at the end of the evening."
•  Read Rafael de Acha's review of CCM Choral + Orchestral's St. Matthew Passion concert. "Bach’s St Matthew Passion is a monumental undertaking for double choir, double orchestra, and soloists. The CCM performance, with Joe Miller on the podium, was nothing short of miraculous, tapping into the music school’s resources with no hint of overtaxing the institution."
• Read Rafael de Acha's review of CCM Piano Professor Sara Daneshpour's Matinee Musicale Cincinnati recital. "Ever playing with nobility, a cool brain and a warm heart, Sara Daneshpour just came and swiftly conquered Cincinnati."

League of Cincinnati Theatres

• Read Bryna Chandler's review of CCM's production of Sweet Charity (musical). "This production captures all the energy, humor, and heartbreak of an optimist living in the Big City, leaving the audience with a smile and rhythm in their step."
• Read Katrina Reynolds' review of CCM's production of Everybody (play). "... This is a strong, cohesive ensemble of performers ..."
• Read Katrina Reynolds' review of CCM's production of Let The Right One In (play). "Well-deserved kudos to Lighting and Media Designer Andrew Gange. Choices made with lighting and projection are some of the more exciting aspects of the production. Complementing these choices is the expertise of Sound Designer and Composer, Patrick Kiernan. The musical compositions are eerie and beautiful at the same time and remind us that, while certain moments may make us smile, there is a sense of impending doom over the characters."
• Read Ariel Mary Ann's review of CCM's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. "Theatre, at its core, should be about storytelling and about breathing life into art that heals. Whether you’re on Broadway or in community theatre, the best theatre is theatre that lights a flame in you and … Spelling Bee does just that."

The Sappy Critic

• Read Kirk Sheppard's review of CCM's production of Sweet Charity (musical). "It reminded me of why I fell in love with theatre in the first place; I'm rooting for everyone involved - cast and crew - to succeed."
• Read Kirk Sheppard's review of CCM's production of Everybody (play). "Through impeccable technical execution and visionary direction, the production is a significant achievement in collegiate theatre."
• Read Kirk Sheppard's review of CCM's production of Let The Right One In (play). "I think this is one of the best productions I’ve seen. It’s definitely one of the most massive undertakings I think you’ll find locally on stage."
• Read Kirk Sheppard's review of CCM's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (musical). "I've never heard a better version vocally, thanks to musical director Steve Goers and the incredible cast ... The choreography was logical and inventive and kept my interest. All the technical design elements, from sound to lighting to sets, costumes, and props served the story well."

Featured image at top: Audience members applaud during a performance in Corbett Auditorium. Photo/UC Creative + Brand