Throughout 2026, and in partnership with the America 250-Ohio Commission, the City Club will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States by exploring all the ways that Ohio has contributed to U.S. history for 250+ years. In May, our state will recognize Ohio Creates: Arts, Culture, and Literature.
For decades, The Cleveland Orchestra has consistently ranked among the very best orchestras in the world. Their excellence has kept Northeast Ohio in global arts and culture conversations and as a place where world-class art can thrive. Beginning in 2023, The Cleveland Orchestra and Music Director Franz Welser-Möst launched the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival—a new tradition of innovative opera presentations that tackles themes like "Reconciliation," "Power," and "The American Dream." The festival’s inaugural edition was praised by The New York Times as a “compelling proof of concept” and “an ambitious achievement.” This year, the festival will explore the theme of "Courage." It centers Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, which serves as a testament to courage and human nobility.
Yet, what does opera mean today, and what might it become? At the heart of the Festival is a new creative partnership with American jazz trumpeter and opera composer Terence Blanchard. He will be joined on the City Club stage by tenor David Butt Philip, who appears as Florestan in Beethoven’s Fidelio.
Join us at the City Club for a wide-ranging conversation on new creative voices, evolving audience expectations, and how opera continues to transform while retaining its emotional and artistic core.
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This forum is presented in partnership with The Cleveland Orchestra’s Opera Club, a group of donors who support opera and vocal programming at The Cleveland Orchestra and receive special benefits and experiences. Find more information here.
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Online ticket sales for this forum will conclude on Wednesday, May 13th at noon. Still need a ticket? Let us know! Complete the ticket waitlist form here. We will reach out directly if we can accommodate your request, subject to availability.
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The livestream will be available beginning at 12:00pm. Have questions for the Q&A? Text them to 330.541.5794.
Production and distribution of City Club forums in partnership with Ideastream Public Media is generously provided by PNC and the United Black Fund.
David Butt Philip Photo Credit: Andrew Staples
Terence Blanchard Photo Credit: Cedric Angeles
The ideas expressed in City Club forums are those of the speakers, and not of the City Club, Ideastream Public Media, or their sponsors.
