2024 Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival: Power United in Song! A Free Community Choral Celebration
Event Information
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Dates: May 25, 2024 Free event, tickets required
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Who: Cleveland Choral Ensembles
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Venue: Severance Music Center Severance Music Center
Event Dates and Tickets
Saturday, May 25, 2024 2:00PM
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Event Sponsors
Support for United in Song! is generously provided by Mrs. Jayne M. Zborowsky
Ticket Purchases:
This is a general admission and open seating event. Reserve your tickets by clicking here, select your ticket quantity, and press “quick checkout” to reserve.
About the Event
Join us for an afternoon of joyous vocal performances at Severance Music Center representing the rich diversity of the Greater Cleveland choral community. Performing groups include the North Coast Men’s Chorus, Cleveland Chorale, The Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Choruses, and Cleveland School of the Arts’ R. Nathaniel Dett Concert Chorus.
The event is hosted by writer, spoken word poet, voiceover talent, and recording artist Orlando Watson, a Cleveland native who is currently the senior director of programming for Pittsburgh’s August Wilson African American Cultural Center.
Performing Artists
Orlando Watson, host
North Coast Men’s Chorus, Rich Cole, director
Cleveland Chorale, David Gulley, director
The Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Choruses, Jennifer Rozsa, director
Cleveland School of the Arts’ R. Nathaniel Dett Concert Chorus, Robert McCorvey, director
About the Festival
Since its premiere in 1791, Mozart’s The Magic Flute has charmed audiences with its enchanting story and entrancing score. But beneath its magic bells, ominous serpents, vengeful queens, and mystical quests lies a carefully attuned study of power.
Reason, embodied by Enlightenment ideals that the Freemasons embraced, duals with superstition; science and wisdom vie with ignorance; and light combats darkness. Rising above them all, the power of love — for a companion, a child, a community, or humankind — has the unique ability to transcend these divides.
The second Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival delves into these competing forces — as they play out in Mozart’s beloved opera, as well as across nature, society, and within the state of humanity itself. Anchored by a new staged production of The Magic Flute featuring The Cleveland Orchestra, Music Director Franz Welser-Möst, and a cast of renowned singers, the festival will include a fascinating array of performances, conversations, and exhibitions. Over the course of two extended weekends from May 15 to May 26, 2024, community partners from across the Greater Cleveland area and luminaries from around the globe will come together to examine and debate many of the power structures embedded in our world today.
Severance Music Center
Severance Music Center is Cleveland’s home for symphonic music and other presentations, including Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Concert Hall, Reinberger Chamber Hall, and the Bogomolny-Kozerefski Grand Foyer. We are strongly committed to making everyone feel welcome. The doors to Severance open three hours prior to most performances.
Accessibility Services
Below is a list of the features and services that The Cleveland Orchestra has made available in the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Concert Hall at Severance for this concert.
Wheelchair Access & Seating
Our venue’s seating has reserved special areas for those attending with the use of a wheelchair. These seating options are available during your seat selection across seating price levels. Ushers are available to assist, especially in the event of a General Admission concert.
There is barrier-free entry to Severance Music Center with automatic sliding doors at our garage entrance on Lower Level One in the CWRU Campus Center Garage. There is an elevator for wheelchair access in the center of the garage for traveling from Lower Level Two (the lowest level) to Lower Level One (the level of our arrival entrance). The Euclid Avenue entrance to Severance is best suited for wheelchair entry, with a convenient drop-off area designated at the curb.
Companion Wheelchair Seating
Wheelchair companion seating is available for purchase online and through Severance Ticket Services. Look for a "C" shape on the seating map when making your selection.
Assistance for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Infrared Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are available without charge for most performances in the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Concert Hall. Please request one in advance online or by calling the House Manager’s office. You will be asked to provide a driver’s license or ID card upon arrival, which will be held until the return of the device. Head Ushers can explain how to use the ALD.
Interpretive services may be available for certain events at Severance. Prior arrangements should be made four weeks in advance. Appropriate seat locations may be necessary. TTY line access is available at the public pay phone in the Security Office located at the garage entrance.
Assistance for the Blind or Persons with Low Vision
Large Print Programs are available for most Cleveland Orchestra performances in the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Concert Hall. These are available at the Coat Room locations or from Head Ushers on each level of the Concert Hall, and at Concert Previews.
For select vocal performances, Braille texts may be available on request with 2 weeks’ notice.
Service Animals
Trained guide dogs and service animals are welcome at Severance. If you have any questions, please contact the Ticket Office or the House Manager.
Restrooms
All Smith Lobby restrooms are fully accessible. In addition, private family-accessible restrooms are located in the Smith Lobby and off the Dress Circle Lobby.
Additional Information
The Cleveland Orchestra is strongly committed to making our facilities and performances accessible to all patrons. For more information regarding all of our accessibility services, please visit our Accessibility page.