June 11, 2012

Joshua Bell performing at Memorial Hall

Cincinnati has a vibrant arts and culture scene for those who take notice. Thankfully Tatiana Berman has. “I realized that what goes on here culturally is a bit of a hidden gem to many people who live elsewhere,” she said. Truth be told it’s not just hidden to those who live elsewhere, sometimes even those in our own city don’t know what’s going on. That’s why Berman created the Constella Festival, a celebration of Cincinnati through it’s finest features.

The 2012 Constella Festival will present over 23 events featuring internationally renowned musicians and artists, as well as 14 premier local performing arts organizations, and the region’s performing and visual arts. I asked Berman how she came up with the name “Constella” and she aptly replied: “Constella means ‘constellation’ in Italian. The festival brings together different stars to create a unique artistic constellation each year.”

 
Anne Akiko                                                                            Anthony McGill                                                                           

One of the ways Constella stands apart from other arts based events is the attention to detail paid to each performance. In terms of venue, “each festival venue has been specifically selected for the artist, the program, and the level of intimacy,” Berman explained. “In our first season, we loved Memorial Hall for it’s good acoustics and intimate feel.” Joshua Bell and Hilary Hahn gave recitals there.

Ballet

The Harriet Tubman Theater at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center will be a new venue this year, featuring renowned violinist Anne Akiko Meyers. “And of course for audiences looking for something of a more hip or looser vibe, there’s performances such as Classical Revolution or events at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club. Sounds like #goodtimes to me.

Quick rundown of Constella with founder Tatiana Berman…

iSPY – If you had to sum up Constella in three words

BERMAN: Powerful. Multi-dimensional. International

iSPY: What are you looking forward to most for the rest of the 2012 season?

BERMAN: Whether it’s an all-Debussy program from the fantastic pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Cincinnati Chamber Music’s presentation of legendary Tokyo String Quartet in its final year, or our opening concert featuring exceptional clarinetist Anthony McGill, it’s hard to choose from the incredible line-up this year.

Ted Nash performing

iSPY: Give us the lowdown on the June 15 event at Bromwell’s…

BERMAN: It’s a party celebrating and announcing Constella Festival Season 2012 – a fun evening with good music, light bites, and wine, including chances to win tickets to Constella events. You’ll get to meet some of our local artists, and most importantly, find out the names of the stars that make up the Season 2 Constellation!

Oh yeah, and it’s FREE.

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