Thursday, May 18, 2023

 


MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: Mindy Rosen
513-744-3293
mrosen@friendsofmusichall.org
For Immediate Release


Friends of Music Hall
Relaunches Outdoor Tours By Appointment
Learn about Music Hall’s fascinating architecture and history


CINCINNATI – May 12, 2023. Ever walked by historic Cincinnati Music and wondered who designed it, who built it, or what some of the details mean? Did you know it’s actually three buildings or that once upon a time it had a sports arena? You can get the scoop on these topics and much more with an Outdoor Building Tour led by one of the knowledgeable guides from the Friends of Music Hall. You’ll learn about the symbolism and design of Music Hall’s architecture, the challenges of the building’s construction, and the people who made it happen back in 1878.

90-minute outdoor tours are now available by appointment. Tour guides will do their best to accommodate your schedule Monday through Saturday. There is no minimum or maximum group size. Call 513.744.3293 or email musichalltour@friendsofmusichall.org to make tour arrangements. Tickets are $15 per person; group discounts are available.

Indoor tours of Music Hall continue to be available at https://bit.ly/42u3oXP

About the Friends of Music Hall
The Friends of Music Hall is a nonprofit volunteer-driven membership organization with a mission to preserve, improve, promote, and provide education about Music Hall. In addition to preservation projects, activities include tours of Music Hall, a speaker series, outreach to schools, and concerts featuring the restored Mighty Wurlitzer Organ in the Music Hall Ballroom. FriendsofMusicHall.org
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Wednesday, March 8, 2023


MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: Mindy Rosen
513-535-0678 (m)
mrosen@friendsofmusichall.org
For Immediate Release

Friends of Music Hall
Presents  Classic Silent Film Comedies
With Music by the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ

Laurel and Hardy Shorts featured on April 13, 2023
Tickets on Sale Now

CINCINNATI (February 23, 2023) —The Friends of Music Hall presents silent films accompanied by the Mighty Wurlitzer organ live, in person in the Music Hall Ballroom on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. Renowned organist and arranger Clark Wilson will accompany a collection of short silent films by Laurel and Hardy. Joe Horine, a film historian will host the program and lead a Q & A after the screenings.

These silent classics will be shown: Putting Pants on Phillip (1927), Leave ‘Em Laughing (1928), Habeas Corpus (1928), The Finishing Touch (1928), and That’s My Wife (1929).

All seats are reserved. Tickets are $32, with discounts for groups of 10 or more. Call 513.621.ARTS, online at CincinnatiArts.org or at the ticket offices at the Aronoff Center. Call 513.977.4157 for group sales.

Since 1980 organist Clark Wilson has been one of the most prominent and recognized scorers of silent photoplays in America. A skilled arranger, he develops accurate and historic musical accompaniments as they were performed in major picture palaces such as Cincinnati’s Albee Theater, the original home of Music Hall’s Mighty Wurlitzer.

Laurel and Hardy were a British-American comedy duo during the early Classical Hollywood of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957). Starting their career as a duo in the silent film era, they later successfully transitioned to “talkies”. From the late 1920s to the mid-1950s, they were internationally famous for their slapstick comedy, with Laurel playing the clumsy, childlike friend to Hardy's pompous bully.

The season sponsor for the Mighty Wurlitzer concerts is Bahl & Gaynor Investment Counsel. 

About the Friends of Music Hall
The Friends of Music Hall is a nonprofit volunteer-driven membership organization with a mission to preserve, improve, promote, and provide education about Music Hall. In addition to preservation projects, activities include tours of Music Hall, a speaker series, outreach to schools, and concerts featuring the restored Mighty Wurlitzer Organ in the Music Hall Ballroom. FriendsofMusicHall.org
 

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Tuesday, October 4, 2022


MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: Mindy Rosen
513-535-0678 (m)
mrosen@friendsofmusichall.org
For Immediate Release

Friends of Music Hall Presents
Happy Holidays With The Mighty Wurlitzer
Tickets Now on Sale
WHAT: Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer, a joyous celebration of the holiday season presented by the Friends of Music Hall and Bahl & Gaynor, Investment Council.

WHO: Performance by organist Mark Herman with special guests including the Otto M. Budig Cincinnati Ballet Academy and members of the May Festival Chorus.

WHEN: Friday, December 9, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Cincinnati Music Hall Ballroom, 1241 Elm Street, Over-the-Rhine

HOW: All seats reserved. Tickets ($27-$32) can be ordered at cincinnatiarts.org or
513-621-2787 or in person at the Aronoff Center ticket office.

Contact Mindy Rosen for complimentary concert tickets for members of the media.


ABOUT THE DECEMBER CONCERT

This holiday season join in celebration with the Friends of Music Hall and their annual “Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer” concert in Music Hall’s beautiful and historic ballroom. This holiday program will be hosted by Local 12 News Anchor, Kyle Inskeep, and will feature renowned theater organist Mark Herman as he fills the Wurlitzer organ with the spirit of the season. Vocal performances by The Cincinnati May Festival Chorus singers will ring in their 150th season and dancers from the Otto M. Budig Cincinnati Ballet Academy will delight with excerpts from The Nutcracker.
 
This festive holiday treat, sponsored by Bahl & Gaynor, will delight the entire family with jingling sleigh bells, songs of the season and one-of-a-kind special effects that only the magical Mighty Wurlitzer can provide!
 

MARK HERMAN is one of America’s busiest theatre organists, performing concerts and silent film presentations across the US and abroad. In 2012, he was named the American Theatre Organ Society’s Organist of the Year and is the youngest person ever to receive the prestigious honor. Mark has been featured on several episodes of American Public Media’s Pipedreams program, and has performed for countless conventions of the American Theatre Organ Society, American Guild of Organists, and Organ Historical Society.

About the Friends of Music Hall
The Friends of Music Hall is a nonprofit volunteer-driven membership organization with a mission to preserve, improve, promote, and provide education about Music Hall. In addition to preservation projects, activities include tours of Music Hall, a speaker series, outreach to schools, and concerts featuring the restored Mighty Wurlitzer Organ in the Music Hall Ballroom. FriendsofMusicHall.org


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Sunday, April 3, 2022

All God's Creatures Great & Small


 

Photo by Paul Everett Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

Wow! New year, new season, new vibe! It's been about four months since I last posted. Cincinnati weather is very bipolar this time of year, but thankfully, yesterday was in the low 50s and mostly cloudy, and I had been staying home for most weekends as of late, so I had to make myself get out of the house at least one day this weekend. 

I have been walking better since my knee injury in 2020, and I need to do more walking on weekends. I could not think of a better way to spend the afternoon than visiting the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

The second oldest zoo in the United States, the zoo was founded in 1873 and officially opened in 1875 and houses about 500 animals & about 3,000 plant species.

For about three years, USA Today has ranked the zoo the top zoo in the country. 

The entrance alone was all welcoming with flora and fauna from around the world, and the zoo itself was decorated with a plethora of flora & fauna. With all the grayness & negativity we all have had in the past two years, this was a more than welcome sight. 




Now, to the animals! I immediately made a B Line to Cat Canyon

The undisputed champion of the animal kingdom, the cheetah









Snow leopard

Now, my pick of the zoo....

Green-leaf cockroach-who said that all roaches had to be brown & ugly?
Domino roach
Peppered roach

Despite popular belief, of the 4,000 breeds of cockroaches in the world, only 20 are considered human pests.
                                               
Boss..
Antilles Treespider



My weight in insects-not telling ya how much I weigh IRL :)

Big Boss...
Brazilian White Knee Tarantula



Thorny Devil




A pint-sized predator...
Fire bellied newt


Emerald Beetle-Take me to China already!


Next, it was off to the Reptile House, the boldest zoo building in the United States!




Quince Monitor



Emerald Tree Boa




There's a very special surprise coming, but first, the rich African American history with this zoo.

In 1920, the Cincinnati Zoo unveiled a groundbreaking new attraction.  Along with the Zoo's many animal species, it also featured human species, one that can truly sing: the Cincinnati Zoo Opera was born. Among the many performers who performed there was American operatic soprano Martina Arroyo.

Born to a Puerto Rican father and an African American mother, Arroyo made here Cincinnati debut on June 24 & 27 1964 at the Zoo as Aida, becoming the first African American, and perhaps, the first Latine, to sing a major role with the Cincinnati Opera.

Arroyo recalled, in an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer, as she sang, a hyena laughed at the end of her Aria!

Now, back to the critters....
                                                   

  







More flora & fauna...





There are also a plethora of eateries to choose from, but I stuck to a Cincinnati classic...


                                          


Zoo shop
                                        
Of course, I had to add something to my wardrobe...

The awesome thing about this is purchases made at the shop goes right back to the Zoo.


                                     
Now, I wouldn't dare finish this post without a little something special...

                                   

The Royal Family, Tucker, Bibi, & Fiona!

                                                   
                                       


     



        
The princess herself, Fiona!


It's been decades since I have been to the Zoo. Things have really evolved, especially in the past two years. With all that's been happening, it's refreshing to take time out to appreciate God's amazing creatures! 

This has really put into perspective for me personally and for us as humans. If we don't learn anything else, we can learn from the animals the power of unconditional love. It's what we have to have now.



Sources:

Sampson, Carol & Tjepkema, Thea "The Presence of Latine and Hispanic Performers on the Cincinnati Music Hall Stage". the Friends of Music Hall, 17 Sept 2021

"The Zoo Opera Days". The Cincinnati Opera 9 April 2021