Photo By May Festival

May Festival Music Director James Conlon

Four Days in May
Forget about Maypoles, May flowers or May apples. The real perennial draw this month is the MAY FESTIVAL, featuring the combined talents of Music Director James Conlon, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the May Festival Chorus performing in the longest running choral event in the country. Conducted by Maestro Conlon, appearing in his 28th festival, which runs May 18-20 and 25-26, promises to be one of the most powerful and surprising in recent memory.

Friday's season opener is, appropriately, "The Seasons," considered to be composer Franz Haydn's masterpiece, followed by Saturday evening's concert presentation of Verdi's incomparable Il Trovatore, which has never been performed at the festival.

"We've only done 'The Seasons' once in the time I've been here," says Conlon after a recent rehearsal at the May Festival's Music Hall home. "And we haven't done a real Italian opera here in years."

The following weekend's themed program features a number of exciting firsts. May 25 will offer the debut of the Berlioz classic "L'Enfance du Christ," which will contain an unusual new twist.

Photo By Zachary Copfer

The Goat, Or Who is Sylvia?

"For the first time, we have a multimedia event," says Conlon. "Because L'Enfance du Christ has to do with the infancy of Christ and King Herod, we have decided to find and have reproduced Nativity art from the greatest museums of the world, using projections to accompany the entire oratorio. We've involved the Cincinnati Art Museum, we've gotten material from the Louvre, the Met, from Italy."

The May Festival finale on May 26 will offer two more incredible works, Christoph Gluck's "Orpheus and Eurydice" (acts 2 and 3) and Rossini's "Stabat Mater," which were last programmed in 1976 and 1988, respectively.

In keeping with Conlon's May Festival tradition of offering fresh talent, a number of soloists make their May Festival debuts and returning soloists include festival favorites Morris Robinson, Rod Dixon and John Aler, who Conlon notes with particular attention.

"I must make homage to John Aler, who is the veteran of the festival," says Conlon. "He sang with me on my opening night in my first festival in 1979. He's appeared in over 20 festivals; we even gave him a pin last year. We're all very devoted to him."

Photo By Susan Malian

Andy Kindler

The fact that Conlon is now directing his 28th consecutive May Festival speaks to his passionate feelings about the event.

"It's like family," he says with conviction. "I feel that way about the whole festival -- the orchestra, the chorus, the community at large, Music Hall, friends, associates, management, everybody. I look upon it as a homecoming for two weeks every year, at which time you make marvelous music and play great choral masterpieces for an audience that loves it. There's no other festival like this in America. Cincinnati should be proud of it."

513-381-3300 or check online at mayfestival.com. (See Onstage.) -- BRIAN BAKER

THURSDAY 17
Versatile and ever-vital, ANTONYA NELSON writes with insight few can muster. Over the course of three novels and five short story collections (including the recent Some Fun), the Wichita, Kan., native has crafted a body of work that melds a mastery of language and craft with deep feeling and a fierce need to investigate the darker areas of our psyches. While Nelson's stories most often center on women, they're actually about all of us in all of our flawed, contradictory glory. A bevy of accolades have followed -- everything from the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction to being named one of The New Yorker magazine's "Twenty Writers for the 21st century." She gives back, too: Nelson currently spreads her wisdom as a professor at Houston University, and she will serve as UC's 2007 Writer-in-Residence. Nelson reads from her work at 7 p.m. Thursday in UC's ERC building, room 427. 513-556-0924. (See Literary.) -- JASON GARGANO

Photo By Art Academy of Cincinnati

THURSDAY 17 FRIDAY 18 SATURDAY 19 SUNDAY 20
When Cincinnati theater awards are handed out for the 2006-07 season, it's likely that up-and-coming group New Stage Collective will make several trips to the stage to pick up recognition for its production of Edward Albee's controversial drama, THE GOAT, OR WHO IS SYLVIA? It's not an easy play to watch -- bestiality destroying a marriage is not a common or a comfortable subject -- but this is more than just a play telling a lurid story. It's actually a dissertation on love and lonelines, how people connect with one another and how those connections can disintegrate. Put such a story in the hands of two strong actors, Brian Isaac Phillips and Amy Warner (pictured), and you have a play that should be on the must-see list of every serious theatergoer in town. Your chances of getting to 1140 Main St. in Over-the-Rhine have improved, since New Stage has decided there's enough interest to warrant extending the production a week beyond its original closing date. But be warned: May 27 is the final performance, and then it's gone. Don't say I didn't warn you. $12 students; $20 general admission. 513-621-3700. (See Onstage.) -- RICK PENDER

THURSDAY 17 FRIDAY 18
The ART ACADEMY OF CINCINNATI's senior exhibition (pictured) closes on Friday, honoring the work of those seniors who graduated with honors. The show includes glasswork, graphic design, painting, sculpture, collage, photography and printmaking. Over 30 students participate, allowing a range of media, making the exhibition a veritable catalog of Academy programs. The art, though made by undergraduate students, hardly feels immature -- young, yes, with fresh colors, new logic for designing corporate logos (largely for Cincinnati-area businesses) and a generous intelligence about the world in which these artists live. That might be why the graphic work of these students is so engaging: Not only is the design aesthetically pleasing, it also offers us a view into the future of our visual world. Not just in the museums but also in the billboards, commercials and magazine ads we will pass through every day. Closing reception: 5-8 p.m. Friday in the Ruthe Pearlman Gallery at the Art Academy Downtown. 513-562-6262. (See Art.) -- LAURA JAMES

FRIDAY 18
Singer/songwriter DAVID KARSTEN DANIELS' expedition to his stunning new album, Sharp Teeth, wasn't a simple one. Raised in the "Deep South," his exposure to religion led him to deep thought and questioning. As he grew, he studied Jazz, writing and performance art, and traveled a lot, recording ideas along the way. His first three albums were staunchly experimental, using noise and things like pencil scratches for rhythms and "writing" lyrics by rearranging the words of newspaper articles. But his questing eventually led him to a more focused approach, as Sharp Teeth displays luxurious orchestration (strings and horns), slide guitars and organic melodies as warming as an Alabama sunrise. The two-year process making Sharp Teeth was worth the effort -- Daniels' has concocted a dynamic, richly emotional album that could be defined as Indie Folk Orch Pop ... if there wasn't so much else going on. Listening to the complex but never cluttered arrangements on Sharp Teeth, it's clear that Daniels is eager to explore the path less traveled. Bless him for it. Because Daniels is playing on the Southgate House's smaller upstairs "Parlour" stage Friday night, he probably won't have all 19 musicians who contributed to Teeth with him. But the songs are strong enough to shine in any format they are presented. 859-431-2201. (See Music.) -- MIKE BREEN

Photo By DavidKarstenDaniels.com

FRIDAY 18
The CINCINNATI FRINGE FESTIVAL KICK-OFF PARTY at The Underground (located in the lower level of Know Theatre's Jackson Street space) begins tonight with the opening of Documentary Photography. This Visual Fringe exhibition features the work of Art Academy of Cincinnati students Kevin Betsch, Joe Civitello, Cameron Richardson and Lori Weeder and pays homage to photography's standing history of disseminating information to the public. The purpose of the project is two-fold: to allow Art Academy students to interact with their community as well as to allow the community an introduction to the school. Each student staked out a business of their choice and documented its comings and goings. Some establishments to look out for are Findlay Market, Shadeau Breads, The Vintage Poster Band and Lucy Blue Pizza. The Documentary Photography reception, which also marks the opening of the Underground Gallery itself, takes place from 6-8:30 p.m. then parlays into the Fringe Festival's Kick-Off Party featuring live local music starting at 9 p.m., for which a $5 cover fee applies. Exhibition continues through June 18. 513-300-KNOW. (See Art or Events.) -- JACQUELYN VAUGHN

SATURDAY 19
A generation of red-blooded American males became interested in female roller derby by watching the 1972 cult film Kansas City Bomber, in which a sultry Raquel Welch skated and shoved her way to glory. Nowadays, the sport is enjoying a resurgence as a symbol of female empowerment and just plain fun. The season opener for the CINCINNATI ROLLERGIRLS is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Cincinnati Gardens in Bond Hill. The 2007 season will kick off with an intra-league bout between the Dames of Destruction and the Full Metal Corsets. The team is known for its raucous play and with skaters named Sadistic Sadie, Junk N Trunk, Sk8 Crime and Panterrorize a good time is assured. Single-bout tickets are available for $10 at the Gardens box office, all Ticketmaster locations and through charge online at www.ticketmaster.com. Season tickets are available for six bouts, which includes a Rollergirls T-shirt and assorted other team items, by calling the box office at 513-351-3999, ext. 227. (See Sports.) -- KEVIN OSBORNE

FRIDAY 18 SATURDAY 19 SUNDAY 20
Everyone loves a street festival because, well, you can drink outside on the street. Come have a brew with 150,000 of your closest friends and celebrate the arrival of spring at Covington's MAINSTRASSE VILLAGE MAIFEST celebration. This traditional German welcoming offers up fabulous food, over 90 unique arts and crafts booths and fabulous live entertainment from traditional German sounds to Rock & Roll to Country. For the 28th year, the festival is taking over six city blocks, from the tree-lined Sixth Street Promenade into Goebel Park, with live stages at the Goose Girl Fountain and in Goebel Park. Don't miss acts like Straw Boss, Polecats and the Jubilee Cloggers spread throughout the weekend. Call 859-491-0458 for a full lineup. Parking might be tough, but drinking a beer and eating a brat is not. Free. 5-11:30 p.m. Friday, noon-11:30 p.m. Saturday and noon-9 p.m. Sunday. (See Events.) -- MAIJA ZUMMO

SUNDAY 20
To some people, comedian ANDY KINDLER might sound more familiar than he looks. That's mainly because of his frequent appearances as a patient on the '90s animated classic Dr. Katz Professional Therapist. "The first time I was on that show, when it first started," Kindler recalls, "I went to (co-creator/ producer) Tom Snyder's house. We sat there in a little pantry (and did the voice work). It got bigger from there, of course." Lately Kindler's profile has been raised thanks to his work as a correspondent for The Late Show With David Letterman. "He's my hero," Kindler says of that program's host. Kindler has also gained exposure from YouTube. A few months back, a cell-phone video showed him making jokes about fellow comic Dane Cook. "My whole point was, if I'd known you didn't have to have any comedy in your act, I wouldn't have tried so hard (all these years)." The feedback on the clip made Kindler laugh. "I love these comments like 'nice quality.' Like I planned it that way. Next time I'll do a three cell-phone shoot." Another said, "don't quit your day job." "Well, comedy is my day job," Kindler chuckles, "so, OK, I'll continue. Thank you very much!" Kindler performs Thursday-Sunday at Go Bananas Montgomery. $10-$15. 513-984-9288. (See Onstage.) -- P.F. WILSON