Cincinnati's Corbett Foundation Makes Final Gift
The Corbett Foundation, angel of the arts and culture in
Cincinnati for over half a century, has made its final disbursement. The one-million-dollar
gift, announced Nov. 4, will benefit the J. Ralph Corbett Distinguished Chair
in Opera at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. The
chair provides scholarships for graduate students of voice and coach
accompanying, support for touring productions, an archive and partial funding
of a distinguished professional in opera. The position is currently held by
stage director/CCM opera department chair Robin Guarino.
The Corbett Foundation, which closed its doors in August, was established by J. Ralph and
Patricia Corbett in 1955. Over the years, it has donated more than $70 million
to Cincinnati arts organizations, including CCM, Music Hall, the Cincinnati
Symphony Orchestra, Riverbend Music Center and PNC Pavilion, CET programming
and a theater and string quartet-in-residence at Northern Kentucky University.
J.
Ralph Corbett, who died 1988, was founder of the electrical manufacturing
company NuTone. His wife Patricia passed away in 2008. It was the intention of the Corbetts from the beginning to distribute all of the Foundation's assets.
In other news:
The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra has named Kelly Kuo interim music director. Kuo, who served as CCO assistant conductor from 2007-09, will help the orchestra re-configure its season from year round to a festival format, beginning in August. His contract is for one year. The search for a permanent CCO music director is ongoing. Former music director Mischa Santora stepped down in June after 14 years.
The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra will embark on a four-city tour of Florida in December. It will be the Pops’ first tour under conductor John Morris Russell and will include stops in St. Petersburg, Ft. Lauderdale, Key Largo and Sarasota.
Guest artist on the tour will be Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell. The program will have a holiday theme and will feature selections from the Pops’ three holiday CDs, including “Home for the Holidays.”
The tour schedule is as follows:
Dec. 7. 7 p.m. The Mahaffrey Theater, St. Petersburg
Dec. 8. 8 p.m. Broward Center for Performing Arts, Ft. Lauderdale
Dec. 10. 8 p.m. Ocean Reef Cultural Center, Key Largo
Dec. 11. 8 p.m. Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota
Tickets available through the concert venues.