The Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival: Reconciliation is a series of concerts, exhibitions and conversations created for the greater Cleveland community and headlined by three concert performances of Leoš Janáček’s opera Jenůfa, led by Music Director Franz Welser-Möst at Severance Music Center. Schedule: Apr. 24 - May 25: Re-membering Community Exhibit in Grand Foyer Re-membering Community explores reconciliation through the work of Cleveland-based artists. May 16: A Symposium on Immigration and Reconciliation The program, curated by Global Cleveland and CCWA, will feature discussions on the city’s immigrant history and contributions, and reconciliation through international peace processes. May 16: The Moth Mainstage: Live from Severance The Moth Mainstage fosters connection through storytelling. In this two-act evening, five storytellers share personal tales of reconciliation — mending, healing and finding common ground. May 17: United in Song! A Free Community Choral Celebration An afternoon of joyous vocal performances at Severance Music Center representing the rich diversity of the Greater Cleveland choral community. May 17: A Screening of Wes Anderson's "The Royal Tenenbaums" This screening of Wes Anderson’s 2001 comedy-drama film (35mm print) is presented in memory of Gene Hackman. May 17-25: Janáček's Jenůfa Jenůfa is a gripping opera about forbidden love and reconciliation. After her stepmother kills her child to protect Jenůfa’s honor, she finds peace through forgiveness. May 18: Opera Curious? The World of Jenůfa This event offers an insider’s view of Jenůfa, featuring a curated discussion and musical interlude to enlighten and inspire. May 18: Chucho Valdés Royal Quarte t Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés, a leader in Afro-Cuban jazz, blends tradition, jazz, classical and rock. In this special performance, he and his Royal Quartet showcase music's power to connect and heal. May 19: The Women of Chicago's Black Renaissance Pianist Michelle Cann celebrates pioneering women composers from Chicago’s Black Renaissance, featuring works by Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, and others. Through music and storytelling, she honors their legacy and artistic brilliance. May 20: Beyond Repatriation: Reconciliation through Cultural Coooperation with Cambodia The Cleveland Museum of Art and the National Museum of Cambodia collaborate on art transfers, exhibitions and training to promote reconciliation and appreciation of Cambodian heritage. A senior NMC staff member and a CMA curator discuss their partnership and future prospects. May 20: Sound of Ideas Community Tour: Re-entry & Reconciliation The US holds over 20% of the world's prisoners, spending $80 billion on incarceration annually. Join the Sound of Ideas Community Tour to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the formerly incarcerated in re-entering society. May 22: Reconciliation in America's Museums: Understanding Cultural Patrimony and the Path to Rebuilding Trust Museums are addressing the impact of settler colonialism and slavery, working on repatriation under laws like NAGPRA. The Biden Administration’s updated policies sparked a conversation on reconciliation. Join us for a discussion with Smithsonian leaders on the future of repatriation. May 23-24: Vox Humana Curated by Franz Welser-Möst, this program features Poulenc's La voix humaine, Bach's motet, Ustvolskaya's Fifth Symphony, and Strauss's Symphonic Fantasy on Die Frau ohne Schatten.
