Cincinnati Opera to Broadcast Festival Series on WGUC
Listeners can tune in to six performances from the 2026 Summer Festival starting November 1, 2026.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Opera
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Beginning November 1, 2026, the Cincinnati Opera will partner with 90.9 WGUC to air recordings of six performances from its 2026 Summer Festival. The broadcast series will feature works held at Cincinnati Music Hall, including Salome, Lalovavi, Carmen, and Orpheus and Euridice.
Why it matters
This partnership provides broader community access to the opera season by making performances available via radio and digital streams. It allows residents to engage with the company’s recent artistic output, including the debut of the Black Opera Project, from home.
The broadcast series will feature six 2026 Summer Festival productions, including Lalovavi, which marks the first work in the Black Opera Project. These performances were originally staged at the Cincinnati Music Hall between June 18 and August 2, 2026.
The players
Cincinnati Opera
This is a professional opera company based in Cincinnati that plans to host its 107th Summer Festival in 2027.
90.9 WGUC
This is a classical music radio station serving the Cincinnati area that operates the local broadcast frequency and an online portal.
The details
The performances will air every Sunday evening at 8 p.m. ET on 90.9 FM and online. In addition to the main stage productions, the lineup includes two Studio Sessions, with broadcasts continuing beyond the initial launch date.
Timeline
The 2026 Summer Festival took place from June 18 to August 2, 2026.
The radio broadcast series begins on November 1, 2026.
Performances are scheduled to air on Sunday evenings at 8 p.m. ET.
The 2027 Season Preview is set to broadcast on January 23, 2027.
Industry Dynamics
The broadcast of the Black Opera Project follows the industry-wide trend of diversifying programming to reach broader, more inclusive audiences. This partnership mirrors national shifts where regional companies utilize public media to maintain community engagement between live festival seasons.
Local residents can listen to these performances for free on 90.9 FM or through the station website. This provides a convenient way to experience the full 2026 festival repertoire without the need for physical tickets to the Music Hall.
The takeaway
Radio partnerships serve as an effective tool for arts organizations to bridge the gap between seasonal productions. Residents are encouraged to tune in on Sunday evenings to catch the festival highlights from the comfort of home.
What happens next
The 2027 Season Preview will be broadcast live from the Cincinnati Public Radio studios on January 23, 2027.
Further reading
For more information on the season, visit the Opera section.
More information
To listen to upcoming shows or find schedule updates, visit the radio station online broadcast portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Broadway World.
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