Music Hall Timeline - Notable (First) Appearances
1878 Theodore Thomas (conducting at May Festival opening Music Hall))
1880 Annie Louise Cary, Emma Eames, Lillian Nordica, Marcella Sembrich, sopranos (at May Festivals)
1884 Adelina Patti, soprano (at May Festival)
1886 Lilli Lehman, soprano (at May Festival)
1898 Ernestine Schumann-Heink, contralto (at May Festival)
1900 John Philip Sousa and his Concert Band
Edward Strauss and his Vienna Orchestra
Ignace Paderewski, piano (in recital)
1901 Fritz Kreissler, violin (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
The President's United States Marine Band
Marcella Sembrich and her Grand Opera Company
1902 Josef Hofmann, piano (in trio)
1904 Richard Strauss, composer (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1906 Edward Elgar, composer (conducting at May Festival)
1909 Leopold Stokowski (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1910 Sergei Rachmaninoff, composer and pianist (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1927 Richard Crooks, tenor (at May Festival)
1929 Lawrence Tibbett, baritone (at May Festival)
1931 Lily Pons, soprano (at May Festival)
1933 Ezio Pinza, bass (at May Festival)
1934 Joseph Krips (conducting at May Festival)
1935 Rose Bampton, contralto (at May Festival)
1937 Kirsten Flagstad, soprano (at May Festival)
Lauritz Melchior, tenor (at May Festival)
1938 Jascha Heifitz, violin (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1939 Marjorie Lawrence, soprano (at May Festival)
1940 Igor Stravinsky, composer (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Percy Grainger, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Jack Walkup Band (Topper Club)
1941 Artur Rubenstein, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1942 Isaac Stern, violin (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Gregor Piatigorsky, cello (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Darius Milhaud, composer-pianist (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1943 Arturo Toscanini (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1944 Jeanette MacDonald, soprano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Efrem Zimbalist, violin (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1945 Leonard Bernstein (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Glenn Clark Miller Band (Topper Club)
1946 Rudolf Serkin, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Jerry Wald Orchestra (Topper Club)
1947 Thor Johnson (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians (choral group)
Charlie Kehrer and his Orchestra (Topper Club)
Art Jarrett and his Orchestra (Topper Club)
Clyde Trask and his Orchestra (Topper Club)
1948 Fritz Busch (conducting at May Festival)
1950 Eileen Farrell, soprano (at May Festival)
Ljuba Welitch, soprano (at May Festival)
Eddie Kadel and his Orchestra (Topper Club)
1951 Erich Leinsdorf (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
John Alexander, tenor (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1952 Nell Rankin, contralto (at May Festival)
Blanche Thebom, contralto (at May Festival)
Francis Poulenc, composer-pianist (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Buddy Morrow and his Orchestra (Topper Club)
1953 Robert Merrill, baritone (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Roberta Peters, soprano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1954 Virgil Thompson, composer (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1956 Leontyne Price, soprano (at May Festival)
Pierre Monteux (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Andres Segovia, guitar (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1957 Gina Bachauer, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Dinah Shore, vocalist
1958 Ogden Nash, poet (narrating at May Festival)
Richard Tucker, tenor (at May Festival)
Max Rudolf (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1959 Glenn Gould, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1960 Phyllis Curtin, soprano (at May Festival)
Maureen Forrester, contralto (at May Festival)
Basil Rathbone, actor (narrating at May Festival)
Lorin Hollander, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
The Kingston Trio, male vocal group
1963 Van Cliburn, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Benny Goodman, clarinet (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Eleanor Steber, soprano (at May Festival)
Tony Bennett, song stylist
1964 Aaron Copland, composer (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Andre Kostelanetz (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Skitch Henderson (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Mary Costa, soprano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
James Levine (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1965 Robert Shaw (conducting at May Festival)
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski (conducting at May Festival)
Sherrill Milnes, baritone (at May Festival)
Erich Kunzel (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
1966 Daniel Barenboim, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Duke Ellington, piano (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
1967 Lionel Hampton, vibraharp (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
Arthur Fielder (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
Mstislav Rostropovich, cello (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Norman Treigle, bass-baritone (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Birgit Nilsson, soprano (at May Festival)
George Szell (conducting at May Festival)
Peter Serkin, piano (at May Festival)
1968 Eugene Ormandy (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Itzhak Perlman, violin (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Montserrat Caballe, soprano (at May Festival)
Dave Brubeck, piano (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
Janis Joplin, legendary rock and roll vocalist
1970 Julius Rudel (conducting at May Festival)
Thomas Schippers (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Andre Watts, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Sir Charles Mackerras (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Doc Severinsen, trumpet (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
Victor Borge, pianist-comedian (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
Henry Mancini, composer-conductor (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
James Taylor and Carole King, song writer-folk singers
The Who, rock and roll superstar band
Eric Clapton, rock and roll blues guitarist
1971 The Joffrey Ballet (at May Festival)
Beverly Sills, soprano (at May Festival)
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Pinchas Zukerman, violin (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Johnny Mathis, song stylist
Hal Holbrook, actor (as Mark Twain)
Elton John, legendary singer and songwriter
1972 Roberta Flack, vocalist (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
Ella Fitzgerald, vocalist (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
Lou Rawls, vocalist (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
Yuri Temirkanov (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Martina Arroyo, soprano (at May Festival)
Barbara Daniels, soprano (at Cincinnati Summer Opera)
Gabriella Tucci, soprano (at Cincinnati Summer Opera)
Carol Neblett, soprano (at Cincinnati Summer Opera)
The Kinks, art rock band
1973 Kathleen Battle, soprano (at May Festival)
Renata Tebaldi, soprano, and Franco Corelli, tenor (in concert at Cincinnati Summer Opera)
Frederica Von Stade, soprano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1974 Andrew Davis (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Regine Crespin, soprano (at May Festival)
Benita Valente, soprano (at May Festival)
Maria Callas, soprano, and Giuseppe De Stefano, tenor (in recital)
Miles Davis, cool jazz trumpet
Jimmy Buffet, Southern song sylist
1975 James Morris, bass (at Cincinnati Opera)
Paul Plishka, bass (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Quincy Jones, arranger and composer
Nancy Wilson, soul music song stylist
Barry Manilow, singer and song writer
1976 Florence Quivar, soprano (at May Festival)
Sarah Vaughn, vocalist (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet (at Cincinnati Symphony Pops Concert)
Emmanuel Ax, piano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Marilyn Horne, contralto (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Neil Sedaka, song stylist
1977 John Cheek, baritone (at May Festival)
Renata Scotto, soprano (at Cincinnati Opera)
Klaus Tennestedt (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Leonard Slatkin (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Krzysztof Penderecki, composer (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Kenny Loggins, song writer and folk singer
1978 Jerome Hines, bass (at May Festival)
James Conlon (conducting at May Festival)
Raymond Leppard (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Luciano Pavarotti, tenor (in recital)
Red Skelton, comedian
Gordon Lightfoot, song writer and folk singer
1979 Carlisle Floyd, composer (staging his opera Susannah for Cincinnati Opera)
Christopher Keene (conducting at Cincinnati Opera)
Count Basie, piano (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
Joan Sutherland, soprano (in recital)
Dionne Warwick, rhythm and blues song stylist
Crosby, Stills & Nash, rock group
Paul Anka, song stylist
1980 James Galway, flute (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Michael Gielen (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Jessye Norman, soprano (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Al Jarreau, jazz vocalist
Peter, Paul & Mary, legendary folk singing trio
1981 Jean-Pierre Rampal, flute (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Tatiana Troyanos, soprano (at May Festival)
Italo Tajo, bass (at Cincinnati Opera)
Johnny Cash, country and western singer and song writer
Bob Dylan, legendary folk singer and song writer
B. B. King, blues guitarist
Bruce Springsteen, rock singer
Linda Ronstadt, vocalist
1982 Yo-Yo Ma, cello (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Sir Neville Marriner (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Benjamin Luxon, baritone (at May Festival)
Cleo Laine, vocalist (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
Cab Calloway, vocalist (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
The Drifters, rock and roll band
The Shirelles, rock and roll band
Stan Getz, saxophone (with band)
1983 Heinz Holliger, oboe (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Judy Collins, vocalist (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
George Benson, jazz guitarist
1984 James McCracken, tenor (at May Festival)
Maxim Shostakovitch (conducting at May Festival)
Richard Stoltzman, clarinet (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
1985 Natalie Cole, rhythm and blues song stylist
Perry Como, song stylist
1986 Michael Tilson Thomas (conducting at May Festival)
Jesus Lopez-Cobos (conducting Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Gladys Knight, rhythm and blues singer
Anita Baker, rhythm and blues singer
Andy Williams, vocalist
Robin Williams, comedian
1987 Mikhail Baryshnikov, dancer (presented by Cincinnati Ballet)
Richard Leech, tenor (at Cincinnati Opera)
David Copperfield, magician
Rosemary Clooney, vocalist
Jay Leno, television personality
1988 Carol Channing, vocalist (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
1989 Dance Theatre of Harlem (presented by Cincinnati Ballet)
Stars of the Bolshoi Ballet (presented by Cincinnati Ballet)
1990 Gregory Hines, tap dancer (presented by Cincinnati Ballet)
Garrison Keillor, storyteller
Diana Ross, song stylist
1991 Dong-Jian Gong, bass (at Cincinnati Opera)
Roy Clark, guitar (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
Joel Grey, vocalist (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
Al Hirt, trumpet (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
Patty Labelle, vocalist
1992 Bernadette Peters, vocalist (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
1993 Frank Sinatra, song stylist
Jerry Seinfeld, comedian
Tim Allen, comedian
Milton Berle, comedian
Chet Atkins, guitar
1994 Earth, Wind & Fire, funk band
James Ingram, vocalist
Kenny Rogers, country and western singer
George Burns, comedian
Phish, rock group
Yanni, new age keyboardist
1995 Mel Torme, vocalist (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
Ben Vereen, vocalist/dancer (with Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
Fabio Armiliato, tenor (at Cincinnati Opera)
Marco Armiliato (conducting Cincinnati Opera)
Dave Matthews Band, folk music group
Bill Cosby, comedian
1996 Jose Carreras, tenor (in recital)
Isley Brothers, soul music vocal group
1997 Harry Connick, Jr., jazz vocalist
Willie Nelson, country and western singer and song writer
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