Cincinnati Pops Announces 2025–26 Season

Featured Guests to Include:
Nas, Martin Sheen, Ingrid Michaelson, Cody Fry and Ben Rector

John Morris Russell to Conduct:
American Mosaic, a New Musical-Visual Presentation by Composer Peter Boyer
Troupe Vertigo: Cirque España!
Holiday Pops with Cody Fry
New Year’s Eve: Cabaret Café

Pops Principal Guest Conductor Damon Gupton to Conduct:
The Music of Star Wars on “May the Fourth” Weekend 2026

Three Multimedia Symphonic Experiences to Include:
Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy
Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony
The Voice of Whitney: A Symphonic Celebration

Film with Live Orchestra Presentations to Include:
Disney’s Hocus Pocus and Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story

Cincinnati Pops Extends Contract with Conductor John Morris Russell Through the 2027–28 Season

CINCINNATI, OH (March 21, 2025)—The Cincinnati Pops unveiled its 2025–26 season, featuring special guest appearances by Nas, Martin Sheen, Ingrid Michaelson, Cody Fry and Ben Rector. Cincinnati Pops Conductor John Morris Russell will conduct Troupe Vertigo: Cirque España! with the Los Angeles-based circus troupe; American Mosaic, a brand-new musical-visual presentation by Grammy Award-nominated composer Peter Boyer; Holiday Pops with Cody Fry; and New Year’s Eve: Cabaret Café. Pops Principal Guest Conductor Damon Gupton will lead the Pops in The Music of Star Wars, featuring music from the Star Wars universe. The season will also include three multimedia symphonic experiences, including Distant Worlds: music from Final Fantasy, Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony and The Voice of Whitney: A Symphonic Celebration; and two film with live orchestra presentations of Disney’s Hocus Pocus and Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story. The Cincinnati Pops also announced a two-year contract extension with conductor John Morris Russell. Appointed Cincinnati Pops Conductor in 2010, Russell will continue to lead the Pops through its 50th anniversary in the 2027–28 season.

“John Morris Russell has been integral to the success of the Cincinnati Pops for over a decade, and his leadership continues to drive our artistry and relationship with the community. His dedication to diverse, engaging programming for Cincinnati audiences is unmatched, and I’m thrilled for the opportunities ahead in the 2025–26 season and beyond,” said Robert McGrath, President & CEO of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops.

“The Pops has always been about embracing new ways to tell stories and celebrate exceptional orchestral music making,” said Cincinnati Pops Conductor John Morris Russell. “This season’s programming utilizes new media in so many creative ways, most notably the brilliant marriage of breathtaking images, inspirational quotes and orchestral splendor in Peter Boyer’s American Mosaic, with Dayton native Martin Sheen. There is also dynamic music created for gaming, films and the small screen, the voice of Whitney brought vividly back to life, Dolly telling her story from the big screen, and spectacular films with the added dimension of live orchestral accompaniment. And of course, we have everyone’s Pops favorites: Cirque España, Holiday Pops and the music of Star Wars, showcasing the versatility and virtuosity of our Orchestra.”

CINCINNATI POPS CONDUCTOR JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL

The 48th season of the Cincinnati Pops kicks off September 12–14, 2025 with Troupe Vertigo: Cirque España, featuring a collaboration between the Los Angeles-based circus troupe, Troupe Vertigo, and the Cincinnati Pops led by Russell. Founded by Artistic Director Aloysia Gavre, formerly of the internationally renowned Cirque du Soleil, and Technical Director Rex Camphius, of the fabled Pickle Family Circus, Troupe Vertigo will blend cirque acrobatics, classical dance and contemporary theatre with music by Bizet, Lecuona, Albéniz and more to create a stunning visual and sonic experience.

March 13–15, 2026, Russell will lead the Cincinnati Pops in American Mosaic, a new musical-visual work created by Grammy-nominated composer Peter Boyer, honoring the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. Paired with powerful imagery from all 50 states by photo historian Joseph Sohm, Boyer’s quintessential American-themed orchestral music will include famous monologues from American history narrated live and in-person by award-winning actor Martin Sheen.

Russell will also conduct the Pops in two beloved Cincinnati traditions. Holiday Pops will take place December 12–14, 2025, across 6 performances, celebrating the sounds of the holiday season with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Cody Fry as well as talented choruses and dancers. December 31, 2025, Russell and the Pops will ring in the new year with New Year’s Eve: Cabaret Café, an homage to 1930s cabaret, featuring the music of Kander and Ebb (Cabaret, Chicago), Kurt Weill (Threepenny Opera), Edith Piaf (La Vie en Rose), tango and jazz.

POPS PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR DAMON GUPTON

On May 1–3, 2026, during “May the Fourth” weekend, the Cincinnati Pops, led by Pops Principal Guest Conductor Damon Gupton, will perform music from across the Star Wars universe composed by John Williams, Michael Giacchino and Ludwig Göransson. This program does not include film projections.

SPECIAL GUESTS NAS, INGRID MICHAELSON & BEN RECTOR

On October 21, 2025, Grammy and Emmy nominated singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson makes her debut with the Cincinnati Pops. Known for her introspective lyrics and timeless melodies, Michaelson has become a defining force in the music industry, with chart-topping hits, like “The Way I Am,” “Girls Chase Boys” and “You & I,” all certified platinum. Michaelson first gained prominence as the first indie artist on the cover of Billboard Magazine and has since released eight full-length albums on her own label, Cabin 24 Records, including her latest, For The Dreamers. In addition to her studio work, she has amassed success writing for stage and screen, receiving her first Emmy nomination for “Build It Up,” a song written for the Hulu series Little Fires Everywhere. Michaelson will soon make her Broadway debut, writing music and lyrics for the Tony and Grammy-nominated musical adaptation of The Notebook, which will begin a national tour this year.

Critically acclaimed hip-hop artist Nas makes his Cincinnati Pops debut on November 12, 2025 at Music Hall. Three decades after Illmatic’s critically acclaimed release, hip-hop legend Nas will perform the iconic album in its entirety with the Pops. Released in 1994, Illmatic is the seminal debut from Nas and has long been revered as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, with hits including “N.Y. State of Mind,” “The World is Yours,” “Memory Lane (Sittin’ in Da Park),” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell.”

Back by popular demand, platinum-selling indie superstar Ben Rector returns to Cincinnati on April 7, 2026 with a brand-new orchestral collaboration, Songs for America, featuring a collection of original songs inspired by his 15 years of cross-country travel as a touring artist. Equal parts pop, Broadway, and modern hymn, this homage to America, in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, will showcase Rector’s signature guitar and piano performances alongside the strength of the Cincinnati Pops.

CINCINNATI POPS PRESENTS THREE MULTIMEDIA SYMPHONIC EXPERIENCES

The Cincinnati Pops will also present and perform on three multimedia symphonic experiences in the 2025–26 season.

September 20 and 21, 2025, guest conductor Daniel Wiley leads the Pops in The Voice of Whitney: A Symphonic Celebration. This special concert tribute features original and remastered recordings of Whitney’s vocals set to new orchestrations in a one-of-a kind reimaging of her biggest hits, including “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “Higher Love” and “I Will Always Love You” accompanied by never-before-seen video footage, film performances and interviews.

September 27 and 28, 2025, conductor Arnie Roth will lead the Cincinnati Pops and May Festival Chorus (directed by Matthew Swanson) in Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY, including classic works by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, Masayoshi Soken, Yoko Shimomura and other FINAL FANTASY composers from throughout the FINAL FANTASY series. This special concert includes music from FINAL FANTASY XVI, with HD video created by SQUARE ENIX specifically for this tour in an immersive and captivating journey into the heart of one of gaming’s most beloved franchises.

January 23–25, 2026, the Pops presents Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony, featuring Dolly on screen leading audiences in a visual-musical journey of her songs, life, and stories. Accompanied by guest vocalists and musicians selected by Dolly, alongside the Cincinnati Pops, the program will feature new orchestrations of her hit songs, including “Jolene,” “Coat of May Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” in addition to personal favorites and an unreleased selection from her upcoming Broadway musical, DOLLY: An Original Musical.

FILM MUSIC TRADITION CONTINUES WITH DISNEY’S HOCUS POCUS IN CONCERT LIVE TO FILM AND DISNEY AND PIXAR’S TOY STORY IN CONCERT

The Cincinnati Pops continues its film with live orchestra performances in the 2025–26 season with Disney’s Hocus Pocus in Concert Live to Film and Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story in Concert.

On November 1 and 2, 2025, the Cincinnati Pops leans in to the Halloween spirit, performing Emmy Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated composer John Debney’s score live to the full-length screening of Disney’s comedy film Hocus Pocus. This 1993 Halloween classic stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as three seventeenth-century witches, known as the Sanderson sisters, who attempt to steal the life essence from the children of modern-day Salem.

On January 3 and 4, 2026, the Pops goes to infinity and beyond in Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story In Concert—30 years after the animated classic first arrived in theaters. A live-to-picture concert event featuring the screening of the entire Toy Story film, the Cincinnati Pops will perform Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer Randy Newman’s vibrant score in sync to the picture. Acclaimed by audiences and critics worldwide for its characters, storytelling, visuals and unforgettable music—including songs “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” “Strange Things” and “I Will Go Sailing No More’—Toy Story remains a major pop culture force with a fourth sequel, Toy Story 5, set to be released in 2026.

CINCINNATI POPS ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP BIOGRAPHIES

Cincinnati Pops Conductor John Morris Russell
Pops Principal Guest Conductor Damon Gupton

CINCINNATI POPS

Since 1977, the Cincinnati Pops has entertained audiences in Cincinnati and around the globe with its trademark “Cincinnati Sound,” presenting a diverse array of musical genres that has garnered national and international acclaim for the ensemble. The alter ego of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Pops was founded in 1977 by the late Erich Kunzel and is currently led by Conductor John Morris Russell with Damon Gupton serving as Principal Guest Conductor. Notable collaborations with artists have included Dave Brubeck, Kristin Chenoweth, Ella Fitzgerald, Ben Folds, Aretha Franklin, Rhiannon Gidden, Audra McDonald, Smokey Robinson, and Lea Salonga.

Committed to sharing music with the world, the Cincinnati Pops has a long legacy of domestic and international tours and was the first Pops orchestra from the United States to perform in China. Recent tours have included Shanghai and Taiwan in March 2017 and Florida in December 2014. Previously, the Pops traveled to Beijing as part of the Opening Festivities of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, and in 2005, the Pops completed a historic tour to China and Singapore, performing in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The Cincinnati Pops has also appeared before audiences in New York’s Carnegie Hall, Washington D.C., and Japan.

Digital performances and recordings have long been hallmarks of the Cincinnati Pops. National telecasts of the Cincinnati Pops on PBS have been viewed by an estimated 30 million people, and American Soundscapes, an online video series produced in partnership with CET Public Television, has surpassed one million views on YouTube since its inception in 2016. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Cincinnati Pops performances were livestreamed for free to viewers from around the world; select performances continue to be livestreamed each season for accessibility. The Cincinnati Pops discography is expansive and tens of millions of recordings have been sold worldwide through the decades. In 2012, the Pops released Home for the Holidays, the first recording on the Orchestra’s own Fanfare Cincinnati label, and in 2015, the Pops released American Originals, which received widespread acclaim for its reimagining of the Stephen Foster songbook, followed by the release of American Originals: 1918, which received a Grammy nomination for “Best Classical Compendium.” 

 

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Cincinnati Pops gratefully acknowledges support from:

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Annual Support

2025–26 Cincinnati Pops Season Chronological Listing

FRI SEP 12 | 7:30 PM
SAT SEP 13 | 7:30 PM
SUN SEP 14 | 2 PM
TROUPE VERTIGO: CIRQUE ESPAÑA!
John Morris Russell conductor
Troupe Vertigo
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Fusing together elements of cirque acrobatics, classical dance and contemporary theatre, Troupe Vertigo brings audiences on a spellbinding journey through the world of artistic movement. Using highly stylized choreography, lighting and music to create scenes with imaginative visual landscapes, prepare to be mesmerized by music from Bizet, Lecuona, Albéniz and more, as reimagined by the fantastical Troupe Vertigo and the Cincinnati Pops.

SAT SEP 20 | 7:30 PM
SUN SEP 21 | 2 PM
THE VOICE OF WHITNEY: A SYMPHONIC CELEBRATION
Daniel Wiley conductor
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Experience Whitney Houston’s musical legacy like never before. This special concert tribute features original and remastered recordings of Whitney’s vocals set to new orchestrations in a one-of-a-kind reimagining of her biggest hits — including “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “Higher Love” and “I Will Always Love You” — all accompanied by never-before-seen video footage, film performances and interviews.

SAT SEP 27 | 7:30 PM
SUN SEP 28 | 2 PM
DISTANT WORLDS: MUSIC FROM FINAL FANTASY
Arnie Roth conductor
May Festival Chorus (Matthew Swanson, director)
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Legendary conductor Arnie Roth will lead the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and May Festival Chorus performing classic works by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, Masayoshi Soken, Yoko Shimomura and other great FINAL FANTASY composers from throughout the FINAL FANTASY series. 

This special concert includes music from FINAL FANTASY XVI, with HD video created by SQUARE ENIX specifically for this tour, as well as beloved music and video from FINAL FANTASY XIV and the entire FINAL FANTASY series. Don’t miss out on an immersive and captivating journey into the heart of one of gaming's most beloved franchises.  

TUE OCT 21 | 7:30 PM
INGRID MICHAELSON
with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

SAT NOV 1 | 7:30 PM
SUN NOV 2 | 2PM
DISNEY’S HOCUS POCUS IN CONCERT LIVE TO FILM
with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

"It’s all just a bunch of hocus pocus!" Join Max, Allison and Dani on a magical Halloween romp through Salem as they match wits with the legendary Sanderson sisters. Catch this bewitching film on the big screen as the Cincinnati Pops performs the score live to film. Dust off your broom — or vacuum! — and zoom down to Music Hall for a night of music and movie magic.Grammy and Emmy nominated singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson makes her highly anticipated debut with the Cincinnati Pops! Ingrid has become a defining force in the music industry, with chart-topping hits like “The Way I Am,” “Girls Chase Boys,” and “You & I,” all certified gold and platinum. With her blend of introspective lyrics and timeless melodies, Ingrid will bring a fresh, captivating mix of her iconic songs and new material for a mesmerizing fusion of pop and orchestral music.

WED NOV 12 | 7:30 PM
NAS’S ILLMATIC
Nas, hip-hop artist
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Thirty years after Illmatic’s critically acclaimed release, Grammy winning hip-hop legend Nas performs the iconic album in its entirety – plus additional tracks from his illustrious career – with the Cincinnati Pops! Released in 1994, Illmatic is the groundbreaking debut from Nas and has long been considered one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time with hits including “N.Y. State of Mind,” “The World is Yours,” “Memory Lane (Sittin’ in Da Park),” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell.”

FRI DEC 12 | 11 AM & 7:30 PM
SAT DEC 13 | 2 PM & 7:30 PM
SUN DEC 14 | 2 PM & 7 PM
HOLIDAY POPS 
John Morris Russell conductor
Cody Fry vocalist
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

There's nothing quite as magical as the Pops during the Holiday season, when family memories are created anew at festive, sold-out performances of Holiday Pops! This December, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Cody Fry will join JMR, the Pops, choruses and dancers from around the city to bring your holiday favorites to life in a Music Hall adorned in the season's trimmings and glowing with holiday lights.

WED DEC 31 | 8 PM
NEW YEAR’S EVE: CABARET CAFÉ
John Morris Russell conductor
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Password, please! Travel across Berlin, New York, Paris, Buenos Aires and beyond as you ring in the New Year in the style of 1930s cabaret speakeasies. With an intoxicating blend of decadence, rebellion and raw emotion, cabaret music thrives on the tension between love and tragedy. Join JMR and the Pops as they perform iconic songs of Kander and Ebb (Cabaret, Chicago), Kurt Weill (Threepenny Opera), Edith Piaf (La Vie en Rose) and more. Your evening at our cabaret café will be one of playful indulgence. 

SAT JAN 3 | 7:30 PM
SUN JAN 4 | 2 PM
DISNEY AND PIXAR’S TOY STORY IN CONCERT
with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Ever wonder what your toys do when you’re not around? Toy Story answers that question through the eyes of two rival toys — Woody, the lanky, likable cowboy, and Buzz Lightyear, the fearless space ranger. When circumstances separate them from their owner, the duo learn to put aside their differences and embark on an adventure-filled mission to return home. The Cincinnati Pops goes to infinity and beyond as they bring Buzz and Woody’s journey to life on the big screen! 

FRI JAN 23 | 7:30 PM
SAT JAN 24 | 7:30 PM
SUN JAN 25 | 2 PM
DOLLY PARTON’S THREADS: MY SONGS IN SYMPHONY
Katelyn Drye vocalist
Hollie Hammel vocalist
Julie Williams vocalist
Blair Lamb vocalist
Denitia vocalist
Ally Jackson vocalist
Katie Basden vocalist
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs In Symphony, is an innovative multimedia experience featuring Dolly on screen, leading audiences in a visual-musical journey of her songs, her life, and her stories. Guest vocalists and musicians selected by Dolly, along with the Cincinnati Pops, will present new and innovative orchestrations of her hit songs, including “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” in addition to her personal favorites and an unreleased selection from her upcoming Broadway musical.

“The threads of my life are woven together through my songs. That’s why the project, Threads: My Songs In Symphony, is so special to me. It’s about sharing my music and my musical journey with audiences in a new way.” – Dolly Parton

Co-produced by Dolly Parton together with Schirmer Theatrical and Sony Music Publishing. 

Dolly Parton will not be performing on this program.

FRI MAR 13 | 7:30 PM
SAT MAR 14 | 7:30 PM
SUN MAR 15 | 2 PM
AMERICAN MOSAIC
John Morris Russell conductor
Martin Sheen narrator
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Be uplifted and inspired by a powerful new musical-visual work created by composer Peter Boyer and photographer Joe Sohm. Stunning video imagery from across all 50 states, passages from Boyer’s quintessential American-themed orchestral music, plus live narration of powerful, relevant quotes from throughout American history will combine to celebrate the land, cities, towns, people and spirit of the United States for its 250th birthday.

TUE APR 7 | 7:30 PM
BEN RECTOR: SONGS FOR AMERICA
with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Platinum-selling indie superstar Ben Rector returns to perform with the Cincinnati Pops! His "Songs for America” is a collection of original songs written to celebrate American cities and states, inspired by his fifteen years of cross-country travel as a touring artist. Equal parts golden-era pop, Broadway and modern hymn, Ben brings this brand-new orchestral collaboration to Music Hall for a one-of-a-kind acoustic show that features the intimacy of guitar and piano with the strength of a full symphony orchestra.

FRI MAY 1 | 7:30 PM
SAT MAY 2 | 7:30 PM
SUN MAY 3 | 2 PM
THE MUSIC OF STAR WARS
Damon Gupton conductor
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Travel to galaxies far, far away as the Cincinnati Pops performs the best music from across the Star Wars universe by John Williams, Michael Giacchino and Ludwig Göransson. From “The Imperial March” to “Rey’s Theme,” you’ll hear music from the films in the Skywalker saga, plus the TV series and more. May the Force be with you!

There will NOT be film projections associated with this performance.

 

All events are located at Music Hall Springer Auditorium. Programs, artists, dates and prices subject to change.

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