Kentucky Symphony opens 35th season with 3 Kentucky Tenors

The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra will launch its 35th anniversary season Oct. 3 in Highland Heights, Kentucky, with a concert featuring three Kentucky tenors singing opera, Neapolitan songs, Broadway and film selections. The program leans into a “Three Tenors” concept, with the KSO pairing arias and popular vocal favorites for its season opener.

Why it matters: - The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra is using a crowd-friendly vocal showcase to launch its 35th anniversary season. - The concert blends opera with familiar songs, which broadens the appeal beyond traditional classical audiences. - The KSO continues its long-running formula of thematic programming and mixed repertoire.

What happened: - The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra will open its 35th Anniversary season at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at Greaves Concert Hall on the NKU campus in Highland Heights, Kentucky. - The concert features the 3 Kentucky Tenors: Daniel Weeks, Matthew Pearce and Jesse Donner. - The program is modeled on the 1990s global concerts of The Three Tenors: Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti. - The performance will include arias and songs from opera, Napoli, Broadway and film. - Tickets and information are available at kyso.org or by calling (859) 431-6216.

The details: - The announced repertoire includes Verdi, Donizetti, Puccini, Bellini, Rossini and other composers. - Featured selections include “Ah mes amis,” “Vesti la giubba,” “Nessun dorma,” “Torna di Surriento,” “Funiculì, Funiculà,” “O Sole Mio,” “Granada,” “Maria” and “Be My Love.” - The full program also lists orchestral works and overtures, including Verdi’s I Vespri Siciliani Overture and Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi Overture. - Jesse Donner is a graduate of the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Louisville Orchestra, Lubbock Symphony, St. Petersburg Opera and other companies and ensembles. - Matthew Pearce has performed roles at Glimmerglass, Portland Opera, Washington National Opera and other companies, and he holds degrees from the University of Kentucky and Juilliard. - Daniel Weeks has sung with major U.S. orchestras and opera companies and has taught on the voice faculty at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music since 2015. - Since 1992, the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, under founder James R. Cassidy, has used thematic concerts and mixed programming across classical, jazz, film, pop, semi-staged operas and musicals. - The orchestra says subscription series concerts are its only ticketed events, while schools and the community receive 11-12 free education and summer performances each year.

Between the lines: - The KSO is leaning on a recognizable pop-classical format that can sell a broad event, not just a standard symphony concert. - The tenor lineup also highlights Kentucky connections, with singers from Ft. Mitchell, Lexington and Louisville. - The release frames the orchestra as a regional training ground, pointing to its role in developing musicians for larger ensembles. - The “Who’s bringing the cannoli?” line signals the event is meant to feel playful, not formal.

What's next: - The Oct. 3 concert kicks off the orchestra’s 35th season. - Additional KSO performances and education events will follow through the season, consistent with the orchestra’s annual programming model.

The bottom line: - The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra is starting its anniversary season with a high-energy tenor showcase designed to mix opera prestige with mainstream appeal.