Considered by many to be the finest symphony orchestra in the U.S., the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra (tel. 800/686-1141 or 216/231-1111; www.clevelandorch.com) will be under the leadership of new music director Franz Welser-Most beginning in the 2002-2003 season. The orchestra performs at Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Ave., at East Boulevard, in University Circle. The stately 1931 concert hall was greeted by rave reviews when it emerged from a massive renovation in early 2000. In summer, the orchestra takes up residence at the open-air Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, 34 miles south of the city off I-77.

The nation's second-largest performing arts center (after New York City's Lincoln Center) is Playhouse Square Center, 1501 Euclid Ave. (tel. 216/771-4444; www.playhousesquare.com), a prime symbol of Cleveland's cultural renaissance. Four beautifully restored theaters present theatrical and musical performances of all kinds, including touring productions of Broadway shows. It's also home to such resident companies as the Ohio Ballet (www.ohioballet.org) and DanceCleveland (www.dancecleveland.org), which presents such renowned modern companies as Alvin Ailey Trinity Irish Dance Company; and the 25-year-old Cleveland Opera (www.clevelandopera.org), among others.