courtesy of Ravinia Festival
- SPECIAL PROJECTS: Midwest premieres of John Adams’s The Gospel According to the Other Mary and Yo-Yo Ma’s The Goat Rodeo Sessions; David Lang’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Little Match Girl Passion; The Four Seasons Recomposed by Max Richter with violinist Daniel Hope; and Benny Goodman tribute celebrating 75th anniversary of his history-making Ravinia debut
- CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RESIDENCY: Music Director James Conlon leads 78th annual CSO residency with 2,500 Pavilion seats priced at $25 for every concert—including Verdi’s Aida; Lang Lang returning to the Gala stage that launched him; the U.S. return of Maxim Vengerov; score played live as The Lord of the Rings—The Two Towers is shown
- MARTIN THEATRE LINEUP: World premiere of chamber orchestra version of Bernstein’s Songfest; Midwest premiere of Brooklesca by Brooklyn Rider; Nicole Cabell and Ricky Ian Gordon with his settings of Langston Hughes poetry; Handel’s oratorio Israel in Egypt; Patricia Racette’s Diva on Detour; The 5 Browns with Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring in its 100th year; complete Bartók Quartets over two nights
- $10 BGH SERIES: From classical to country, 26 events include Rachel Barton Pine with the complete Paganini Caprices; Joseph Swensen, Carter Brey and Jeffrey Kahane as trio; Anthony de Mare and Sondheim Reimagined; Gabriela Montero improvisations; Lincoln Trio taking audience requests; Four Nashville Songwriters on one bill; Decca recording artist Benjamin Grosvenor in Ravinia debut
- 80 DEBUTS: Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls on one bill; Melissa Etheridge; Josh Groban; Heart; Alabama; Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings; Journey; Darius Rucker; David Byrne & St. Vincent; Jewel; Smash Mouth on one bill with Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms, Vertical Horizon and Fastball
- RETURNING FAVORITES: Sting, Sheryl Crow, Chicago, Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson, Ramsey Lewis, Gipsy Kings, Tony Bennett, The B-52s, Indigo Girls, Anita Baker, Buddy Guy, Steely Dan, Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson
- RAVINIA’S STEANS MUSIC INSTITUTE (RSMI): Summer conservatory celebrates 25th year with special events including eight commissioned world-premiere works; RSMI singers perform in Britten’s The Burning Fiery Furnace and Vaughan Williams’s Serenade to Music
- FAMILY PROGRAMMING: Kraft Great Kids Concert series welcomes Ravinia favorites; high school attendance contest; free lawn admission to classical concerts for kids and students through college; in-park free activities include Family Space
CLICK HERE for the full season lineup.
