Pianist and composer Gabriela Montero (Photo: Anders Brogaard)
Ravinia Festival has announced its performance lineup for its 2023 season. Taking place from June 6 to September 10, the season presents the festival’s unique mix of programming across genres and formats.
For classical music fans, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s appearances at the festival are among the highlights of the summer arts calendar. This year, the CSO’s residency runs from July 14 to August 20. Under the baton of chief conductor Marin Alsop, the orchestra will perform symphonic staples by Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart, and Rachmaninoff, while presenting works by women composers including Chicago-based Shulamit Ran as well as Gabriela Montero, who will appear as soloist to perform her own piano concerto. An all-Mahler night that stars soprano Sasha Cooke will feature works by both Gustav and Alma Mahler.
Other Season Announcements
Chamber Music on the Fox Returns for 10th Season
September 14, 2023
Apollo’s Fire Returns for 4 Chicago Programs in ’23-24
August 22, 2023
Newberry Consort Shares Collaboration-Rich 2023-24 Season
August 9, 2023
Bella Voce Unveils 2023-2024 Season
July 21, 2023
Third Coast Percussion 2023-24 Season Released
July 18, 2023Alsop will welcome other prominent soloists, including Janai Brugger, Ryan Speedo Green, Matthew Polenzani, and Van Cliburn Piano Competition gold medalist Yunchan Lim, in his CSO debut. Miriam Fried, a violinist, will join Alsop and the orchestra for a performance that pays tribute to Fried’s 30 years as director of Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute Program for Piano and Strings.
The CSO residency will see a range of other conductors taking the podium, too: Mei-Ann Chen, music director of the Chicago Sinfonietta, Jonathon Heyward, Teddy Abrams, Joshua Weilerstein, Valentina Peleggi, and George Stelluto.
Other guest artists will include Alisa Weilerstein, Jeremy Denk, Benjamin Beilman, and Jeffrey Kahane. Special programs during the CSO’s 2023 stint at Ravinia will pay tribute to a trio of iconic women singer-songwriters — Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon — and welcome composer and vocalist Rufus Wainwright to the stage for orchestral performances of some of his beloved music.
The Breaking Barriers Festival, launched by Alsop and Ravinia in 2022 to amplify unsung figures in classical music, returns for another year. In its debut year, the Breaking Barriers spotlighted women conductors; this year, it turns its focus to women conductors. The 2023 festival will take place between July 21 and July 23.
Individual tickets go on sale on May 1. For more information, visit ravinia.org.
