Stories

Stravinsky Top 10: blue portrait of Stravinsky with a 10 and text "top ten" superimposed

Vote for Stravinsky’s Top 10 Works

We want to hear your take! Help us create a definitive ranking of the iconoclastic 20th-century composer’s greatest music.

Daniel GoldbergDecember 18, 2019

Playlist: Wilco Drummer, Classical Composer Glenn Kotche on His Favorite Classical Music

Becky NystedtDecember 17, 2019

Playlist: ‘Klavier Self’ a Merry Little Holiday With These Classical Toy Piano Performances

Keegan MorrisDecember 16, 2019

Video: Deck the Halls with Merry, Merry Chicago!

New faces, new ambitions as opera houses reopen

Associated PressAugust 24, 2021

As opera houses around the country warily resume indoor performances, two of the biggest are ushering in new leadership — along with a heightened commitment to building new audiences.

Playlist: A Classical Fishing Trip

George PrestonAugust 20, 2021

10 pieces of music inspired by angling and sea creatures

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joffrey nutcracker dance music tchaikovsky

Discover What Makes Tchaikovsky’s ‘Nutcracker’ Sound Like Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice

Stephen RaskauskasDecember 13, 2019

Conductor Scott Speck, who leads the Chicago Philharmonic for performances of The Nutcracker with Joffrey Ballet, explained what makes Tchaikovsky’s score as addictive as your favorite holiday treats.

The 10 Best Classical Christmas Albums of 2019

Lisa FlynnDecember 13, 2019

Every year, the holiday season brings a new assortment of fabulous and festive Christmas albums. Here are some of the inspiring recordings we’ve received for 2019. Let them accompany your celebrations this Christmas and for years to come.

Britten the Composer, Pacifist, Remembered by the Star of His Antiwar Opera

George PrestonDecember 13, 2019

A lifelong pacifist, Britten used his music to advocate for peace. Baritone Benjamin Luxon, who created the title role of the composer’s pacifist opera Owen Wingrave, reflects on Britten’s legacy of music and pacifism.

Mornings with Jan Weller