Thursday’s (9/30) Chicago Sun-Times reports, “To mark the 75th anniversary of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s summer residency, the Ravinia Festival has commissioned two works by rising star Nico Muhly and pop music tastemaker Rufus Wainwright. The commissions were announced today by Ravinia president and CEO Welz Kauffman and music director James Conlon, along with the details of next season’s CSO programming. … Muhly, one of the hottest young composers in classical music, is writing a new work specifically for the classical-pop quintet the 5 Browns. The piece, still untitled, will be performed Aug. 9 with the CSO, conducted by Conlon. Wainwright, known for his pop-folk works, has written settings of Shakespeare’s sonnets, which the CSO will perform Aug. 14, under conductor (and pianist) Jeffrey Kahane. Also on the bill will be works inspired by the Bard: Berlioz’s overture to ‘Beatrice and Benedict’ and the scherzo and nocturne from Mendelssohn’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ ”
Photo by Samantha West
Posted October 1, 2010
