The Ravinia Festival in Illinois has announced details of its 2013 season, held from June 6 to September 15, marking the 78th season that the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has been in residence. Under Festival Music Director James Conlon, CSO highlights include a screening of the film The Lord of the Rings—The Towers, with Howard Shore’s score performed live. The CSO will also perform a concert version of Verdi’s Aida with the Chicago Symphony Chorus and soloists, in honor of Verdi’s 200th birthday. In connection with Aida, Ravinia will offer “One Score, One Chicago” as a way to engage the community in the Verdi work, with resource guides at its website (ravinia.org) and arias from the opera in the curriculum at schools participating in Ravinia’s REACH*TEACH*PLAY education programs. Conlon will also lead two performances of Britten’s church parable The Burning Fiery Furnace at Trinity Episcopal Church in Highland Park, featuring alumni from Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Also this summer at Ravinia, Alexander Platt will conduct Ensemble Dal Niente in the world premiere of the chamber orchestra version of Bernstein’s Songfest; the Takács String Quartet will perform the complete Bartók quartets; and Music of the Baroque will perform Handel’s oratorio Israel in Egypt. The Chicago Philharmonic, based in Wilmette, Illinois, will perform two programs: John Adams’s The Gospel According to the Other Mary, with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and vocal soloists; and Max Richter’s The Four Seasons Recomposed, based on Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, with Daniel Hope as violin soloist. More information is available at ravinia.org.
Posted March 20, 2013
