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Nation’s most diverse music festival presents more than 140 events from June 2 through September 11, featuring the 80th-anniversary summer residency of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Longtime, former music director James Levine returns for the first time in over two decades to conduct Mahler’s Second Symphony, as he did at his Ravinia debut 45 years ago

Eight conductors make their Ravinia debuts, and four of those make their CSO debuts, including Kirill Karabits, Gustavo Gimeno, George Hanson, and Ben Gernon

Legends Paul Simon, Diana Ross, and Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons among 74 Ravinia debuts; Bob Dylan returns for the first time since 1964

Ten premieres include the first violin concerto by Wynton Marsalis, co-commissioned by Ravinia, and Tan Dun’s Water Passion

Stravinsky’s The Firebird named “One Score, One Chicago” selection as Ravinia co-commissions dramatic new staging from the puppeteers behind Broadway’s War Horse

Orchestras perform scores live as Ravinia shows the complete films Titanic, The Planets: An HD Odyssey, The Wizard of Oz, and Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II

A series of vocal programs, including Rachmaninoff’s “Vespers,” celebrates the centennial of master choral director Robert Shaw

Tributes to David Bowie, Oscar Brown Jr., Nat “King” Cole, Jerry Garcia, and Stephen Sondheim are featured

Fourteen chamber programs explore “complete” works by Haydn, Bach, and Bartók and launch a three-year cycle of Beethoven’s piano sonatas by Jonathan Biss

Ravinia welcomes guests at its grand entrance with a new aquatic sculpture by the designers of the Bellagio’s dancing fountains and a wave of water-themed concerts

Classical artists include Jean-Yves Thibaudet; Matthias Goerne; Gil Shaham; Joshua Bell and Chris Botti; Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma; Itzhak Perlman; Alisa Weilerstein; Lynn Harrell; Daniil Trifonov; Jeffrey Kahane; Zukerman Trio; Danielle de Niese; Midori; Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; the Juilliard, Emerson, and Takács String Quartets; and RSMI alumni in the Chiara, Avalon, and Ariel String Quartets

Non-classical artists include Seal; Train and Andy Grammer; Bonnie Raitt; Hollywood Vampires with Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, and Johnny Depp; Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters and Marty Stuart; Don Henley; Bryan Ferry; Barenaked Ladies; Seth MacFarlane; Duran Duran; Buddy Guy and Jeff Beck; Tony Bennett; Patti LaBelle; Phillip Phillips and Matt Nathanson; and Chris Cornell

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill.—Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman today announced the 2016 summer season comprising more than 140 events, featuring the 80th-anniversary summer residency of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In this special anniversary year, maestro James Levine will return for the first time in more than two decades to lead the CSO in Mahler’s Second Symphony—the piece he conducted as a last-minute replacement when he made his Ravinia debut in 1971. Eight conductors will make their Ravinia debuts—four of whom concurrently are making their CSO debuts—during the 17-concert residency. The 15-week season, which is nearly 65 percent classical, features 74 artist debuts—including legends Paul Simon and Diana Ross—and 50 classical works never before performed at the festival. New works include the Ravinia co-commissions of a reimagined staging of Stravinsky’s The Firebird, created by the company behind War Horse on Broadway and the West End, and the first violin concerto fromWynton Marsalis, performed by Nicola Benedetti, for whom it was written. Four films, including Titanic and The Wizard of Oz, will receive live orchestral accompaniment. Several concerts pay tribute to musical giants, from Robert Shaw to David Bowie. Fourteen concerts offer “complete” works, including the launch of a three-year Beethoven project by pianist Jonathan Biss. Tickets go on sale March 9 to donors to the not-for-profit festival and April 26 to the general public.

“Nothing compares to the enviable relationship between Ravinia and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, so it’s a real pleasure to announce the 80th-anniversary summer residency, featuring something for just about every taste in orchestral music,” said Kauffman, who programs the festival, also noting that typically festivals and orchestras are a single entity, such as Tanglewood and the Boston Symphony. “Ravinia, with its welcoming outdoor environment, low prices, and inviting summer programming is well poised to help build the audience for this important art form. If venue loyalty can get just 5 percent of the audience that comes to see Train or Paul Simon to return for a CSO concert, that would be a sea change. We’re especially excited to respond to audience demand by introducing six conductors standing before the CSO at Ravinia this summer, four of whom are also making their CSO debuts.”

For the second year in a row, Allstate has signed on to be Ravinia’s Lead Classical Sponsor. “We are pleased to once again partner with Ravinia on their efforts to bring classical music to the Chicago area,” said Don Civgin, President of Emerging Business at Allstate and a Ravinia Trustee. “We applaud Ravinia’s commitment to education, public outreach, and making world-class performances accessible to all. Allstate and Ravinia recognize the importance of serving the community—together we are a force for good.”

$25/$10/FREE

Ravinia’s popular pricing returns this summer, with most Pavilion seats for all CSO concerts selling for just $25 apiece. Most lawn tickets will be priced at $10 each, and lawn admission for all classical concerts—CSO, special events, recitals and chamber music—is free for children and students through college. A 10-punch lawn pass will also be sold, granting lawn admission for as little as $7 per concert. On film nights, the $25 price for a reserved seat in the Pavilion is the same for a lawn ticket, so patrons can choose the experience they prefer—a seat under the roof with a view of the orchestra or a picnic on the lawn before the giant movie screen—without cost being an issue. The $10 BGH Classics series offers up-close-and-personal musical experiences in Ravinia’s most intimate concert space, the 450-seat Bennett Gordon Hall, for only $10 for a reserved seat, less than the cost of a movie ticket.

JAMES LEVINE RETURNS / GALA

James Levine will celebrate the 45th anniversary of his Ravinia debut by returning to the festival for the first time since completing his music directorship in 1993. On July 23, Levine will conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Mahler’s Second Symphony. This was the first piece he conducted at Ravinia on June 24, 1971, when he was brought in as a last-minute replacement for the Ravinia Women’s Board Gala. Levine’s return headlines the 50th gala, the only performance fundraiser to support the festival and its REACH*TEACH*PLAY education programs.

“Little did I know when I first came to Ravinia how important my time there would turn out to be, and the significant development it would stimulate in my artistic growth,” Levine said. “With the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, I felt as though we were an ideal match, each provoking the other to strive for the best.”

RAVINIA DEBUTS

Legendary artists Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons (June 12), Paul Simon (June 18), and Diana Ross (July 27) make their Ravinia debuts this summer. Bob Dylan (June 24) returns for the first time since 1964, when he was billed as “Robert Dylan,” with Chicago’s own Mavis Staples.

“There remain a handful of artists whose style and careers seem so custom-built for Ravinia’s environment that some people are amazed to discover they are making their festival debuts. This was certainly the case when I first booked Crosby, Stills & Nash in 2010, and I predict it will be that way this summer for legends like Paul Simon and Frankie Valli,” Kauffman said. “You can just picture them on our stage. They belong here.”

Also among the nonclassical artists making their Ravinia debuts this summer are Duran Duran and CHIC featuring Nile Rodgers (July 8/9); as seen on the recent Grammy Awards, the Hollywood Vampires, comprising Alice Cooper,Joe Perry, and Johnny Depp (July 17); Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters and Marty Stuart (Sept. 2);Barenaked Ladies and OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) with Howard Jones in his second visit (June 9);The Commodores (June 23); Shawn Mullins (July 1); Neil Finn of Crowded House with Guster, similarly making its second appearance (July 7); Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog (July 3); guitarist Jeff Beck on a double bill with festival favorite Buddy Guy (July 31); Bryan Ferry (Aug. 6); Mariachi Flor de Toloache(Sept. 5); and Katharine McPhee, star of TV’s Smash and Scorpion, opening for the return of Family Guy’s Seth MacFarlane with the Ravinia Festival Orchestra (June 22).

Ravinia is proud to welcome the following classical artists making their debuts at the festival. Ensembles: Ariel Quartet (Aug. 30), Avalon String Quartet (Aug. 31), Chiara String Quartet (Sept. 7/8), Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (Sept. 11); Conductors: Mei-Ann Chen (June 16), Cristian Măcelaru (July 12/13), Vasily Petrenko(July 20), Ben Gernon (July 26), Gustavo Gimeno (Aug. 2), Kirill Karabits (Aug. 5), George Hanson (Aug. 12), and George Daugherty (Sept. 11); Vocalists: Klea Blackhurst (Aug. 17) and Ryan VanDenBoom (Aug. 17);Sopranos: Delaram Kamareh (June 10), Ying Fang (July 23), and Danielle de Niese (Aug. 4); Mezzo-soprano:Karen Cargill (July 23); Bass-baritone: Stephen Bryant (June 10); Violinists: Shalini Vijayan (June 10) andAlejandro Loguercio (Aug. 19); Cellists: Cecilia Tsan (June 10), Christoph Richter (July 6), Adolfo Gutiérrez Arenas (Aug. 16), and the Juilliard String Quartet’s incoming member, Astrid Schween (June 27); Double bassist:Roberto Koch (Aug. 19); Pianists: Shani Diluka (June 10), Julia Hsu (July 22), George Li (July 24), Paul Lewis(Aug. 5), Christopher Park (Aug. 16), Michael Abramovich (Aug. 19), Lucas Debargue (Aug. 25), Lindsay Garritson (Aug. 30), Ran Dank (Sept. 1), Joseph Moog (Sept. 3), Dmitri Levkovich (Sept. 4), and Simon Savoy(Sept. 6); Guitarists: Reentko Dirks (Aug. 19) and Jason Vieaux (Sept. 2); Harpist: Yolanda Kondonassis (Sept. 2);Accordionist: Ksenija Sidorova (Aug. 19); Percussionists: Theresa Dimond (June 10), John Wakefield (June 10), and Itamar Doari(Aug. 19); Sound engineer: Yuanlin Chen (June 10); and Actor: Jack Gilpin (Aug. 30).

NONCLASSICAL CONCERTS

The final live national broadcast from Ravinia of A Prairie Home Companion with host Garrison Keillor is set for June 11, featuring special guests pianist Jeremy Denk, a former fellow and faculty member of Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, and Chris Thile, the new host of the internationally beloved program who has previously appeared at Ravinia variously as a member of Nickel Creek and The Punch Brothers, as well as with Yo-Yo Ma in The Goat Rodeo Sessions.

Ravinia looks forward to welcoming back Train and Andy Grammer (Aug. 26/27); Seal (Aug. 28); Bonnie Raitt(Sept. 3); Los Tigres del Norte (Sept. 5); Tony Bennett (Aug. 15); Patti LaBelle (June 23); O.A.R. (Sept. 4); Don Henley (Aug. 14/15);Indigo Girls (July 1); Steve Miller Band (July 2); Chick Corea, with his trio and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and Lisa Fischer (July 4); Phillip Phillips and Matt Nathanson (July 10); Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Sweet Honey in the Rock (July 11); Lyle Lovett & his Large Band and Emmylou Harris (July 18); and War and Los Lonely Boys (Aug. 11).

PREMIERES

Ravinia will present 50 classical and orchestral works never before performed at the festival, including 10 regional or world premieres. 

· Tan Dun’s Water Passion(June 10):Ravinia presents the Chicago premiere of Tan Dun’s Water Passion after Saint Matthew, featuring the Los Angeles Master Chorale conducted by Grant Gershon. It’s one of four Passions (based on each of the Gospels) commissioned for the 250th anniversary of Bach’s death, a set that also included Golijov’s Passion According to Saint Mark, which received its Chicago premiere to great acclaim at Ravinia in 2002. East meets West in this quasi-theatrical telling (that the LA Times called “unexpectedly alien and visceral”) of the powerful Passion narrative, building on Bach’s majestic chorale tradition with Tan’s layering of a variety of vocal styles from his own heritage, ranging from Mongolian overtone singing to what he calls the “calligraphic” writing of Peking opera. Tan also draws upon the vast instrumental wealth of the Silk Road, ingeniously using the familiar violin and cello to evoke the sounds of the East. Water has long played an important role in traditional Chinese festivals, and Tan was drawn to its symbolism of renewal and rebirth, focusing on those joyous, cyclical aspects inherent to the Passion. Soloists include soprano Delaram Kamareh, bass-baritone Stephen Bryant, violinist Shalini Vijayan, cellist Cecilia Tsan, and percussionists David Cossin,Teresa Dimond, and John Wakefield.

· Richard Wernick’s Quartet No. 9 (June 27): Hailed as the “quintessential American string quartet,” the legendary Juilliard String Quartet celebrates its 70th season with an evening of introductions, including the Chicago premiere of Richard Wernick’s String Quartet No. 9 and a performance of Schubert’s String Quintet with new-member cellist Astrid Schween, who will succeed Joel Krosnick in the fall of 2016.

· Wynton Marsalis’s first violin concerto (July 12): The 2016 CSO residency opens with the American premiere of the first violin concerto by jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, co-commissioned by Ravinia Festival for violinistNicola Benedetti, who will mark her third Ravinia appearance. “Working with Wynton Marsalis on his violin concerto has been life-changing,” said Benedetti.“I am so excited to play the piece again at Ravinia with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.” Cristian Măcelaru, winner of the 2014 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award and conductor-in-residence at the Philadelphia Orchestra, makes his Ravinia debut on the podium. He made his CSO debut in 2013 as a replacement for the then ailing Pierre Boulez and has been a frequent guest conductor since then, even leading the orchestra’s outdoor performances at the Morton Arboretum.

· The Planets: An HD Odyssey (July 13): An out-of-this-world program of space-themed music features the Midwest premiere of a new film with jaw-dropping new images from NASA’s most recent missions, set to Holst’s The Planets. Măcelaru returns to conduct. The film will be shown on high-definition video screens in the Pavilion and on the lawn.

· Stravinsky’s The Firebird / One Score, One Chicago (July 26): Ravinia presents the Chicago premiere of Stravinsky’s The Firebird in a production created by Janni Younge of Handspring Puppet Company, widely praised for its London and Broadway spectacular War Horse. Ravinia co-commissioned this new interpretation ofThe Firebird and has made the piece its 2016 One Score, One Chicago selection. Ben Gernon makes his CSO and Ravinia debuts conducting the program, which also includes Debussy’s La mer and Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes.

· James Cameron’s Titanic with live orchestra (July 29/30): The large screens return on July 29 and 30 for one of the most successful films in history, James Cameron’s towering Titanic. The international sensation tied Ben-Hur for winning the most Oscars ever (11), including awards for Best Song (“My Heart Will Go On”) and Best Original Score for composer James Horner, who died tragically last summer. Titanic remains the number-one selling orchestral soundtrack of all time. For this Midwest-premiere presentation, the music has been digitally removed from the film so the CSO, conducted by Ludwig Wicki, can perform the score live as the film is shown. A chorus and soprano, who’ll sing the Irish-tinged vocalizations throughout the film as well as the celebrated theme song made famous by Celine Dion, will join the orchestra onstage.

· David Ludwig songs (Aug. 15): Ravinia presents the world premiere of its third commission from David Ludwig for participants of Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute Program for Singers.

· Wally Gunn’s The Ascendant (Aug. 21): The Grammy Award–winning a cappella octet Roomful of Teethexplores the depth of its vocal range with the Chicago premiere of New York–based composer Wally Gunn’s The Ascendant. Named after a collection of poetry and setting the corresponding text by contemporary Australian poet Maria Zajkowski, the group of songs coupling Roomful of Teeth’s haunting vocals and percussion with Zajkowski’s word painting creates a sudden sense of free-fall for the audience.

· An Unlikely Muse (Aug. 30): Following a July world premiere at Chamber Music Northwest, the stirring music theater work An Unlikely Muse: Richard Mühlfeld, the Last Inspiration of Johannes Brahms will premiere to Chicago audiences in the Martin Theatre this August. Stirred out of retirement by the talent of 19th-century German clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld, composer Johannes Brahms created four clarinet-centric chamber works, whose genesis will be brought to life by actor Jack Gilpin, performing as Mühlfeld, pianist André Watts, clarinetist David Shifrin, and the Ariel Quartet.

FILM WITH ORCHESTRA

Building on the success of screening great films with their scores digitally removed so that orchestras can play them live, Ravinia will present five film nights in 2016, with video screens in the Pavilion and on the lawn. 

· The Planets: An HD Odyssey (July 13): Winner of the 2014 Solti Conducting Award, Cristian Măcelaru will lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a presentation of Holst’s The Planets accompanied by a new film of startling and vivid images of the solar system collected over NASA’s many space explorations. The program also features Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra—known in pop culture as the theme from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. “Discovering the mysteries of our universe continues to be one of our greatest achievements. Gustav Holst, in his Planets, brings to life perfect descriptions of these wonderful worlds and depicts their astrological characters,” says Măcelaru.

· Titanic (July 29/30): Ravinia embarks on a first-class film experience by presenting the Midwest premiere of one of the most successful movies in history, James Cameron’s Titanic, with Ludwig Wicki conducting and the CSO performing its score. The international sensation tied Ben-Hur for winning the most Oscars ever (11), including awards for Best Song (“My Heart Will Go On”) and Best Score for the late composer James Horner. Titanicremains the one of the top grossing films of all time, and its soundtrack is still the number-one selling orchestral soundtrack of all time. The Chicago Children’s Choir, directed byJosephine Lee, and vocalist Clara Sanabraswill sing the Irish-tinged vocalizations throughout the film as well as the celebrated theme song made famous by Celine Dion.

· The Wizard of Oz (Sept. 10): Ravinia presents of one of the most beloved films of all time, The Wizard of Oz, with Emil de Cou leading the Chicago Philharmonic in its unmistakable music. This marvel of the late 1930s has been stunningly remastered frame by frame and is accompanied by entirely new transcriptions of Harold Arlen’s brilliant lost score. Hearing Judy Garland’s original 1939 studio recordings, backed by lush, live orchestration, will transport children and adults alike. With this version of The Wizard of Oz on the big screen, moviegoers will be treated to the Oscar-winning film as it has never been seen before.

· Warner Bros. Presents Bugs Bunny At The Symphony II (Sept. 11): Perhaps the most fondly remembered integration of pop culture and classical music from the likes of Mendelssohn, Rossini and Wagner (whose “Ride of the Valkyries” takes on new life as “Kill the Wabbit”) projected on the big screen while their extraordinary original scores are played live by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, in its Ravinia debut. Conducted and created by George Daugherty, this collection of classic (directed by the masters Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng) and recent shorts starring the world’s most beloved Looney Tunes characters—Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, Sylvester, and more—has delighted concertgoers around the world, and spotlights such classics as “What’s Opera, Doc?”and “The Rabbit of Seville” alongside Warner Bros. theatrical shorts “Rabid Rider” and “Coyote Falls.”

ROBERT SHAW CENTENNIAL

In recognition of what would be the 100th birthday of conductor Robert Shaw (1916–99), who not only shifted but set new paradigms in choral music, Ravinia is celebrating that lasting legacy with several concerts that showcase the wide variety of works, ensembles, and other leaders that grew out of his influence.

“Too frequently musical genius is forgotten too soon, and it would be an injustice indeed if the dean of choral music went unsung,” said Kauffman. “So we honor Robert Shaw this summer with the vocal vigor he deserves in his anniversary year the same way Ravinia will honor Bernstein at his centennial in 2018 with his protégée Marin Alsop as guest curator.”

· Los Angeles Master Chorale (June 10): Founded by Shaw’s friend and classmate Roger Wagner, the Los Angeles Master Chorale already scored raves with the splashy premiere of The Gospel According to the Other Mary at Ravinia, and now returns for the Chicago premiere of Tan Dun’s dramatic Water Passion, conducted byGrant Gershon. The piece relies on many vocal styles from Mongolian overtone singing to the “calligraphic” music of Peking opera.

· Man of Many Voices—Documentary film (June 15): A new documentary about Shaw that traces the journey of a small-town California boy who planned to be a minister like his father, but instead became the greatest conductor of choral music the world has ever known, will be shown in the Martin Theatre.

· The Singers (June 15): The Singers, which emerged from the Dale Warland Singers—Warland being another revered choral colleague—return to Ravinia to perform one of the most captivating choral works of all time, Rachmaninoff’s “Vespers,” conducted by Matthew Culloton, A special dinner package will be available combining admission to the documentary (listed above) and this concert.

· Ladysmith Black Mambazo / Sweet Honey in the Rock (July 11): The South African and African-American (respectively) choral groups share the bill on a concert that evokes not only Shaw’s worldwide embrace of music but the spirit of his civil rights work in the then largely segregated city of Atlanta, where he devised multiple collaborations between the Atlanta Symphony and Spelman and Morehouse Colleges and frequently performed in black churches.

· Chanticleer (July 19): Any group whose name derives from the French words for “sing” and “clear” must owe a debt to Shaw. “He had an exquisite sense of what togetherness in music can be: that’s what Shaw was all about,” says Chanticleer director William Fred Scott. Ravinia audiences will see that togetherness in action when the group dedicates itself to an evening of songs about the moon.

· Chicago Symphony Chorus (July 23): Shaw’s passion for the voice reverberated through Ravinia’s concert halls with the arrival of James Levine, who was an assistant conductor at the Cleveland Orchestra during Shaw’s final three years there as an associate conductor, between 1964 and ’67. As Levine returns this summer, so too will that vocal prowess with the gala performance of Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony, featuring the impeccableChicago Symphony Chorus and guest soloists soprano Ying Fang and mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill. “Shaw transformed our thinking about choral music,” said Duain Wolfe, director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. “He elevated the performing standards of choruses by inspiring attention to detail.”

· Chicago Children’s Choir (July 29/30): One of the music world’s most sought-after teachers and mentors, Shaw was an admirer of children’s choirs, as demonstrated by his arrangements that have inspired generations of singers. Josephine Lee directs the Chicago Children’s Choir in tandem with the CSO’s performance of the Oscar-winning score to Titanic.

· Shaw’s Favorite Composer (Aug. 9/10): Welz Kauffman, who worked closely with Shaw at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, shares a favorite composer with the great choral director: Brahms. Kauffman programmed Shaw’s two favorite symphonic pieces, the composer’s Second and Fourth Symphonies, to be performed by the CSO under the baton of David Zinman on successive nights. Brahms’s Liebeslieder Waltzes will be performed by singers and pianists from Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute on Aug. 10.

· Master Class for Singers (Aug. 13): Two of Shaw’s fondest acolytes, soprano Sylvia McNair and mezzo-soprano Marietta Simpson, will lead a master class for RSMI fellows that is free and open to the public. The class will focus on vocal works for which Shaw was famous, many of which these spirited singers performed with him.

· Roomful of Teeth (Aug. 21): Founded in 2009, a full decade after Shaw’s death, the Grammy-winning octetRoomful of Teeth, devoted to finding adventurous new expressions of the human voice, is a group that Shaw would have loved: “I wanted this tribute to Shaw to feature a newer group that demonstrates how his influence reaches into the future,” Kauffman said. It will present the Chicago premiere of Wally Gunn’s The Ascendant on a program that includes works by Ted Hearne, Michael Harrison, and its own Pulitzer Prize–winning member, Caroline Shaw (no relation).

· A Robert Shaw Christmas (December): Shaw left a legacy of beloved Christmas recordings, so Sylvia McNair and the Chicago Children’s Choir, directed by Josephine Lee, will return in the holiday season to perform renditions of his classics as part of Ravinia’s year-round $10 BGH Classics series.

TRIBUTE CONCERTS

Several Ravinia events will celebrate the lives and art of music’s brightest lights. 

· The Gershwin Experience (June 11): Pianist Richard Glazier, whose music journey “From Broadway to Hollywood” was one of last year’s fast-selling concerts, returns with his musical storytelling style to essay the works of George Gershwin.

· Tribute to Jazz Greats (June 19): Creating the perfect Father’s Day outing, jazz giants Ramsey Lewis and John Pizzarelli salute the late, great jazz pianist and velvet-voiced singer Nat “King” Cole. On the same program, renowned pianist Monty Alexander makes his Ravinia debut with a tribute to one of the festival’s all-time favorites, Tony Bennett (who returns to Ravinia on Aug. 13). This concert also celebrates the next generation of jazz talent by welcoming the Grammy-nominated 12-year-old piano wunderkind Joey Alexander for his first performance on the Pavilion stage after making his Ravinia debut in Bennett Gordon Hall last summer.

· Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration (June 26): Singer-songwriter and guitarist of the Allman Brothers BandWarren Haynes evokes the style and sound of the late Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia with a symphonic dimension provided by the Ravinia Festival Orchestra.

· Over the Moon (July 19): Billed as “an orchestra of voices,” the Grammy-winning male chorus Chanticleerperforms an evening of classic songs and new works in praise and awe of the Moon—everything from the Sinatra standard “Fly Me to the Moon” and Henry Mancini’s timeless “Moon River” to Nico Muhly’s Pierrot Lunaire, written just for them.

· You’re the Top: Cole Porter’s 125th Birthday Celebration (Aug. 17): Pianist Kevin Cole, fresh off his heartfelt tribute to Marvin Hamlisch at Ravinia last summer, returns with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as host and pianist to honor one of the wittiest songwriters of all time. The program also features singers Klea Blackhurst,Sylvia McNair, and Ryan VanDenBoom with David Alan Miller conducting.

· A Love Letter to Stephen Sondheim(Aug. 18): The singer who gave Stephen Sondheim his biggest chart-topping hit with “Send in the Clowns,” Judy Collins devotes an entire evening to the works of her favorite composer with the Passenger String Quartet.

· Something About Oscar (Aug. 29):Singer/dancer/actor Morris Gearring celebrates his friend and mentor, Chicago jazz great Oscar Brown Jr., in this one-man show on the $10 BGH Classics series.

· Bowie—The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust (Sept. 9): Classic Albums Live, known for its pitch-perfect, note-by-note re-creations of rock’s all-time most important records, will give a faithful performance of David Bowie’s fifth studio album, which tells the story of the fictitious rock star Ziggy Stardust. The group will end the show with a sample of other Bowie hits.

COMPLETE CHAMBER “SAMPLER”

Music lovers will get the “complete” picture of key areas of several composers’ output over several evenings. 

· Haydn’s Complete Op. 76 String Quartets (July 5): The Emerson String Quartet performs the complete Haydn Op. 76 string quartets—including the “Sunrise,” “Fifths,” and “Emperor”—on one program.

· Beethoven’s Complete Piano Sonatas (Aug. 18/20/22): The festival launches a three-year exploration of Beethoven’s piano sonatas with pianist Jonathan Biss. It begins Aug. 18 with five of the sonatas, including the “Waldstein”; followed by four more on Aug. 20, including the “Tempest” and “Appassionata”; and wraps up the first year on Aug. 22 with five more, including the “Moonlight.” An internationally recognized Beethoven authority, Biss was commissioned to write a book about performing the great composer’s sonatas, Beethoven’s Shadow, and he is committed to recording all of the sonatas for the Onyx label (the first four volumes have already been released). His exceptional online Coursera course, Exploring Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas, which reached 55,000 experts and novices in its first go-around, was relaunched in January.

· Beethoven’s Complete Cello Sonatas (Aug. 16): Celebrated Spanish cellist Adolfo Gutiérrez Arenas makes his first appearance at Ravinia with Bernstein Award–winning pianist Christopher Park to present Beethoven’s complete sonatas for cello and piano.

· Bach’s Complete Sonatas and Partitas (Aug. 17): Over two separate concert performances just hours apart, at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 17, the director of the RSMI Piano and Strings program, Miriam Fried, celebrates her 70th birthday by scaling the Everest of the solo violin repertoire.

· Beethoven’s Complete String Quartets (Aug. 26–28): The Pacifica Quartet, in residence at the University of Chicago since 1999, performs all 16 of Beethoven’s string quartets in five concerts over three days: 6 p.m. on Aug. 26, 1 and 6 p.m. on Aug. 27, and 1 and 6 p.m. on Aug. 28.

· Bartók’s Complete String Quartets (Sept. 7–8): In a performance dubbed “Bartók by Heart” because they use no sheet music, the Chiara String Quartet performs the composer’s complete string quartets over two evenings.

AQUATIC SCULPTURE / WATER MUSIC

To christen Ravinia’s brand-new aquatic sculpture—Chorus, designed by WET, the artists behind the Bellagio’s dancing fountains—a water theme flows through the season. The sculpture will greet guests at the grand entrance and underpass. The sculpture will be unveiled in a free community event on May 28. Ravinia thanks Life Trustee Dolores Kohl Kaplan for supporting the creation of the Morris and Dolores Kohl Kaplan Fountain.

· Water Passion (June 10): Tan Dun’s take on “the greatest story ever told,” crafted for the 250th anniversary of Bach’s death, employs bowls filled with water to great musical and theatrical effect.

· Shani Diluka(June 10): Pianist Shani Diluka gives a recital of water-inspired works by Chopin (“Raindrop” Prelude and Barcarolle), Debussy (Jardins sous la pluie), Liszt (Les jeux d’eaux a la Villa d’Este), and Schubert (Auf dem Wasser zu singen), on the $10 BGH Classics series.

· Handel’s Water Music Suite (June 16): The Chicago Sinfonietta, conducted by Mei-Ann Chen, returns to Ravinia for a program that includes a suite from Handel’s Water Music, which has become a cultural landmark, sampled in everything from Ren & Stimpy to The Dead Poet’s Society. It was famously used as the music to Walt Disney World’s Electrical Water Pageant, making it doubly appropriate for celebrating the festival’s new aquatic sculpture, as the original water feature at Ravinia when it opened in 1904 was an electric fountain and refectory. This will be the Sinfonietta’s first Ravinia appearance since its triumphant performances of the South African works Princess Magogo and uShaka.

· Fountains of Rome(July 12): Cristian Măcelaru leads the CSO in Respighi’s Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome on a program that also includes the first violin concerto from Wynton Marsalis.

· The Planets(July 13): Bowie musically questioned if there was “Life on Mars,” and NASA scientists’ recent discovery of water on the “red planet” suggests that there just might be, so the CSO dives into Holst’s The Planets—An HD Odyssey, complete with a startling new film boasting images from the latest space discoveries.

· Fire and Water (July 26): Perhaps the definitive water-themed piece of orchestral music, Debussy’s La mer is paired with Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes on a program that features Ravinia’s co-commissioned new staging of Stravinsky’s The Firebird, created by Janni Younge. Ben Gernon conducts.

· Titanic (July 29/30): Rolling like an Irish brogue and smelling like the sea, the late James Horner’s minor chords helped make Titanic a major motion picture. The CSO plays the Oscar-winning score live while James Cameron’s epic movie is screened.

· Anything Goes (Aug. 17): Pianist Kevin Colehosts You’re the Top, Cole Porter’s 125th Birthday Celebrationincluding memorable tunes from his hit-filled musical Anything Goes, set aboard a sailing ship, performed by the CSO.

CHAMBER MUSIC AND RECITALS

Although celebrated for providing one of the finest outdoor music experiences, Ravinia also presents one of the world’s most expansive chamber music series, presenting more than 50 indoor concerts and recitals in its two halls, the exquisite 850-seat Martin Theatre and the state-of-the-art 450-seat Bennett Gordon Hall, home to the $10 BGH Classics series. Martin Theatre concerts are broadcast to the lawn; Bennett Gordon Hall concerts are not. Highlights include:

· Juilliard Introduces New Cellist (June 27): The Juilliard String Quartet introduces its newest member, cellistAstrid Schween, with a performance of Schubert’s String Quintet on a program that also features Mozart’s String Quartet in C Major, K. 465, and Richard Wernick’s String Quartet No. 9. The concert marks the final Ravinia appearance with the ensemble of cellist Joel Krosnick, who is stepping down after 42 years with the group.

· Menahem Pressler (July 12): Gramophone and American Classical Music Hall of Fame pianist Menahem Pressler, a longtime faculty member of RSMI, gives his first solo concert at Ravinia since 2003.

· Four-hands Piano (July 22): Pianists Julia Hsu and Peter Serkin perform selections from Brahms’s Hungarian Dances, Schumann’s Six Studies in Canonic Form, selections from Bizet’s Jeux d’enfants, Schubert’s Allegro in A Minor and Grand Rondo in A Major, and Mozart’s Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 358.

· Zukerman Trio (July 28): The legendary violinist Pinchas Zukerman and his ensemble perform selections from Glière’s Duos for Violin and Cello, Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor, and Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat Major.

· Danielle de Niese debut (Aug. 4): The luminous star of the Lyric Opera’s Bel Canto, Danielle de Niese makes her Ravinia debut accompanied by the director of the RSMI Program for Singers, Kevin Murphy.

· Gypsy Carmen (Aug. 19): Accordionist Ksenija Sidorova infuses a bright and wild gypsy spirit into her take on Bizet’s Carmen with pianist Michael Abramovich, percussionist Itamar Doari, guitarist Reentko Dirks, violinist Alejandro Loguercio, and bassist Roberto Koch.

· All-Russian Evening with Zuill Bailey (Aug. 23): Cellist Zuill Bailey performs Stravinsky’s Suite italienne,Prokofiev’s Cello Sonata in C Major, and Rachmaninoff’sCello Sonata in G Minor.

· Double-duty Debargue (Aug. 25): Pianist Lucas Debargue proves he’s a major talent as both a jazz and classical pianist over two concerts. He re-creates his Moscow Critics Award–winning program of Medtner’s Piano Sonata No. 1 and Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit at 6 p.m., then returns at 8 p.m. to showcase his jazz skills (separate admissions). The 24-year-old Debargue, caused a stir at the Tchaikovsky Competition when he came in fourth place, prompting a judge (who asked to go unnamed) that “Not giving Lucas Debargue at least a Bronze was an outrage and further evidence that these competitions are more political than artistic in nature.”

· Songs of Struggle and Redemption (Aug. 30): Bass-baritone Dashon Burton of Roomful of Teeth sings spirituals and songs of freedom with pianist Lindsay Garritson.

· Fantasy for Harp and Guitar (Sept. 2): In their Ravinia debuts, harpist Yolanda Kondonassis and guitaristJason Vieaux present an evening of solos and duets that demonstrate the beauty of their respective string instruments with such works as Montsalvatge’s Fantasy for Harp and Guitar, Máximo Diego Pujol’s Suite mágica, Salzedo’s Chanson dans la nuit, and Hovhaness’s Sonata for Harp and Guitar.

RAVINIA’S STEANS MUSIC INSTITUTE

The best young musicians from around the world compete for about 60 coveted fellowships each year to Ravinia’s highly immersive and highly regarded summer conservatory to work individually and in ensembles with the superb faculty.

“It’s essential that Ravinia’s relationships with the artists it shapes at RSMI do not end when they’ve finished their studies. What use is it to send these young talents out into the world to perform without giving them a place to perform?” Kauffman said. “I’ve become deliberately dedicated to featuring RSMI alumni and our talented faculty on our stages, and this year 20 of our alumni, including those in the Ariel, Avalon, and Chiara String Quartets return to us. I urge you to join in their journeys.”

In addition to these alumni performances, including the Aug. 16 concert by the Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma, which boasts two alumni (violist Nicholas Cords and violinist Colin Jacobsen), 10 current faculty members will also perform as will this year’s fellows.

· Faculty concerts: Key to the success of RSMI is that is faculty members each have successful performance careers of their own. Violinist Miriam Fried, director of the RSMI Piano and Strings program, will perform the Bach’s complete solo sonatas and partitas over two programs (5:30 and 8:30 p.m., Aug. 17); Kevin Murphy, director of RSMI’s Program for Singers accompanies the Ravinia recital debuts of Metropolitan and Lyric Opera stars Matthew Polenzani (Aug. 1) and Danielle de Niese (Aug. 4); acclaimed pianist Menahem Pressler gives his first solo recital at Ravinia in 13 years; and Fried and Pressler are joined by fellow Piano and Strings faculty members violinist Midori, violists Atar Arad and Paul Biss, and cellist Christopher Richter for a recital that includes Mozart’s Piano Trio No. 6 in G Major and Brahms’s String Quartet No. 2 in G Major (July 6).

· $10 BGH Classics: This summer’s RSMI fellows will perform a “Jazz Grandstand” with fierce young performers playing original compositions as soloists and in ensembles (June 17), three different piano and string concerts celebrating Beethoven (July 11, 18 and 29), and vocal programs marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death with songs inspired by his writings and works by his contemporaries (Aug. 8), featuring Brahms’s Liebeslieder Waltzes (Aug. 10), and presenting the world premiere of songs by David Ludwigcommissioned for RSMI (Aug. 15).

· Free Master Classes: Violinist Donald Weilerstein (June 30); violist Atar Arad (July 8); pianist Leon Fleisher(July 15); tenor Matthew Polenzani (Aug. 2); soprano Danielle de Niese (Aug. 6); singers Sylvia McNair andMarietta Simpson (Aug. 11)

· Free RSMI Concerts: The world’s top young professional piano and string players collaborate on a series of free 2 p.m. matinee concerts on July 2, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17, 22, and 23; and the RSMI vocalists present a free 2 p.m. matinee concert of intimate song repertoire on July 31.

· RSMI in Chicago: The 2016 RSMI fellows will perform on the Dame Myra Hess Concert series at the Chicago Cultural Center at 12:15 p.m. on July 13 and 20; and on the Rush Hour Concerts series at St. James Cathedral, at 5:15 p.m. July 19. All three concerts will be broadcast live on WFMT. 

MISSION STATEMENT

Ravinia is an internationally renowned, not-for-profit music festival that presents outstanding performances by the world’s greatest artists. Ravinia’s principal objectives are:

· to present performances of a full range of classical music in its open-air Pavilion and enclosed recital halls, by the world’s greatest composers and musicians, along with a variety of other kinds of light classical, jazz and popular music;

· to maintain a beautiful park that is welcoming to all and attractive to families in which the music experience is enhanced by a beautiful environment and excellent dining opportunities;

· to enable gifted young performers to study under great teachers and perform in concert settings; and

· to develop broader and more diverse audiences for classical music through education and outreach programs and by maintaining affordable ticket prices.

2016 SPONSORS

Ravinia is a not-for-profit that earns about half its annual operating revenue to achieve its mission through ticket sales. The rest comes from support of private donors, foundations and corporate sponsors. Everyone involved at Ravinia would like to thank the following major sponsors for their support:

· Lead Classical Sponsor: Allstate Insurance Company

· Featured Sponsors: BMO Harris Bank; Discover, Official Card; Exelon; Hyundai, Official Vehicle Sponsor; Midtown Athletic Club, Official Club; Terlato Wines, Official Wine Sponsor; United Airlines, Official Airline

· Season Sponsors: Beam Suntory; Ernst & Young LLP; Fortune Brands; Illinois Tool Works; Jenner & Block LLP; Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP; Kirkland & Ellis; PNC Bank; RBC Wealth Management; Steinway Piano Gallery of Northbrook, Official Piano Sponsor; Wintrust

· Program Sponsors: Baizer Kolar P.C.; Baxter International, Inc.; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois; Consilio; Deloitte LLP; Grant Thornton LLP; Greenberg Traurig, LLP; KPMG LLP; Latham and Watkins LLP; Mesirow Financial; Mayer Brown LLP; Perkins Coie; The PrivateBank; RSM US LLP; Stella Artois and Goose Island Beer Company, Official Craft and Import Beer Sponsor; Walgreens

· Individual supporters: In Memory of Keene H. Addington II; Megan P. and John L. Anderson; Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation; Harriet Bernbaum; Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; The Crossroads Consortium; In Honor of Sandra K. Crown; The Dancing Skies Foundation; The Firebird Consortium; The Deane A. and John D. Gilliam Foundation; Welz Kauffman and Jon Teeuwissen; Lori Ann Komisar and Morris Silverman; Jo and Newt Minow; Holly and John Madigan; Roslyn and James Marks; Sharon and Eden Martin;  Negaunee Foundation; The Planets Consortium; Pinkert Industrial Group; Sue and Tom Pick; Diana and Bruce Rauner; Ravinia Associates Board; Ravinia Women’s Board; The Smart Family Foundation, Inc.; In Memory of Howard A. Stotler; Audrey L. Weaver, in loving memory of Michael D. Vogan; Lynne and David Weinberg; Joan Wing and Family, in Memory of Jack Wing; Nancy Zadek

GENERAL INFORMATON

· Location: Ravinia is located at Lake Cook and Green Bay Roads in Highland Park, about 20 minutes north of Chicago. The Metra Union Pacific North line stops right at Ravinia’s main entrance. On-site parking is limited, so Ravinia runs a free, handicap-accessible bus service to and from remote lots, mostly along the railroad line. Parking on residential streets is prohibited by City ordinance, and violators will be ticketed by local police.

· Drop-offs: Personal cars, driver services (such as Uber), and taxis may not drop guests off on residential streets. The general drop-off points are the Braeside Metra Station and the main (west) gate. Local police will ticket violators.

· Secondary Market: Ticket buyers should be certain to obtain tickets through Ravinia.org. Ravinia is not affiliated with any secondary-market ticket sellers and cannot be held responsible for fraudulent tickets. Tickets for some shows will sell out to donors prior to public sales. The best way to obtain tickets to the summer’s hottest shows is to become a financial supporter of the not-for-profit festival.

· No Smoking: Smoking of any type, including “vaping” and use of electronic cigarettes, is prohibited on Ravinia’s grounds and on Highland Park streets. There are designated smoking areas in Ravinia parking lots.

· Security: Guns, explosives, and other weapons are strictly prohibited at Ravinia. Guests will be subject to bag search and a “wanding” of their person upon entrance and re-entrance both to the park and to the Pavilion. Those refusing cooperation will not be allowed to enter.

· Weather: Ravinia concerts go on rain or shine. Should a concert be canceled due to severe weather in the area, Ravinia will make every effort to contact ticket buyers. Guests can monitor local Highland Park weather through the National Weather Service (ZIP code is 60035).

· Box Office: Tickets for these events and the rest of the summer 2016 lineup may be requested by Ravinia donors at the Affiliate level and above beginning March 9, and the Friend level on March 16. Bravo- and Encore-level donors can begin requesting lawn tickets on April 18. General public ticket sales begin at 5 a.m. on April 26, at Ravinia.org. The Ravinia Box Office phone lines will open for orders on May 10 at 847-266-5100. For more information, please visit Ravinia.org.

· ALL ARTISTS AND PROGRAMS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Jackson Browne is a veteran singer/songwriter who has a very impressive resume. He is also known for always having some amazing musicians in his corral. In the musician department, last Saturday night’s show at Ravinia was up to par and then some.

First up is guitarist/vocalist Larry Campbell. Campbell has played with everyone from Levon Helm and Bob Dylan to Sheryl Crow just to name a few. A true country picker from New York, believe it or not, Larry really dug in and played some tasty country licks. He and his wife Teresa Campbell opened the show fronting Jackson’s band. Teresa is a straight up country singer. Together they had and old school hippie country vibe that really got the crowd in the mood.

The rest of the band included Bob Glaub on bass, Mauricio Lewak on drums, Jeff Young on keys and vocals, Althea Mills on backing vocals and Greg Leisz on lap and pedal steel guitar and mandolin.

The opening set was short and sweet. Campbell and Williams did a killer duet version of Samson and Delilah, an old Rev. Gary Davis song. I really wish their set was longer. Williams has one of those voices that makes you want to hear more and more.

After a brief intermission, Browne took the stage fronting the band. I can honestly say the band carried the show for the most part. Jackson looked tired and road worn. I don’t know of his performance was reflective of his 66 years or just an off night. I could feel a lack of energy from the crowd as well. The best response was for the players in the band rather than Browne himself.

I also think material choice could have been better. A casual JB fan would have only recognized three songs at the end of the night. After a still somewhat entertaining performance, “The Pretender” and “Running on Empty” concluded the set with “Take It Easy” as the encore. Jackson also went off on a tangent in the middle of the set. He was very passionate about environmental issues but, unfortunately, he lost the crowd for a while.

Overall, the band was great and was filled with some incredible musicians. I think better song choices and a little more energy from the front man would have gone a long way to better the show. I will say I walked away a fan of Campbell and Williams. Their set really knocked me out.

Santana’s Corazón Tour blew through Chicago as quickly as a summer storm. But for two all-too-brief nights, Santana lit up the Pavilion stage at Ravinia to a sold out crowd of dancing, drinking, smoking, nostalgic concert-goers.

For many in the audience, Ravinia was the perfect venue, paying homage to their first time seeing Santana play Woodstock in 1969. Baby boomers swayed and rhumbaed in any space they could find amidst the sold out crowd, unashamed to don twinkling cowboy hats, smoke a joint, and down a glass of cheap merlot. They sang every lyric, grabbed any passerby to salsa with, and threw peace signs to the friendly Ravinia security guards. On the other end of the audience spectrum were young millennials who were introduced to Santana during his resurgence to popularity in the late 1990s, most likely with Santana’s 1999 album Supernatural that included such #TBT favorites as Smooth: https://youtu.be/6Whgn_iE5uc and one of my personal favorite songs, Maria Maria: https://youtu.be/nPLV7lGbmT4. There was not a single person seated in the Pavilion or on the lawn when Maria Maria played. People of every age, race, and gender danced together to the sounds of the guitar, played by the living legend, Carlos Santana.

In the unlikely event you have lived under a rock for the past few decades, Santana first became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana. The Mexican-American musician pioneered the unique blend of rock and Latin American music that continues to rocks heads, and hips, to this day. He has won 3 Latin Grammy Awards and 10 Grammy Awards, eight alone at the 42nd annual Grammys in 2000. In 2003 Rolling Stone magazine listed Santana as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time, keeping company with other greats such as Keith Richards, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix. Santana’s latest album, Corazón, proves that he can still throw down with the best of them in the biz and was born to play the guitar. Ravinia audiences were also treated to a special family event when Santana’s son, Salvador Santana, took the stage to play a brief set, proving that talent and dedication to craft runs in the family.

Ravinia and Santana to together like salt and margaritas. The cool summer night perfectly complimented the cool blend of guitar, timbales and congas. The next time Santana blows through Chicago don’t miss your chance to see him live, and be sure to give the man your heart, make it real or else forget about it.

An amazing feeling comes over you when going to see a live band outside during the summer. It’s such a treat to be able to attend a show in beautiful landscapes of Ravinia in Highland Park, Illinois. When ZZ Top is in town you know it’s going to be a party.  

On such a beautiful Thursday evening several thousand fans gathered into Ravinia to see that little band from Texas that wallops a big ol' punch. ZZ Top is going to take the stage tonight and you better watch out. The guitar riffs are amazing.

Opening out the night was Blackberry Smoke. Great musicians! Vocally they were just an amazing band. They tore into it with a nice country twang to them that really set your hair on fire.  The influence of Southern rock on this band can be heard. They have an Allman Brother’s feel to them within their big jam band style. Some real great playing was displayed. Great pickers!

The time had come for the main act to come out. The temperature was perfect, the mood was serene, and the crowd was ready. “Got Me Under Pressure” and “Gimme All Your Loving,” were just like the record and tremendous crowd pleasers as well. They brought out the choreographed dance moves and charmed the hell out of a sold out audience. They come complete with matching guitars, beards, hats, and matching attitudes. Bad ass!!

This band seems like it’s been going on forever. Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard got ZZ Top going strong and soon had a great following in no time. They had a good career in the 70’s with a few strong hits. Once the 80’s came they added synthesizers and became unstoppable. Each one of these guys was right on the money all night long.  

At Ravinia they displayed their MTV hits, old hits, and never stopped laying down a groove. The crowd was very well organized. Large displays of food, tables, chairs, bottles of wine were everywhere to be seen. Can’t think of a better way to enjoy ZZ Top live than in the plush lawn of Ravinia. It was a perfect setting for songs like, “Jesus just left Chicago”, “Sharp Dressed Man”, “Tush,” and “LaGrange”.

When ZZ Top is in town you know it’s going to be a party.  ZZ Top just played Ravinia and it was amazing. They played a great set that made everyone want more, but what did they leave out?  Nothing.

Chances are everybody knows a Chicago song whether they are aware of it or not. It’s nearly impossible to not had at least one of their melodies buzzing through your head at one time or another. When seeing them perform live it is almost amazing to hear how many hits they have manufactured during their heyday from the 1970s through the mid-1980s. After all, the band has received multiple music awards including a Grammy, they have been elected as Founding Artists to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a star in their honor sits on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and they even have a street in Chicago named after them. Let’s also not forget that their record sales have topped the 100,00,000 mark. Not too shabby. Fortified with a vibrant horn trio, catchy choruses, spot on vocal harmonies and precise musicianship, Chicago is still putting on a highly entertaining shows decades after they released their first album in 1969, Chicago Transit Authority.

Returning once again to the city of the band’s origin, Chicago took the stage at Ravinia Saturday night for one of two nearly sold out performances. With a similar look to the past twenty or so years as far as band members go, Chicago ripped into one classic after another. Co-founders, Robert Lamm (keyboard/vocals), Lee Loughnane (trumpet/vocals) and James Pankow (trombone/vocals) led the march along with Jason Scheff who had joined the band in 1985 as Peter Cetera’s replacement.

The two-hour-plus set consisted of twenty-six songs and was split into two sets - a fifteen minute intermission in the middle. The first set was power-packed and included the hits “If You Leave Me Now”, Will You Still Love Me?”, “Look Away” and “Another Rainy Day in New York City”. As enjoyable as the first set was, the second was even better as one hit was churned out after another such as “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?”, “Hard Habit to Break”, “You’re the Inspiration”, and “Hard to Say I’m Sorry/Get Away” to which to crowd got up from their seats at its energetic end and stood for the remainder of the show.  

Ending on a high note, Chicago finished off the set with “Saturday in the Park” just before the upbeat, feel-good “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day”.    

James Pankow practically put on a show by himself. Continuously strutting, dancing and interacting nonstop with the crowd, the spirited trombone player was key in keeping the energy level high. Pankow successfully proved that trombone players can be as cool – or at least animatedly squirmy - as any other musician. No doubt, the man was fun to watch. Chicago also put on one hell of a drum solo where Tris Imboden and percussionist Walfredo Reyes Jr. fiercely battled each other much to the delight of the audience. And for those wondering, yes, Robert Lamm’s voice was as rich as ever. In all, the components were fully in place for a well-round, and very fun, musical experience.

The band left the crowd with a one-two punch encore of “Free” followed by what is probably their most famous song of all, “25 or 6 to 4”. It would be very difficult to imagine a single person leaving disappointed after such a remarkable performance. As someone who had seen Chicago in 1982, the show was a great blast of the past, while to newer fans or first timers a glimpse into a great era of music that they may have never experienced first-hand.   

A Ravinia favorite for some time, one can only hope for Chicago’s 2016 return.

It was a warm, balmy night with no rain for Harry Connick Jr's sold out summer concert at the beautiful and romantic Ravinia Music Festival this year.

Connick played a dynamic two hour set which included all of the favorites you'd expect like songs from his "When Harry Met Sally" soundtrack. Among the many numbers in his very well-rounded set, he played "It Had to be You",  "Where or When" and "The Way You looked Tonight" along with several New Orleans' Jazz treats and three new songs from his upcoming album. 

Of the three new songs from his much anticipated October release which included “Trying To Matter”, and “I Like It When You Smile”, I enjoyed the adorable ode to his wife of thirty years, Jill Goodacre, “No One Does I Do Like We Do" the most. But his super sexy delivery on “I Like It When You Smile" will be a great hit single as well.

Looking at the handsome, fit 47-year-old Harry Connick Jr., it seems like just yesterday when I first met him and heard him play the piano 27 years ago!

I was living in New York City with my boyfriend, actor Steve Larson, who was a regular on "Third Rock from the Sun". Steve had a job bar tending at The Village Gate, the most revered Jazz Club in New York's Greenwich Village. Throughout its 38 years, the Village Gate featured such musicians as John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Dexter Gordon, Art Blakey, Woody Shaw, Miles Davis, Vasant Rai, Nina Simone, Herbie Mann, and Aretha Franklin, who made her first New York appearance there.

Every night while Steve was working I would sit at a small table with a five dollar bill on it drinking a glass of coke he kept refilling so that I looked like a patron. I’d watch musician after musician for free. It was a wonderful music education for me, and a full six years before I started my own band in Chicago. One night at the "Open Mic" when the usual crowd of older Jazz musicians would straggle in trying to sign in to get a slot to play, a young man dressed in a baby blue polyester tuxedo from head to toe walked in to play the piano. This was a bold move as kitschy, second hand clothing was not yet the rage back in 1987. Harry was still quite chubby with baby fat and had a few spots on his face. But when he played I remember thinking this kid must be some kind of prodigy - and I was right. His talent was jaw-dropping. 

The very young Harry Connick Jr. soon became a regular performer. I would always have a few singles on hand to tip Harry with when he played the open mic nights, and we talked briefly on occasion. I asked and found out he was Jewish on his mother's side and had been studying music seriously since he was five- years-old. Harry once said I "had a brilliant smile” and that he really appreciated seeing me there on open mic nights because he said I seemed to "listen to every note with my whole body". Years later when I saw his successful national debut and that he was marrying a super model, I almost didn't recognize him, so complete was his physical transformation into the  thin, handsome, and debonair performer we know him as now. I must have heard hundreds of musicians at The Village Gate during the four years I lived at The Ansonia on Broadway and 73rd from 1987-1991, but Harry Connick Jr. and the amazing guitarist who was also an unknown - Chris Whitley (now deceased) and David Bowie are the only ones I actually got to know and remember. 

At the riveting Ravinia concert, Connick Jr. also played the horn in a wonderful, "dueling banjos" type standoff with his crew of some of the best trumpet players alive today which was very impressive. I was unaware that he was a multi-instrumentalist. 

After three decades and millions of records sold and numerous Grammy awards Harry Connick Jr. is still going strong with his quality blend of old and new Jazz and Pop. Connick will also be returning to judge on "American Idol' and hopefully we will see him return to acting as well, because I really enjoyed his work in Hope Floats with Sandra Bullock and his run on the hit series, Will and Grace. 

"Everything I do is part of my passion," he said, explaining his diverse talents. "I do the things I like to do. It's sort of a bigger version of having more than one hobby. I love to play piano, sing, and act. I love to do all those things."

Although a muggy night, the crowd arrived in force at Ravinia.  Chicago natives, the Plain White T’s made their Ravinia debut this past Saturday night.  A pop-punk band since 1997, it’s surprising that these gentlemen have only now just graced this stage.  It was evident that their signature tracks, in their pop-punk style are the back beat in the lives of so many. “1234” and “Hey There Delilah” raved in echoed singing voices, and dancing couples waved across the grass and over the hills of Ravinia.  Know that their most recent album, released earlier this year “American Nights” is another great summer album to rock with your windows rolled down. Their new single “Rhythm of Love” got the crowd up on their feet.  Tunes like “Stay” and “Heavy Rotations” are high energy with new beats, great heat, and are easy to sing along to.  For the love of the music, and for the heart, take a look at this soon to be your favorite new album.

Another album release coming out this year in August, introduces us to a new side of Rob Thomas, the headlining act for the evening.  Known for being a part of Matchbox 20, and for his hit song with Santana “Smooth”, this pop prince is roaming his way toward country.  The crowd was on their feet for most of the heated show (as Rob, changed his shirt half way through). Old and new tracks, “Lonely No More,” “Boom Shake” and even a remix of “Let’s Dance” brought cheers for Rob and his band, and sing-alongs from the crowd.  The first single “Trust You” from his new album “The Great Unkown” was an introduction to all the great things to come.  You only get “One Shot” to make a night at Ravinia, Rob heated up the stage and set fire to the release of his upcoming album.

Check out upcoming Ravinia shows at www.Ravinia.org.

At the young age of 73, Aretha Franklin is still the "Queen of Soul."

I am not sure what I was expecting. Aretha Franklin's show over the weekend was the first time I visited the Ravinia Festival. The venue was like a mini-Disney World with a few ice cream stands and dining options to satisfy any picky eater. The beautifully manicured lawns were impressive to the eye as were the multitude of high end high-end picnic set ups created by many of the fans. Ravinia is definitely a cozy spot for family, friends, and dates with the festival lawn area being BYOB for adult beverages to go with the food brought if decided to do so. 

The concert started on time with Franklin’s large conductor-led orchestra consisting of saxophonists, trumpet players, trombonists, and many more instruments, every ready to compliment her amazing vocals. You could quickly see the love and respect the band members had for Aretha. Grandly entering the stage in a beautiful silver gown she not disappoint! The legendary Aretha Franklin flawlessly performed her well-known songs such as “Chains of Fools”, “Natural Woman”, and many more classics before closing her full and thoroughly entertaining set with “Respect”. 

Between songs Aretha effortlessly engaged the crowd, the veteran performer that she is. She talked about her love for Chicago and of some of her favorite haunts which included Josephine's Gumbo from Captain Hard Times in the South Side, also mentioning that she heard Portillo's was a pretty good place for a Chicago dog. 

Ms. Franklin took us to church with her music when she sang about being cured of cancer in 2013. It was a really powerful moment in the concert and she gave a special thanks to Reverend Jesse Jackson and her niece who were both in the audience. She was humble and her voice unblemished. 

Check out the many shows coming up in Ravinia at https://www.ravinia.org/Calendar. Since Aretha has a special connection with Chicago, I anticipate that she will make a stop around our great city next time around. It's a show for people of all ages and those who like to dance. She is simply timeless. 

It’s always nice to watch a legend perform, especially when that legend is considered a revolutionary force in the music industry as we now know it. This was the case last evening when Brian Wilson, co-founder of the surf rock band, The Beach Boys, took the stage at Ravinia. Complimented by original Beach Boys’ member Al Jardine and a large band that included more recent writing partner Scott Bennett on keyboards and even Blondie Chaplin on a handful of songs, Wilson’s sound was full and the peachy keen harmonies ever so familiar done to perfection.  

Planted behind a large white grand piano, Wilson and friends immediately kicked it into high gear with “Heroes and Villains”. Though Wilson has long since abandoned the high voice synonymous with The Beach Boys sound, he was still able to carry a tune and did get a lot of help from band members when it came to harmonies and surrendered a handful of leads throughout the evening.

One brilliant piece of music history was performed after another. “California Girls”, “Little Deuce Coupe”, “I Get Around”, “In My Room” – so simplistic, yet so genius. In all, over thirty songs were played, mostly Beach Boys’ songs but also a couple Wilson had comprised for his own solo career, including “One Kind of Love”. Wilson also admirably handled leads on a few songs done by former Beach Boys Carl Wilson and Mike Love. 

Interestingly enough, just before playing “Surf’s Up”, a classic ballad about guess what – surfing, Wilson stated to the crowd that the song was his least favorite to play live, leaving us fans thinking, “Well, why are you playing the song then? You have a million to choose from.” Kind of a weird moment, but what would a Brian Wilson show be without one. Nonetheless, each song was played inspired and with vigor and that’s all you can really ask for when someone has been performing the same songs for nearly fifty years.

The set continued with greats like “Darlin’” (dedicated to the late Carl Wilson), “Sloop John B”, “Don’t Worry Baby” and a beautiful version of “God Only Knows”. “Since you loved that song so much, we’re going to give you some “Good Vibrations”, Wilson declared as they went into the song.  

After a brief departure from the stage, the band returned to knock out five hits without pause – “All Summer Long”, Help Me, Rhonda”, “Barbara Ann”, Surfin’ U.S.A.” and “Fun, Fun, Fun”. The energy on stage was at its highest during the multitude of encore numbers, as Wilson raised his hands to simulate surfing and band members ran back and forth from one end to the other. It was certainly a high note to end the show with when Wilson opted to rather end the night with the much lower-keyed “Love and Mercy” in promotion of the latest film on Brian Wilson – Love and Mercy.         

All in all, Brian Wilson and band played an enthusiastic set, each song as polished and youthful as ever. What is better than sitting back on a balmy summer night and listening to Beach Boys classics sung by Brian Wilson himself?

Even the opening act was inspiring as the night began with Rodriguez, the musician featured in the documentary Searching for Sugar Man. Rodriguez is an amazing musician who became huge in other parts of the country, particularly South Africa, and never even knew he had achieved any fame at all. In fact, most presumed he was dead. Rodriguez, aided by just his trusty guitar, warmed the crowd nicely, tapping into “Sugar Man”, “I Just Want to Make Love to You” and a peppy cover of “Fever”. With little words Rodriguez preached against violence towards women and reminded us that hate is too much of a powerful emotion to be wasted on those we do not like.

For upcoming events at Ravinia, visit www.Ravinia.org.