2016/17 Season Catalog

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti zell music director Symphony Center Presents

2016/17 season

Welcome In troubled times, culture and beauty are vital to our lives because Art has the immense power to regenerate the soul. We find solace in the fact that the universe is based on a harmony of movements and a harmony of sounds. Through the act of singing and playing together we find a “concord” of purpose, inspiration and feeling. If all this were to be swept away, we would lose our history and our humanity. This is why the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and I invite you to participate in this musical dialogue. In this spirit of healing discourse, I hope you will strengthen your relationship with the CSO by engaging deeply and often in the rich cultural offerings of the Orchestra’s 2016/17 season.

Riccardo Muti

season highlights 4 7 8 11

Muti Conducts the Complete Brahms Symphonies Beethoven Piano Concerto Cycle at Symphony Center Vocal & Choral Masterpieces Celebrating Sergei Prokofiev

table of contents 12

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Series

24 Symphony Ball

34 CSO at the Movies 35 CSO Family Matinees/Once Upon a Symphony®

34 Symphony Center Presents Jazz Series 36 Symphony Center Presents Series 36 Chamber Music

38 Piano

40 Orchestras

41 MusicNOW 42 Holiday Concerts 43 Special Concerts 47 CSO Media and Sponsors 24 How to Renew Guide center insert 24 Season Grid and Chronological Calendar center fold-out cso.org 312-294-3000 3

“This Brahms was one of Muti’s finest achievements…All of the Italian conductor’s considerable musical strengths were manifest—the seamless string ensemble, tonal elegance, expressive detailing, freedom of instrumental solos and unbridled brilliance—coming together in a magisterial performance of fire and nobility.”—Chicago Classical Review

Muti Conducts the Complete Brahms Symphonies Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra illuminate the orchestral scores of Johannes Brahms with performances of his four symphonies in May 2017. The CSO, with deep roots in the German musical tradition, will shine in these timeless works guided by Muti’s impeccable balance of classical precision and romantic expression. Don’t miss what are sure to be memorable interpretations of four pillars of the symphonic repertoire.

May 4–9 Brahms’ Symphonies 1 & 2

May 11–13 Brahms’ Symphonies 3 & 4

2016/17 programs led by Riccardo Muti will feature: September 22–27 Strauss’ Don Juan & Bruckner 7 September 29–October 1 Beethoven 7 & Martucci’s La canzone dei ricordi with Joyce DiDonato October 13 Community Concert at Apostolic Church of God

the randy and melvin berlin family fund for the canon provides support for artistic excellence in the programming of core classical orchestral repertoire, recognizing and demonstrating the impact of great masters on the legacy of the chicago symphony orchestra.

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October 14 & 18 Mussorgsky’s Pictures from an Exhibition October 15 Symphony Ball Beethoven 5 & Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with Daniil Trifonov

chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

February 16–18 Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with Yefim Bronfman February 23–25 Prokofiev’s Ivan the Terrible March 16–21 Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Mitsuko Uchida April 27–29 Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with Radu Lupu June 22–25 Muti Conducts Italian Opera Masterworks including works by Verdi, Puccini & Boito

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Five piano virtuosos—Radu Lupu, Yefim Bronfman, Mitsuko Uchida, Richard Goode and Emanuel Ax— bring their celebrated artistry to the dramatic piano concertos of Ludwig van Beethoven. This survey features the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Riccardo Muti (Concerto Nos. 3–5) and David Afkham (Concerto No. 1), along with guest ensemble Budapest Festival Orchestra under the baton of Iván Fischer (Concerto No. 2). From the glittering classicism of the early concertos to the rich complexity of the well-known Emperor, each of these works is a tour de force.

Beethoven Piano Concerto Cycle at Symphony Center Piano Concerto No. 1

Chicago Symphony Orchestra David Afkham conductor Emanuel Ax piano oct 20–22

Piano Concerto No. 2

Budapest Festival Orchestra Iván Fischer conductor Richard Goode piano feb 8

Piano Concerto No. 3

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Mitsuko Uchida piano

“Ax’s Beethoven combines power and attack with exquisite delicacy and pinpoint articulation.”—limelight magazine

“Goode is one of the great pianists of our time and he might well be without equal when it comes to the music of Beethoven.”—denver post

“Mitsuko Uchida casts spells with Beethoven.”—the independent

mar 16–21

Piano Concerto No. 4

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Yefim Bronfman piano feb 16–18

Piano Concerto No. 5

photos above, top row: emanuel ax, richard goode bottom row: yefim bronfman, radu lupu

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Radu Lupu piano

facing page: mitsuko uchida with the cso

apr 27–29

“Bronfman is made for Beethoven, given the strong lyricism, intelligence and technique in this pianist’s arsenal.”—the new criterion

“Lupu played the Beethoven Concerto as if he were displaying a set of rare jewels, each appearing when he pressed individual keys.”—chicago sun-times

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“The performance Muti drew from his Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Chorus combined dedicated musicality and deep religious feeling to produce one of the great musical events of the season.”—Chicago Tribune

Vocal & Choral Masterpieces Witness the captivating combination of voice and orchestra in performances featuring the Chicago Symphony Chorus and acclaimed soloists. The 2016/17 season brings a wealth of vocal and choral works, including Requiem settings by Johannes Brahms and Gabriel Fauré. Renowned mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato makes her CSO debut under the baton of Riccardo Muti, who also leads the Orchestra and Chorus in a season finale of opera masterworks.

September 29–October 1 Muti Conducts Martucci’s La canzone dei ricordi Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano

November 10–12 Van Zweden Conducts Brahms’ A German Requiem

Christiane Karg soprano | Michael Nagy baritone Chicago Symphony Chorus | Duain Wolfe chorus director

December 1–3 Kraemer Conducts Handel’s Fireworks featuring Zadok the Priest, Silete venti and Laudate pueri Dominum Amanda Forsythe soprano Chicago Symphony Chorus | Duain Wolfe chorus director

February 23–25 Muti Conducts Prokofiev’s Ivan the Terrible

Gérard Depardieu narrator Sasha Cooke mezzo-soprano | Mikhail Petrenko bass Chicago Symphony Chorus | Duain Wolfe chorus director Chicago Children’s Choir | Josephine Lee artistic director

March 30–April 1 Haitink Conducts Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano Stephen Gould tenor

April 13–15 Dutoit Conducts the Fauré Requiem

Chen Reiss soprano Matthias Goerne baritone Chicago Symphony Chorus | Duain Wolfe chorus director

photos first row: joyce didonato, christiane karg, michael nagy second row: amanda forsythe, gÉrard depardieu, sasha cooke third row: mikhail petrenko, sarah connolly, stephen gould fourth row: chen reiss, matthias goerne, riccardo zanellato facing page: chicago symphony chorus

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June 22–25 Muti Conducts Italian Opera Masterworks including works by Verdi, Puccini and Boito

Riccardo Zanellato bass Chicago Symphony Chorus | Duain Wolfe chorus director Chicago Children’s Choir | Josephine Lee artistic director

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

Celebrating Sergei Prokofiev The CSO honors the 125th anniversary of Sergei Prokofiev’s birth with a variety of the great Russian composer’s masterpieces. Among the works featured this season are two of his most popular concertos: the Piano Concerto No. 2, performed by Denis Kozhukhin, and the Violin Concerto No. 1, performed by Vadim Gluzman. The crown jewel of this homage is a presentation of Prokofiev’s gripping score from Sergei Eisenstein’s film Ivan the Terrible, conducted by Riccardo Muti and narrated by internationally-acclaimed actor Gérard Depardieu. Celebrate the legacy of Sergei Prokofiev, one of the towering voices of 20th-century music.

October 6–8 Selections from Cinderella

James Gaffigan conductor

November 17–22 Piano Concerto No. 2

Emmanuel Krivine conductor Denis Kozhukhin piano

December 8–10 Violin Concerto No. 1 Neeme Järvi conductor Vadim Gluzman violin

December 15–18 Suite from Romeo and Juliet

Michael Tilson Thomas conductor

February 23–25 Ivan the Terrible Riccardo Muti conductor A film screening of Ivan the Terrible will be presented during the week of these concerts. Stay tuned for details.

April 6–11 Symphony No. 5

Charles Dutoit conductor

photo above: sergei prokofiev facing page: riccardo muti conducts the chicago symphony orchestra and chorus

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Choose Your Concert Series thursday

A 10 concerts at 8:00

CSO Main series debuts are indicated

| 5-concert series: Thu F or Thu G

SEP 22 OCT 27 NOV 17 DEC 1 MAR 9 APR 6 APR 27 MAY 18 JUN 1 JUN 22 series highlight

September 22 F Muti Conducts Strauss & Bruckner

Riccardo Muti conductor mussorgsky A Night on Bald Mountain r. strauss Don Juan bruckner Symphony No. 7

Riccardo Muti opens the season with Mussorgsky’s tone poem A Night on Bald Mountain, followed by Strauss’ orchestral showpiece Don Juan. Bruckner’s magnificent Seventh Symphony completes the concert.

October 27 G Sibelius’ Violin Concerto & Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra

Andrés Orozco-Estrada conductor cso debut Baiba Skride violin cso debut kodÁly Dances of Galánta sibelius Violin Concerto ives The Unanswered Question r. strauss Also sprach Zarathustra

November 17 F Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8

Emmanuel Krivine conductor cso debut Denis Kozhukhin piano liszt Les préludes prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 dvořák Symphony No. 8

December 1 G Handel’s Royal Fireworks

Nicholas Kraemer conductor Amanda Forsythe soprano Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director handel Zadok the Priest handel Concerto grosso, Op. 6, No. 7 handel Laudate pueri Dominum handel Silete venti handel Music for the Royal Fireworks

March 9 F Salonen & Yo-Yo Ma

Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Yo-Yo Ma cello john adams Slonimsky’s Earbox salonen Cello Concerto cso co-commission, world premiere stravinsky Petrushka

series highlight

April 6 G Dutoit Conducts Prokofiev

Charles Dutoit conductor Truls Mørk cello glinka Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila dvoŘÁk Cello Concerto prokofiev Symphony No. 5 Norwegian cellist Truls Mørk, who “enthralls the audience from the first to last note” (The Strad), performs Dvořák’s Cello Concerto under the baton of Charles Dutoit. Dutoit also leads the CSO in Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony, which the composer called “a symphony of the greatness of the human spirit, a song of praise of free and happy mankind.”

April 27 F Muti, Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto & Lupu

Riccardo Muti conductor Radu Lupu piano Women of the Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) liszt Dante Symphony

series highlight

May 18 G Smetana’s Má vlast

Jakub Hrůša conductor cso debut smetana Má vlast The Moldau, Smetana’s much-loved portrayal of Bohemia’s mighty river, is one of six tone poems in the composer’s musical portrait of his homeland.

Rarely performed in its entirety, Má vlast (My Fatherland) is an extraordinary cycle that traces the history of the Czech people and evokes the rich natural beauties of the countryside.

June 1 F Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier Suite

Juraj Valčuha conductor cso debut Christian Tetzlaff violin haydn Symphony No. 85 (The Queen) szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1 j. strauss, jr. Emperor Waltz r. strauss Suite from Der Rosenkavalier

series highlight

June 22 G Muti Conducts Italian Opera Masterworks

See description on facing page.

photos left to right: andrÉs orozco-estrada, baiba skride, charles dutoit, radu lupu

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

series highlight

Muti Conducts Italian Opera Masterworks A grand season finale of choral and orchestral treasures by Verdi, Puccini & Boito Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Riccardo Zanellato bass Chicago Symphony Chorus | Duain Wolfe chorus director Chicago Children’s Choir | Josephine Lee artistic director

verdi Overture to Nabucco verdi Gli arredi festivi from Nabucco verdi Va, pensiero from Nabucco verdi Anvil Chorus from Il trovatore verdi Patria oppressa from Macbeth verdi Overture to I vespri siciliani puccini Intermezzo to Act 3 from Manon Lescaut mascagni Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana boito Prologue to Mefistofele Performed June 22–25 Series: Thursday A, Thursday G, Friday B, Saturday B, Saturday H, Sunday A

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thursday

B 10 concerts at 8:00

| 5-concert series: Thu H or Thu I

SEP 29 OCT 20 NOV 10 DEC 8 FEB 16 MAR 2 MAR 30 APR 20 MAY 4 JUN 8 series highlight

September 29 H Muti, Martucci & DiDonato

Riccardo Muti conductor Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano cso debut catalani Contemplazione martucci La canzone dei ricordi beethoven Symphony No. 7 Joyce DiDonato, “one of the finest singers of our time” (Gramophone), makes her much-anticipated CSO debut under the baton of Riccardo Muti in Martucci’s La canzone dei ricordi (Song of Remembrance).

October 20 I Shostakovich, Beethoven & Ax

David Afkham conductor Emanuel Ax piano beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 shostakovich Symphony No. 10

series highlight

November 10 I Brahms’ A German Requiem

Jaap van Zweden conductor Christiane Karg soprano cso debut Michael Nagy baritone cso debut Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director mozart Masonic Funeral Music wagner Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde brahms A German Requiem

December 8 H Neeme Järvi Returns with Sibelius & Prokofiev

Neeme Järvi conductor Vadim Gluzman violin glazunov Concert Waltz No. 1 prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1 sibelius Suite from Karelia sibelius Symphony No. 5

February 16 H Muti, Beethoven & Bronfman

Riccardo Muti conductor Yefim Bronfman piano rossini Overture to Semiramide beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 mendelssohn Symphony No. 5 (Reformation)

series highlight

March 2 I Salonen, John Adams & The Rite of Spring

Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Leila Josefowicz violin debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun john adams Scheherazade.2 stravinsky The Rite of Spring

Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the CSO in Stravinsky’s pioneering masterpiece The Rite of Spring in a program that also celebrates John Adams’ 70th birthday with Scheherazade.2, performed by Leila Josefowicz.

Of Brahms’ A German Requiem, Clara Schumann wrote, “It is a truly tremendous piece of art which moves the entire being in a way little else does.”

Jaap van Zweden returns to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in this emotional work. Mozart’s Masonic Funeral Music and Wagner’s groundbreaking Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde open the program.

photos left to right: riccardo muti, david afkham, christiane karg, robert chen

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

March 30 H Haitink Conducts Mahler

Bernard Haitink conductor Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano cso debut Stephen Gould tenor haydn Symphony No. 60 (Il distratto) mahler Das Lied von der Erde

April 20 I Dohnányi Conducts Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony

Christoph von Dohnányi conductor Robert Chen violin pÄrt Fratres bartÓk Violin Concerto No. 1 beethoven Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral)

May 4 I Muti Conducts Brahms’ Symphonies 1 & 2 Riccardo Muti conductor brahms Symphony No. 1 brahms Symphony No. 2

June 8 H Mozart Masterpieces

Manfred Honeck conductor Paul Lewis piano Regula Mühlemann soprano cso debut mozart Overture to La clemenza di Tito mozart Exsultate, jubilate mozart Piano Concerto No. 27 mozart Laudamus te from Mass in C Minor mozart Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio mozart Symphony No. 35 (Haffner)

thursday

C 10 concerts at 8:00

| 5-concert series: Thu D or Thu E

OCT 6 NOV 3 DEC 15 FEB 9 FEB 23 MAR 16 APR 13 MAY 11 MAY 25 JUN 15 October 6 D Prokofiev’s Cinderella & Vine’s Five Hallucinations

James Gaffigan conductor Michael Mulcahy trombone franck Le chasseur maudit vine Five Hallucinations for Trombone and Orchestra

cso co-commission, world premiere

prokofiev Selections from Cinderella

series highlight

November 3 E James Levine Returns with Symphonie fantastique James Levine conductor schoenberg Five Pieces for Orchestra stravinsky The Song of the Nightingale berlioz Symphonie fantastique James Levine makes his long-awaited return to the CSO podium with three masterpieces of orchestral color. Schoenberg described his Five Pieces for Orchestra as a “ceaseless flow of colors, rhythm and mood.” Levine closes the program with Berlioz’s epic Symphonie fantastique.

December 15 D Tilson Thomas Conducts Romeo and Juliet Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Gautier CapuÇon cello stravinsky Scènes de ballet saint-saËns Cello Concerto No. 1 prokofiev Suite from Romeo and Juliet

February 9 E Vivaldi, Corelli & Vivica Genaux

Fabio Biondi conductor and violin cso debut Vivica Genaux mezzo-soprano Arias by giacomelli, vivaldi, veracini and ariosti corelli Concerto grosso, Op. 6, No. 4 vivaldi Violin Concerto in D Major, RV 222 vivaldi Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 271 (L’amoroso) vivaldi Violin Concerto in A Minor, RV 357 (La stravaganza) corelli Concerto grosso in F Major, Op. 6, No. 12

February 23 D Muti Conducts Prokofiev’s Ivan the Terrible Riccardo Muti conductor Gérard Depardieu narrator Sasha Cooke mezzo-soprano Mikhail Petrenko bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Chicago Children’s Choir Josephine Lee artistic director prokofiev Ivan the Terrible

March 16 D Muti, Beethoven & Uchida

Riccardo Muti conductor Mitsuko Uchida piano rossini Overture to La scala di seta beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 samuel adams New Work

cso commission, world premiere schumann Symphony No. 4

April 13 E Dutoit Conducts the Fauré Requiem

Charles Dutoit conductor Chen Reiss soprano cso debut Matthias Goerne baritone Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director wagner Good Friday Music from Parsifal honegger Symphony No. 3 (Liturgique) faurÉ Requiem

May 11 E Muti Conducts Brahms’ Symphonies 3 & 4

Riccardo Muti conductor brahms Symphony No. 3 brahms Symphony No. 4

May 25 D Gershwin & Dvořák

JesÚs López-Cobos conductor turina Danzas fantásticas gershwin Piano Concerto in F dvoŘÁk Symphony No. 6

June 15 E Mälkki, Marsalis & John Williams

Susanna Mälkki conductor Branford Marsalis saxophones bizet Symphony in C faurÉ Pavane for Soprano Saxophone williams Escapades for Alto Saxophone from Catch Me If You Can melinda wagner Proceed, Moon cso commission, world premiere debussy Ibéria

photos left to right: james levine, michael mulcahy, vivica genaux, jesÚs lÓpez-cobos

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friday

A 8 concerts at 1:30

SEP 30 OCT 21 NOV 18 DEC 16 MAR 10 APR 14 MAY 12 JUN 9 series highlight

series highlight

Riccardo Muti conductor Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano cso debut catalani Contemplazione martucci La canzone dei ricordi beethoven Symphony No. 7

Charles Dutoit conductor Chen Reiss soprano cso debut Matthias Goerne baritone Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director wagner Good Friday Music from Parsifal honegger Symphony No. 3 (Liturgique) faurÉ Requiem

September 30 Muti, Martucci & DiDonato

Joyce DiDonato, “one of the finest singers of our time” (Gramophone), makes her much-anticipated CSO debut under the baton of Riccardo Muti in Martucci’s La canzone dei ricordi (Song of Remembrance). Beethoven’s celebratory Seventh Symphony is a whirlwind of kinetic energy.

October 21 Shostakovich, Beethoven & Ax

David Afkham conductor Emanuel Ax piano beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 shostakovich Symphony No. 10

November 18 Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8

Emmanuel Krivine conductor cso debut Denis Kozhukhin piano liszt Les préludes prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 dvořák Symphony No. 8

December 16 Tilson Thomas Conducts Romeo and Juliet Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Gautier CapuÇon cello stravinsky Scènes de ballet saint-saËns Cello Concerto No. 1 prokofiev Suite from Romeo and Juliet

series highlight

March 10 Salonen & Yo-Yo Ma

See description on facing page.

photos top to bottom: riccardo muti, emmanuel krivine, chen reiss, paul lewis

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

April 14 Dutoit Conducts the Fauré Requiem

Charles Dutoit conducts a moving Easter weekend program that culminates in a presentation of Fauré’s beloved Requiem, “one of the most sublime works in the sacred classical canon” (BBC Music).

Wagner’s serene Good Friday Music offers a striking contrast with Honegger’s World War II-inspired Liturgique Symphony.

May 12 Muti Conducts Brahms’ Symphonies No. 3 & 4

Riccardo Muti conductor brahms Symphony No. 3 brahms Symphony No. 4

June 9 Mozart Masterpieces

Manfred Honeck conductor Paul Lewis piano Regula Mühlemann soprano cso debut mozart Overture to La clemenza di Tito mozart Exsultate, jubilate mozart Piano Concerto No. 27 mozart Laudamus te from Mass in C Minor mozart Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio mozart Symphony No. 35 (Haffner)

series highlight

salonen & yo-yo ma

Conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen “displays the kind of complete musicianship rarely encountered today” (Boston Globe). Cellist Yo-Yo Ma intoxicates audiences with his prodigious artistry and joyful music-making. Be there as Ma performs the world premiere of Salonen’s Cello Concerto in a concert that also features Stravinsky’s spellbinding Petrushka and John Adams’ homage to “the wit and hyper energetic activity of my friend,” the late Russian-American composer and critic Nicolas Slonimsky.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Yo-Yo Ma cello

john adams Slonimsky’s Earbox salonen Cello Concerto cso co-commission, world premiere stravinsky Petrushka Performed March 9–11 Series: Thursday A, Thursday F, Friday A, Saturday A, Saturday E

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friday

B 8 concerts at 1:30

OCT 7 NOV 11 DEC 9 FEB 17 APR 7 MAY 5 MAY 19 JUN 23 October 7 Prokofiev’s Cinderella & Vine’s Five Hallucinations

James Gaffigan conductor Michael Mulcahy trombone franck Le chasseur maudit vine Five Hallucinations for Trombone and Orchestra

cso co-commission, world premiere

prokofiev Selections from Cinderella

series highlight

November 11 Brahms’ A German Requiem

Jaap van Zweden conductor Christiane Karg soprano cso debut Michael Nagy baritone cso debut Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director mozart Masonic Funeral Music wagner Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde brahms A German Requiem Of Brahms’ A German Requiem, Clara Schumann wrote, “It is a truly tremendous piece of art which moves the entire being in a way little else does.”

Jaap van Zweden returns to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in this emotional work. Mozart’s Masonic Funeral Music and Wagner’s groundbreaking Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde open the program.

December 9 Neeme Järvi Returns with Sibelius & Prokofiev

Neeme Järvi conductor Vadim Gluzman violin glazunov Concert Waltz No. 1 prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1 sibelius Suite from Karelia sibelius Symphony No. 5

series highlight

February 17 Muti, Beethoven & Bronfman

Riccardo Muti conductor Yefim Bronfman piano rossini Overture to Semiramide beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 mendelssohn Symphony No. 5 (Reformation) Rossini’s lively Overture to Semiramide opens this performance featuring Yefim Bronfman in Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto. One of Mendelssohn’s grandest symphonic works, the Reformation Symphony was written to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession, the creed of the Lutheran Church.

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

April 7 Dutoit Conducts Prokofiev

Charles Dutoit conductor Truls Mørk cello glinka Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila dvoŘÁk Cello Concerto prokofiev Symphony No. 5

May 5 Muti Conducts Brahms’ Symphonies 1 & 2 Riccardo Muti conductor brahms Symphony No. 1 brahms Symphony No. 2

series highlight

May 19 Smetana’s Má vlast

Jakub Hrůša conductor cso debut smetana Má vlast The Moldau, Smetana’s much-loved portrayal of Bohemia’s mighty river, is one of six tone poems in the composer’s musical portrait of his homeland.

Rarely performed in its entirety, Má vlast (My Fatherland) is an extraordinary cycle that traces the history of the Czech people and evokes the rich natural beauties of the countryside.

June 23 Muti Conducts Italian Opera Masterworks

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Riccardo Zanellato bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Chicago Children’s Choir Josephine Lee artistic director verdi Overture to Nabucco verdi Gli arredi festivi from Nabucco verdi Va, pensiero from Nabucco verdi Anvil Chorus from Il trovatore verdi Patria oppressa from Macbeth verdi Overture to I vespri siciliani puccini Intermezzo to Act 3 from Manon Lescaut mascagni Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana boito Prologue to Mefistofele

photos top to bottom: james gaffigan, jaap van zweden, riccardo muti, duain wolfe

2016/17 world premieres

HEAR IT FIRST In the 2016/17 season, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will premiere four works by some of the world’s leading contemporary composers.

October 6–8 Carl Vine Five Hallucinations for Trombone and Orchestra cso co-commission featuring Michael Mulcahy James Gaffigan conducts a special co-commission between the CSO and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra by one of Australia’s leading composers, Carl Vine, with fellow Australian and CSO trombonist Michael Mulcahy as featured soloist. commissioned by the edward f. schmidt family commissioning fund.

March 9–11 Esa-Pekka Salonen Cello Concerto cso co-commission featuring Yo-Yo Ma

Esa-Pekka Salonen joins forces with Yo-Yo Ma for an electrifying premiere presentation of Salonen’s Cello Concerto, the latest in the award-winning composer/conductor’s impressive output. commissioned by the mrs. harold c. smith fund.

March 16–21 Samuel Adams World Premiere cso commission

Riccardo Muti conducts a premiere by CSO Mead Composerin-Residence Samuel Adams, whose works have been described as “wondrously alluring” (The San Francisco Chronicle) and “thoroughly ingenious” (The San Francisco Examiner). commissioned by the louise durham mead fund.

June 15–17 Melinda Wagner Proceed, Moon cso commission Susanna Mälkki leads the CSO in Proceed, Moon by Pulitzer Prize winner Melinda Wagner, hailed as an “eloquent, poetic voice in contemporary music” (American Record Guide).

celebrating john adams John Adams, one of the most pivotal figures in 20th-century classical music, celebrates his 70th birthday on February 15, 2017. In honor of this great American composer, Esa-Pekka Salonen presents two weeks of concerts pairing works by Adams with Stravinsky, Debussy and Salonen himself.

March 2–7

john adams Scheherazade.2

March 9–11

john adams Slonimsky’s Earbox

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friday

C 5 concerts at 8:00

SEP 23 DEC 2 FEB 3 MAR 31 APR 28 September 23 Muti Conducts Strauss & Bruckner

Riccardo Muti conductor mussorgsky A Night on Bald Mountain r. strauss Don Juan bruckner Symphony No. 7

series highlight

December 2 Handel’s Royal Fireworks

Nicholas Kraemer conductor Amanda Forsythe soprano Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director handel Zadok the Priest handel Concerto grosso, Op. 6, No. 7 handel Laudate pueri Dominum handel Silete venti handel Music for the Royal Fireworks George Frideric Handel was a master composer of both orchestral and choral music, penning some of the most influential and famous vocal compositions of the Baroque era. Nicholas Kraemer, a leading specialist in Handel’s music, leads a program of some of the composer’s most resplendent works ranging from the stirring anthem Zadok the Priest to the jubilant Music for the Royal Fireworks.

March 31 Haitink Conducts Mahler

Bernard Haitink conductor Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano cso debut Stephen Gould tenor haydn Symphony No. 60 (Il distratto) mahler Das Lied von der Erde

series highlight

April 28 Muti, Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto & Lupu

Riccardo Muti conductor Radu Lupu piano Women of the Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) liszt Dante Symphony Riccardo Muti leads Radu Lupu, who is “as close to being the embodiment of pure music as one can get” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch), in Beethoven’s noble Emperor Concerto. Liszt’s Dante Symphony is a symphonic poem full of fire and fury that depicts Dante’s Divine Comedy.

series highlight

February 3 Tovey Conducts Britten & Tchaikovsky

Bramwell Tovey conductor walton Orb and Sceptre britten The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra tchaikovsky Act 2 from Sleeping Beauty Bramwell Tovey, “one of the most versatile and charismatic musicians in the world” (MusicalAmerica.com), makes his CSO subscription series debut with a program featuring Britten’s The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, the composer’s famous theme and variations that spotlight each section of the ensemble. Tchaikovsky’s music from Act 2 from Sleeping Beauty contains one of his most beloved waltzes.

photos top to bottom: nicholas kraemer, amanda forsythe, bernard haitiink, bramwell tovey

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

friday

D 5 concerts at 8:00

OCT 14 NOV 4 FEB 10 FEB 24 JUN 16 October 14 Muti Conducts Mussorgsky

Riccardo Muti conductor John Sharp cello dvoŘÁk Husitská Overture schumann Cello Concerto hindemith Concert Music for Brass and String Orchestra mussorgsky, orch. ravel Pictures from an Exhibition

series highlight

November 4 James Levine Returns with Symphonie fantastique James Levine conductor schoenberg Five Pieces for Orchestra stravinsky The Song of the Nightingale berlioz Symphonie fantastique James Levine makes his long-awaited return to the CSO podium with three masterpieces of orchestral color. Schoenberg described his Five Pieces for Orchestra as a “ceaseless flow of colors, rhythm and mood.” Levine closes the program with Berlioz’s epic Symphonie fantastique.

February 10 Vivaldi, Corelli & Vivica Genaux

Fabio Biondi conductor and violin cso debut Vivica Genaux mezzo-soprano Arias by giacomelli, vivaldi, veracini and ariosti corelli Concerto grosso, Op. 6, No. 4 vivaldi Violin Concerto in D Major, RV 222 vivaldi Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 271 (L’amoroso) vivaldi Violin Concerto in A Minor, RV 357 (La stravaganza) corelli Concerto grosso in F Major, Op. 6, No. 12

series highlight

February 24 Muti Conducts Prokofiev’s Ivan the Terrible Riccardo Muti conductor Gérard Depardieu narrator Sasha Cooke mezzo-soprano Mikhail Petrenko bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Chicago Children’s Choir Josephine Lee artistic director prokofiev Ivan the Terrible The collaboration between Sergei Prokofiev and director Sergei Eisenstein was one of the most brilliant in 20th-century art. Riccardo Muti leads the CSO and Chicago Symphony Chorus in Prokofiev’s music from Eisenstein’s epic film Ivan the Terrible, the riveting story of a bloodthirsty tyrant, with narration by internationally-renowned actor Gérard Depardieu.

series highlight

June 16 Mälkki, Marsalis & John Williams

Susanna Mälkki conductor Branford Marsalis saxophones bizet Symphony in C faurÉ Pavane for Soprano Saxophone williams Escapades for Alto Saxophone from Catch Me If You Can melinda wagner Proceed, Moon cso commission, world premiere debussy Ibéria Finnish conductor Susanna Mälkki leads Branford Marsalis in an eclectic concert featuring Fauré’s Pavane (arranged for soprano saxophone and orchestra), and music from Steven Spielberg’s film Catch Me If You Can, composed by John Williams. A world premiere by Pulitzer Prize winner Melinda Wagner and Debussy’s evocative Ibéria, rich with the colors and rhythms of Spain, complete this imaginative program.

photos top to bottom: riccardo muti, john sharp, fabio biondi, sasha cooke

cso.org 312-294-3000 21

saturday

A 10 concerts at 8:00

| 5-concert series: Sat E or Sat F

OCT 1 NOV 5 NOV 19 DEC 17 FEB 18 MAR 11 APR 15 MAY 20 JUN 3 JUN 17 October 1 E Muti, Martucci & DiDonato

February 18 F Muti, Beethoven & Bronfman

Riccardo Muti conductor Joyce DiDonato mezzo-soprano cso debut catalani Contemplazione martucci La canzone dei ricordi beethoven Symphony No. 7

Riccardo Muti conductor Yefim Bronfman piano rossini Overture to Semiramide beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 mendelssohn Symphony No. 5 (Reformation)

November 5 F James Levine Returns with Symphonie fantastique

series highlight

James Levine conductor schoenberg Five Pieces for Orchestra stravinsky The Song of the Nightingale berlioz Symphonie fantastique

Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Yo-Yo Ma cello john adams Slonimsky’s Earbox salonen Cello Concerto cso co-commission, world premiere stravinsky Petrushka

November 19 E Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8

Emmanuel Krivine conductor cso debut Denis Kozhukhin piano liszt Les préludes prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 dvořák Symphony No. 8

series highlight

December 17 F Tilson Thomas Conducts Romeo and Juliet Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Gautier CapuÇon cello stravinsky Scènes de ballet saint-saËns Cello Concerto No. 1 prokofiev Suite from Romeo and Juliet Michael Tilson Thomas conducts his own suite from Prokofiev’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Complementing this are Stravinsky’s diverting Scènes de ballet and Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No. 1, performed by acclaimed French cellist Gautier Capuçon.

March 11 E Salonen & Yo-Yo Ma

Stravinsky’s ballet about the lovelorn puppet Petrushka remains one of the most striking orchestral works of the modern repertoire.

Esa-Pekka Salonen couples Petruskha with John Adams’ equally playful Slonimsky’s Earbox and the world premiere of Salonen’s own Cello Concerto, played by the legendary Yo-Yo Ma.

April 15 E Dutoit Conducts the Fauré Requiem

series highlight

May 20 F Smetana’s Má vlast

Jakub Hrůša conductor cso debut smetana Má vlast The Moldau, Smetana’s much-loved portrayal of Bohemia’s mighty river, is one of six tone poems in the composer’s musical portrait of his homeland.

Rarely performed in its entirety, Má vlast (My Fatherland) is an extraordinary cycle that traces the history of the Czech people and evokes the rich natural beauties of the countryside.

June 3 E Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier Suite

Juraj Valčuha conductor cso debut Christian Tetzlaff violin haydn Symphony No. 85 (The Queen) szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1 j. strauss, jr. Emperor Waltz r. strauss Suite from Der Rosenkavalier

series highlight

June 17 F Mälkki, Marsalis & John Williams

See description on facing page.

Charles Dutoit conductor Chen Reiss soprano cso debut Matthias Goerne baritone Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director wagner Good Friday Music from Parsifal honegger Symphony No. 3 (Liturgique) faurÉ Requiem

photos left to right: riccardo muti, denis kozhukhin, jakub hrŮŠa, juraj valČuha

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

series highlight

mälkki, marsalis & john williams Finnish conductor Susanna Mälkki leads Branford Marsalis in an eclectic concert featuring Fauré’s Pavane (arranged for saxophone and orchestra), and music from Steven Spielberg’s film Catch Me If You Can, composed by John Williams. A world premiere by Pulitzer Prize winner Melinda Wagner and Debussy’s evocative Ibéria, rich with the colors and rhythms of Spain, complete this imaginative program.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra | Susanna Mälkki conductor | Branford Marsalis saxophones bizet Symphony in C faurÉ Pavane for Soprano Saxophone john williams Escapades for Alto Saxophone from Catch Me If You Can melinda wagner Proceed, Moon cso commission, world premiere debussy Ibéria Performed June 15–17 Series: Thursday C, Thursday E, Friday D, Saturday A, Saturday F

cso.org 312-294-3000 23

symphony ball 125th anniversary celebration—a recreation of the cso’s first performances on october 16 & 17, 1891

Muti, Beethoven 5 & Trifonov The Women’s Board of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association proudly presents a rousing finale to the CSO’s 125th anniversary celebration. Enjoy a festive preconcert reception for all ticketholders at Symphony Center, followed by Riccardo Muti leading the CSO in a recreation of the Orchestra’s very first program from October 16 and 17, 1891. Gala partrons will continue their evening with postconcert dinner and dancing. Don’t miss this rare and thrilling occasion!

Saturday, October 15 5:00 Preconcert reception 6:00 Concert followed by a gala dinner and dancing Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Daniil Trifonov piano wagner A Faust Overture beethoven Symphony No. 5 tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 dvoŘÁk Husitská Overture

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

How to Renew Guide 2016/17 season

contents include 2 3 4 5 6

Subscriber Rewards Renewal Instructions Payment Plans Parking Prices & Seat Maps

cso.org 312-294-3000 25

saturday

B 10 concerts at 8:00

| 5-concert series: Sat G or Sat H

OCT 29 DEC 10 FEB 4 MAR 18 APR 1 APR 22 MAY 6 MAY 27 JUN 10 JUN 24 October 29 G Sibelius’ Violin Concerto & Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra

Andrés Orozco-Estrada conductor cso debut Baiba Skride violin cso debut kodÁly Dances of Galánta sibelius Violin Concerto ives The Unanswered Question r. strauss Also sprach Zarathustra

December 10 H Neeme Järvi Returns with Sibelius & Prokofiev

Neeme Järvi conductor Vadim Gluzman violin glazunov Concert Waltz No. 1 prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1 sibelius Suite from Karelia sibelius Symphony No. 5

February 4 G Tovey Conducts Britten & Tchaikovsky Bramwell Tovey conductor walton Orb and Sceptre britten The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra tchaikovsky Act 2 from Sleeping Beauty

March 18 H Muti, Uchida & Beethoven

Riccardo Muti conductor Mitsuko Uchida piano rossini Overture to La scala di seta beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 samuel adams New Work

cso commission, world premiere schumann Symphony No. 4

series highlight

April 1 G Haitink Conducts Mahler

See description on facing page.

April 22 H Dohnányi Conducts Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony

Christoph von Dohnányi conductor Robert Chen violin pÄrt Fratres bartÓk Violin Concerto No. 1 beethoven Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral)

series highlight

May 6 G Muti Conducts Brahms’ Symphonies 1 & 2 Riccardo Muti conductor brahms Symphony No. 1 brahms Symphony No. 2

In the first of two programs devoted to Brahms’ symphonies, Riccardo Muti presents the First and Second of the cycle. The First Symphony, its drumbeat opening one of the most arresting in symphonic literature, shows Brahms triumphantly meeting the daunting challenge posed by Beethoven’s mighty symphonic cycle. The Second Symphony, composed just months later, reflects Brahms’ summer in an idyllic lakeside town.

May 27 H Gershwin & Dvořák

Jesús López-Cobos conductor turina Danzas fantásticas gershwin Piano Concerto in F dvoŘÁk Symphony No. 6

photos left to right: riccardo muti, vadim gluzman, neeme jÄrvi, mitsuko uchida

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

June 10 G Mozart Masterpieces

Manfred Honeck conductor Paul Lewis piano Regula Mühlemann soprano cso debut mozart Overture to La clemenza di Tito mozart Exsultate, jubilate mozart Piano Concerto No. 27 mozart Laudamus te from Mass in C Minor mozart Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio mozart Symphony No. 35 (Haffner)

June 24 H Muti Conducts Italian Opera Masterworks

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Riccardo Zanellato bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Chicago Children’s Choir Josephine Lee artistic director verdi Overture to Nabucco verdi Gli arredi festivi from Nabucco verdi Va, pensiero from Nabucco verdi Anvil Chorus from Il trovatore verdi Patria oppressa from Macbeth verdi Overture to I vespri siciliani puccini Intermezzo to Act 3 from Manon Lescaut mascagni Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana boito Prologue to Mefistofele

series highlight

Haitink Conducts

Das Lied von der Erde Chicago Symphony Orchestra | Bernard Haitink conductor Sarah Connolly mezzo soprano | Stephen Gould tenor haydn Symphony No. 60 (Il distratto) | mahler Das Lied von der Erde

Over the last 10 years, Bernard Haitink and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra have explored Mahler’s legacy, taking Chicago audiences on a symphonic journey through landscapes of rich musical wisdom and piercing detail.

Now they turn to one of the best loved of all his pieces, his Song of the Earth, a setting of poems that perfectly embodied Mahler’s bittersweet view of the shortness of human life, and provoked from him some of the most delicate, beautiful and haunting music he ever wrote.

Performed March 30–April 1 Series: Thursday B, Friday C, Saturday B

photo top: bernard haitink photos bottom: sarah connolly, stephen gould

saturday

C 5 concerts at 8:00

OCT 22 DEC 3 FEB 25 APR 8 MAY 13 series highlight

October 22 Shostakovich, Beethoven & Ax

David Afkham conductor Emanuel Ax piano beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 shostakovich Symphony No. 10

Emanuel Ax, a Chicago favorite, performs Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto with David Afkham. Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony is a riveting portrait of Stalin’s regime.

series highlight

December 3 Handel’s Royal Fireworks

Nicholas Kraemer conductor Amanda Forsythe soprano Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director handel Zadok the Priest handel Concerto grosso, Op. 6, No. 7 handel Laudate pueri Dominum handel Silete venti handel Music for the Royal Fireworks

April 8 Dutoit Conducts Prokofiev

Charles Dutoit conductor Truls Mørk cello glinka Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila dvoŘÁk Cello Concerto prokofiev Symphony No. 5

series highlight

May 13 Muti Conducts Brahms’ Symphonies 3 & 4

Riccardo Muti conductor brahms Symphony No. 3 brahms Symphony No. 4

Riccardo Muti completes his exploration of Brahms’ symphonies with Symphony Nos. 3 and 4, cornerstones of the symphonic repertoire. The Third Symphony, the shortest of the cycle, is Brahms at his most personal and introspective. The Fourth Symphony ends with an exquisitely crafted theme and variations that culminate in an earth-shattering minor chord.

George Frideric Handel was a master composer of both orchestral and choral music, penning some of the most influential and famous vocal compositions of the Baroque era. Nicholas Kraemer, a leading specialist in Handel’s music, leads a program of some of the composer’s most resplendent works ranging from the stirring anthem Zadok the Priest to the jubilant Music for the Royal Fireworks.

series highlight

February 25 Muti Conducts Prokofiev’s Ivan the Terrible See description on facing page.

photos top to bottom: riccardo muti, emanuel ax, gÉrard depardieu, mikhail petrenko

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

series highlight

Muti Conducts Prokofiev’s

IVAN the

TERRIBLE The collaboration between Sergei Prokofiev and director Sergei Eisenstein was one of the most brilliant in 20th-century art. Riccardo Muti leads the CSO and Chicago Symphony Chorus in Prokofiev’s music from Eisenstein’s epic film Ivan the Terrible, the riveting story of a bloodthirsty tyrant, with narration by internationally-renowned actor Gérard Depardieu.

A film screening of Ivan the Terrible will be presented during the week of these concerts. Stay tuned for details.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra | Riccardo Muti conductor Gérard Depardieu narrator Sasha Cooke mezzo-soprano | Mikhail Petrenko bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Chicago Children’s Choir Josephine Lee artistic director

image from sergei eisenstein’s film, ivan the terrible

Performed February 23–25 Series: Thursday C, Friday D, Saturday C

cso.org 312-294-3000 29

saturday

D 5 concerts at 8:00

OCT 8 NOV 12 FEB 11 MAR 4 APR 29 series highlight

October 8 Prokofiev’s Cinderella & Vine’s Five Hallucinations

James Gaffigan conductor Michael Mulcahy trombone franck Le chasseur maudit vine Five Hallucinations for Trombone and Orchestra

cso co-commission, world premiere

prokofiev Selections from Cinderella

James Gaffigan, “a talented force to be reckoned with” (The Examiner), presents the world premiere of Australian composer Carl Vine’s Five Hallucinations. CSO trombonist Michael Mulcahy, who hails from Sydney, Australia, performs this special co-commission by the CSO and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Gaffigan also leads Prokofiev’s interpretation of the enchanting fairy tale Cinderella, full of sparkling orchestration.

series highlight

November 12 Brahms’ A German Requiem

Jaap van Zweden conductor Christiane Karg soprano cso debut Michael Nagy baritone cso debut Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director mozart Masonic Funeral Music wagner Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde brahms A German Requiem Of Brahms’ A German Requiem, Clara Schumann wrote, “It is a truly tremendous piece of art which moves the entire being in a way little else does.”

Jaap van Zweden returns to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in this emotional work. Mozart’s Masonic Funeral Music and Wagner’s groundbreaking Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde open the program.

February 11 Vivaldi, Corelli & Vivica Genaux

Fabio Biondi conductor and violin cso debut Vivica Genaux mezzo-soprano Arias by giacomelli, vivaldi, veracini and ariosti corelli Concerto grosso, Op. 6, No. 4 vivaldi Violin Concerto in D Major, RV 222 vivaldi Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 271 (L’amoroso) vivaldi Violin Concerto in A Minor, RV 357 (La stravaganza) corelli Concerto grosso in F Major, Op. 6, No. 12

March 4 Salonen, John Adams & The Rite of Spring

Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Leila Josefowicz violin debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun john adams Scheherazade.2 stravinsky The Rite of Spring

series highlight

April 29 Muti, Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto & Lupu

Riccardo Muti conductor Radu Lupu piano Women of the Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) liszt Dante Symphony Riccardo Muti leads Radu Lupu, who is “as close to being the embodiment of pure music as one can get” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch), in Beethoven’s noble Emperor Concerto. Liszt’s Dante Symphony is a symphonic poem full of fire and fury that depicts Dante’s Divine Comedy.

photos top to bottom: michael nagy, riccardo muti, esa-pekka salonen, chicago symphony orchestra and chorus

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

sunday

A 6 concerts at 3:00

OCT 30 DEC 18 MAR 19 APR 23 JUN 4 JUN 25 October 30 Sibelius’ Violin Concerto & Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra

Andrés Orozco-Estrada conductor cso debut Baiba Skride violin cso debut kodÁly Dances of Galánta sibelius Violin Concerto ives The Unanswered Question r. strauss Also sprach Zarathustra

December 18 Tilson Thomas Conducts Romeo and Juliet Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Gautier CapuÇon cello stravinsky Scènes de ballet saint-saËns Cello Concerto No. 1 prokofiev Suite from Romeo and Juliet

series highlight

March 19 Muti, Beethoven & Uchida

Riccardo Muti conductor Mitsuko Uchida piano rossini Overture to La scala di seta beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 samuel adams New Work

cso commission, world premiere schumann Symphony No. 4

June 4 Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier Suite

Juraj Valčuha conductor cso debut Christian Tetzlaff violin haydn Symphony No. 85 (The Queen) szymanowski Violin Concerto No. 1 j. strauss, jr. Emperor Waltz r. strauss Suite from Der Rosenkavalier

June 25 Muti Conducts Italian Opera Masterworks

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Riccardo Zanellato bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Chicago Children’s Choir Josephine Lee artistic director verdi Overture to Nabucco verdi Gli arredi festivi from Nabucco verdi Va, pensiero from Nabucco verdi Anvil Chorus from Il trovatore verdi Patria oppressa from Macbeth verdi Overture to I vespri siciliani puccini Intermezzo to Act 3 from Manon Lescaut mascagni Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana boito Prologue to Mefistofele

Riccardo Muti leads Rossini’s Overture to La scala di seta and Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto, performed by Mitsuko Uchida, an artist who “guides the audience through every conceivable emotion” (The Telegraph). Muti closes the program with a world premiere by Mead Composer-in-Residence Samuel Adams and Schumann’s Fourth Symphony, in which the composer departed from the standard symphonic form to make a groundbreaking “symphony in one movement.”

series highlight

April 23 Dohnányi Conducts Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony

Christoph von Dohnányi conductor Robert Chen violin pÄrt Fratres bartÓk Violin Concerto No. 1 beethoven Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral) One of the world’s most distinguished conductors, Christoph von Dohnányi leads the CSO in Arvo Pärt’s other worldly Fratres, followed by Bartók’s Violin Concerto, performed by CSO Concertmaster Robert Chen. Beethoven’s evocative portrait of nature, his Pastoral Symphony, closes the program.

photos top to bottom: michael tilson thomas, gautier capuÇon, christoph von dohnÁnyi, christian tetzlaff

cso.org 312-294-3000 31

tuesday

A 5 concerts at 7:30

OCT 18 NOV 8 MAR 21 MAY 30 JUN 13 series highlight

October 18 Muti Conducts Mussorgsky

Riccardo Muti conductor John Sharp cello dvoŘÁk Husitská Overture schumann Cello Concerto hindemith Concert Music for Brass and String Orchestra mussorgsky, orch. ravel Pictures from an Exhibition CSO Principal Cello John Sharp, praised for his “exceptional lyric sensibility and a flawless technique” (Chicago on the Aisle), is given the spotlight in Schumann’s Cello Concerto.

Mussorgsky’s Pictures from an Exhibition is a signature showpiece for the CSO. It provides a rousing conclusion to a program that also features Hindemith’s thrilling Concert Music for Brass and String Orchestra.

November 8 James Levine Returns with Symphonie fantastique James Levine conductor schoenberg Five Pieces for Orchestra stravinsky The Song of the Nightingale berlioz Symphonie fantastique

series highlight

March 21 Muti, Beethoven & Uchida

Riccardo Muti conductor Mitsuko Uchida piano rossini Overture to La scala di seta beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 samuel adams New Work

cso commission, world premiere schumann Symphony No. 4

Riccardo Muti leads Rossini’s Overture to La scala di seta and Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto, performed by Mitsuko Uchida, an artist who “guides the audience through every conceivable emotion” (The Telegraph). Muti closes the program with a world premiere by Mead Composer-in-Residence Samuel Adams and Schumann’s Fourth Symphony, in which the composer departed from the standard symphonic form to make a groundbreaking “symphony in one movement.”

photos top to bottom: riccardo muti, regula mÜhlemann, manfred honeck

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

May 30 Gershwin & Dvořák

Jésus López-Cobos conductor turina Danzas fantásticas gershwin Piano Concerto in F dvoŘÁk Symphony No. 6

series highlight

June 13 Mozart Masterpieces

Manfred Honeck conductor Paul Lewis piano Regula Mühlemann soprano cso debut mozart Overture to La clemenza di Tito mozart Exsultate, jubilate mozart Piano Concerto No. 27 mozart Laudamus te from Mass in C Minor mozart Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio mozart Symphony No. 35 (Haffner) Manfred Honeck is joined by two distinguished soloists in an all-Mozart program. In her United States debut, Swiss soprano Regula Mühlemann sings Exsultate, jubilate with its joyous “Allelujah” finale, and British pianist Paul Lewis will perform Mozart’s final piano concerto. The concert ends with Mozart’s lighthearted Haffner Symphony.

tuesday

B 5 concerts at 7:30

cso tuesday series concerts are sponsored by united airlines.

SEP 27 NOV 22 MAR 7 APR 11 MAY 9 series highlight

series highlight

Riccardo Muti conductor mussorgsky A Night on Bald Mountain r. strauss Don Juan bruckner Symphony No. 7

Riccardo Muti conductor brahms Symphony No. 1 brahms Symphony No. 2

September 27 Muti Conducts Strauss & Bruckner

Riccardo Muti opens the season with Mussorgsky’s tone poem A Night on Bald Mountain, followed by Strauss’ orchestral showpiece Don Juan. Bruckner’s magnificent Seventh Symphony completes the concert.

November 22 Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8

Emmanuel Krivine conductor cso debut Denis Kozhukhin piano liszt Les préludes prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 dvořák Symphony No. 8

May 9 Muti Conducts Brahms’ Symphonies 1 & 2

In the first of two programs devoted to Brahms’ symphonies, Riccardo Muti presents the first and second of the cycle. The First Symphony, its opening one of the most arresting in symphonic literature, shows Brahms triumphantly meeting the daunting challenge posed by Beethoven’s mighty symphonic cycle. The Second Symphony, composed just months later, reflects Brahms’ summer in an idyllic lakeside town.

March 7 Salonen, John Adams & The Rite of Spring

Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Leila Josefowicz violin debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun john adams Scheherazade.2 stravinsky The Rite of Spring

series highlight

April 11 Dutoit Conducts Prokofiev

Charles Dutoit conductor Truls Mørk cello glinka Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila dvoŘÁk Cello Concerto prokofiev Symphony No. 5 Norwegian cellist Truls Mørk, who “enthralls the audience from the first to last note” (The Strad), performs Dvořák’s Cello Concerto under the baton of Charles Dutoit. Dutoit also leads the CSO in Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony, which the composer called “a symphony of the greatness of the human spirit, a song of praise of free and happy mankind.”

photos top to bottom: esa-pekka salonen, leila josefowicz, chicago symphony orchestra

cso.org 312-294-3000 33

Experience your favorite films in a whole new way

e h t t a CSO

Movies

3 fridays at 8:00 NOV 25 MAR 3 MAY 26 Enjoy hits ranging from Hollywood’s Golden Age to today’s blockbusters accompanied live by the incomparable Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Save your seat for three thrilling nights of musical movie magic.

This is one of our most popular series and tickets sell out quickly. Add this package to your order today!

featuring November 25

IN CONCERT Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor Steven Spielberg’s heartwarming masterpiece comes to the big screen at Symphony Center. Experience the unforgettable adventure about a little lost alien who befriends a 10-year-old boy, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing John Williams’ Academy Award®-winning score live.

Final two programs will be announced soon! ©a.m.p.a.s. ®e.t. the extra-terrestrial is a trademark and copyright of universal studios. licensed by universal studios licensing llc. all rights reserved.

SYMPHONY

CENTER

PRESENTS

Jazz

Spectacular artists. Unforgettable concerts.

Artists and dates will be announced in April 2016!

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

Magical musical moments for children ages 5 and up

CSO

FAMILY

Matinees

3 saturdays at 11:00 am A or 12:45 pm B The 2016/17 Family Matinee series features incredible stories—and sounds—of courage.

Celebrate bravery through a spotlight on the musical superheroes of the CSO, the tale of Don Quixote’s valiant and hilarious journey through Spain and Prokofiev’s famous story of a fearless boy who stands up for his friends in the face of a dangerous wolf.

Enjoy the one-of-a-kind experience of hearing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in fun and engaging programs tailored for the young people in your life.

November 5

Symphonic Superheroes Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Tania Miller conductor Featuring music by beethoven, copland and mussorgsky

February 11 strauss’

Don Quixote Chicago Symphony Orchestra Edwin Outwater conductor

April 29

prokofiev’s

Peter and the Wolf Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Matthew Aucoin conductor Magic Circle Mime Company guest artists

Perfect for ages 3–5

6 saturdays at 10:00 and 11:45 am The Three Little Pigs DEC 3 FEB 4 FEB 25 The Bremen Town Musicians MAR 11 APR 8 MAY 13 Start your child’s engaging journey into the world of music with Once Upon a Symphony featuring small-ensemble performances by members of the CSO accompanied by vivid storytelling, sets, costumes and images.

For all CSO Family Matinee and Once Upon a Symphony concerts, extend the fun with FREE preconcert adventures in the Rotunda, featuring activities with partner organizations and music educators. cso.org 312-294-3000 35

SYMPHONY

CENTER

PRESENTS

Chamber Music 4-concert series

The 2016/17 Symphony Center Presents Chamber Music series features the astonishing talent of today’s leading string virtuosos. Witness the brilliance of violinists Hilary Hahn and Anne-Sophie Mutter, the energy of Gidon Kremer and his Kremerata Baltica and the extraordinary artistry of Yo-Yo Ma.

photos clockwise from upper left: hilary hahn, anne-sophie mutter, yo-yo ma

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chicago symphony orchestra symphony center presents

Exceptional Artistry. Intimate Collaborations.

Tuesday, November 1, 8:00 Hilary Hahn violin

Over two decades into her career, Hilary Hahn continues to bring daring and exciting programs to audiences around the world. She returns to Symphony Center with another “authoritative, brilliant and beautiful” performance (The New York Times).

Wednesday, February 1, 8:00 Kremerata Baltica with Gidon Kremer violin

glass (arr. pushkarev) Orpheus Suite kancheli Chiaroscuro raskatov The Seasons’ Digest (after Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons) piazzolla (arr. desyatnikov) The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires In 1997, Gidon Kremer introduced the Kremerata Baltica, an energetic chamber orchestra made up of talented young musicians from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The renowned violinist and his ensemble celebrate the 20th anniversary of its inception and Kremer’s 70th birthday with an exciting collection of contemporary music.

Monday, April 24, 8:00 Yo-Yo Ma cello Chris Thile mandolin Edgar Meyer bass

An astounding group of virtuosos—Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer—appears at Orchestra Hall for one night only. This all-Bach program will include transcriptions of excerpts from The Art of the Fugue and various keyboard works including The Well-Tempered Clavier, as well as organ and viola da gamba trio sonatas.

Wednesday, March 29, 8:00 Anne-Sophie Mutter violin Lambert Orkis piano

currier Clockwork mozart Violin Sonata in A Major, K. 526 respighi Violin Sonata in B Minor saint-saËns Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso

photo top left: kremerata baltica photo top right: chris thile photo bottom right: edgar meyer

One of the greatest violin virtuosos of our time, Anne-Sophie Mutter presents a diverse program with long-time collaborative artist Lambert Orkis. The duo will present an impressive range of works from Sebastien Currier’s intricate Clockwork to Saint-Saëns’ glittering showpiece Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso.

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Piano

Virtuosity at its finest

sundays at 3:00 10-concert series E 5-concert series A or B The Symphony Center Presents Piano series brings the most coveted piano virtuosos to Orchestra Hall for breathtaking recitals. Among the eleven spectacular artists joining us for the 2016/17 season are rising star Benjamin Grosvenor, Russian phenomenon Daniil Trifonov and living legend Maurizio Pollini.

October 23 A Rudolph Buchbinder

bach English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808 schubert Four Impromptus, D. 899 beethoven Sonata in G Major, Op. 14, No. 2 beethoven Sonata in F Minor, Op. 57 (Appassionata) “To watch and hear Rudolph Buchbinder in concert is to experience the totality of perfect phrasing, magnificent technique and an unparalleled love of his instrument that has placed him among the top tier of the world’s pianists” (Huffington Post). Buchbinder performs a program including Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata, described by the composer himself as a “brilliantly executed display of emotion and music.” sponsored by js charitable trust

November 13 B Jeremy Denk

March 12 B Igor Levit

February 19 A Benjamin Grosvenor

March 26 B Daniil Trifonov

MacArthur Fellow Jeremy Denk, a multifaceted artist of immense talent and creativity, returns to Symphony Center. “Mr. Denk’s profound playing, enriched by multihued dynamics and vibrantly contrasting moods, earned him universal approval from the rapturous audience” (The New York Times).

schumann Arabesque, Op. 18 mozart Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 333 beethoven Sonata in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 (Moonlight) scriabin Sonata No. 2 in G-Sharp Minor, Op. 19 (Sonata-Fantasy) granados Selections from Goyescas liszt Rhapsodie espagnole After winning the 2004 BBC Young Musician Competition at age eleven, British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor has emerged as one of today’s leading piano virtuosos. “His technique is effortless and flawless, his rhythmic energy and flexibility are a constant source of delight, the range of colors he produces and his dynamic range are without parallel…he does not seek to amaze, and he does not need to” (International Record Review).

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After Igor Levit’s New York debut in 2014, The New York Times declared, “A major new pianist has arrived.” One of the most sought-after young artists of this generation, Levit makes his Chicago and Symphony Center debut on the 2016/17 SCP Piano series.

schumann Kinderszenen schumann Toccata, Op. 7 schumann Kreisleriana shostakovich Selections from 24 Preludes and Fugues stravinsky Three Movements from Petrushka Daniil Trifonov made a sparkling debut with the CSO in 2012, and each subsequent appearance in Chicago has confirmed his emergence as one of the biggest and brightest talents among his generation of pianists. The Tchaikovsky and Rubinstein competition winner returns for a glorious concert of Schumann, Shostakovich and Stravinsky.

April 9 B Paul Lewis

bach Partita No. 1 in B-flat Major, BWV 825 beethoven Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 7 chopin Waltz in A Minor, Op. 34, No. 2 chopin Waltz in F Minor, Op. 70, No. 2 chopin Waltz in A-flat Major, Op. 42 weber Sonata No. 2 in A-flat Major, Op. 39 Paul Lewis’ recordings and performances of Beethoven’s sonatas have been praised by audiences and critics worldwide. Lewis returns to Symphony Center with a performance of Beethoven’s Sonata in E-flat Major, along with delightful waltzes by Chopin and Bach’s technically demanding Partita No. 1. “Time and again you marvel at the confidence and assuredness of Lewis’ playing… It’s the kind of playing, in fact, where comparisons cease to matter” (Gramophone).

April 30 A Leif Ove Andsnes & Marc-André Hamelin

mozart Larghetto and Allegro in E-flat Major for Two Pianos stravinsky Concerto for Two Pianos debussy En blanc et noir stravinsky The Rite of Spring Leif Ove Andsnes and Marc-André Hamelin, two of today’s most celebrated pianists, join forces for an unforgettable afternoon of pieces written for duo piano. Andsnes and Hamelin’s outstanding technical facility and musical insight will be evident in this program that culminates in Stravinsky’s four-hand arrangement of one of the most important works of the 20th century, The Rite of Spring.

May 7 B Murray Perahia

Few keyboardists can match Murray Perahia’s scrupulous musicianship and elegance. Don’t miss a breathtaking afternoon with one of America’s most beloved pianists. “Perahia’s virtuosity, never fussy, narcissistic or quirky, generates a heightened sense of drama in whatever he plays” (Los Angeles Times).

May 28 A Maurizio Pollini

Piano legend Maurizio Pollini has been praised for his “consummate musicianship” (The New York Times) and “superbly finished technique and intellectual rigor” (Classics Today). This paragon of musical excellence continues to thrill audiences around the world more than half a century into his career.

June 11 A Kirill Gerstein

brahms Piano Sonata No. 2 in F-sharp Minor, Op. 2 liszt Transcendental Etudes “From the start of the Transcendental Etudes it was clear that Gerstein’s technique would stand up to Liszt’s most devilish challenges” (The New York Times). Kirill Gerstein returns with a program featuring Liszt’s majestic series of short pieces and Brahms’ Piano Sonata No. 2.

photos top row, left to right: rudolph buchbinder, jeremy denk, daniil trifonov, leif ove andsnes, benjamin grosvenor photos bottom row, left to right: paul lewis, murray perahia, kirill gerstein, igor levit, marc-andrÉ hamelin, maurizio pollini

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SYMPHONY

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PRESENTS

Great orchestras. Revered maestros.

Beloved masterworks.

Orchestras

3-concert visiting orchestra series Three phenomenal ensembles from around the world visit Orchestra Hall in the Symphony Center Presents Orchestra series. This season, enjoy a rich and romantic program from Franz Welser-Möst and his Cleveland Orchestra, an all-Beethoven concert by Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the return of the great St. Petersburg Philharmonic with Yuri Temirkanov.

Saturday, January 21, 8:00 The Cleveland Orchestra

Wednesday, February 8, 8:00 Budapest Festival Orchestra

Sunday, March 5, 3:00 St. Petersburg Philharmonic

Franz Welser-Möst conductor

Iván Fischer conductor

Yuri Temirkanov conductor

beethoven Symphony No. 1 beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 beethoven Symphony No. 5

brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 shostakovich Symphony No. 5

beethoven Symphony No. 8 sibelius Symphony No. 2 Franz Welser-Möst brings the Cleveland Orchestra’s trademark power and richness to Orchestra Hall.

Beethoven’s light and humorous Eighth Symphony and Sibelius’ romantic Second Symphony will showcase the orchestra’s lush sound. “The Clevelanders absolutely nailed it…ensemble playing was perfectly judged. The sheer musicality of the players’ work was a wonder” (Musical America).

Richard Goode piano

Richard Goode’s recording of Beethoven’s Piano Concertos with Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra was praised as “truly revolutionary” by The New Yorker.

This all-Beethoven program includes his famous Fifth Symphony and the Second Piano Concerto, part of Symphony Center’s complete cycle of Beethoven’s Piano Concertos in 2016/17.

photos left to right: franz welser-mÖst, ivÁn fischer, yuri temirkanov

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Nikolai Lugansky piano

“Russia’s oldest symphony orchestra surpassed all expectations…the St. Petersburg Philharmonic spilled forth music in the purest form possible— straight from each score’s soul and into the hearts of listeners” (The Washington Post).

The acclaimed St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Music Director Yuri Temirkanov return to Symphony Center with a performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 and Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 featuring Russian pianist Nikolai Lugansky.

Chicago’s most exciting new music experience

Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s

MusicNOW 4 mondays at 7:00

OCT 10 NOV 21 APR 3 MAY 22

Harris Theater for Music and Dance 205 East Randolph Street Subscriptions: Regular $76, Student $32 Curated by CSO Mead Composers-in-Residence Samuel Adams and Elizabeth Ogonek, each MusicNOW concert is an immersive, sonic journey through groundbreaking repertoire with musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Each evening includes pre- and postconcert music and a reception with free food and drinks.

Highlights of the 2016/17 MusicNOW season: • A collaboration with the 2016 Ear Taxi Festival, a citywide celebration of the vibrant contemporary music scene in Chicago

• Three world premiere MusicNOW commissions Stay tuned for the complete programming lineup!

photos top to bottom: samuel adams and elizabeth ogonek, musicnow postconcert reception, musicnow concert

musicnow receives funding through a leadership challenge grant from irving harris foundation, joan w. harris. major support is provided by cindy sargent and sally mead hands foundation.

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e t a r b e l Cethe Holidays

at symphony center

Enjoy these festive musical celebrations perfect for the whole family, including the stunning voices of Chanticleer and the Vienna Boys Choir, presentations of the heartwarming classic film It’s a Wonderful Life and the return of the CSO’s joyful holiday concert, Merry, Merry Chicago!

December 6 & 7 A Chanticleer Christmas December 9–11 It’s a Wonderful Life in Concert

Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Justin Freer conductor Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director

December 16–23 Merry, Merry Chicago!

Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

December 20 Vienna Boys Choir Christmas in Vienna

photos counter clockwise from top: merry, merry chicago!, a chanticleer christmas, it’s a wonderful life, vienna boys choir

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Special Concerts Save up to 10% when you add these concerts to your subscription.

Call 312-294-3000 or visit cso.org for prices.

Sunday, October 2, 3:00 Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán

Hailed as the world’s greatest mariachi ensemble, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán has delighted crowds around the world for generations. Enjoy a “spirited, virtuosic and, ultimately, joyful” (The Ann Arbor News) performance at the group’s highly anticipated annual visit to Symphony Center.

Saturday, October 15, 6:00 Symphony Ball

Riccardo Muti conductor Daniil Trifonov piano wagner A Faust Overture beethoven Symphony No. 5 tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 dvoŘÁk Husitská Overture The Women’s Board of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association proudly presents a rousing finale to the CSO’s 125th anniversary celebration. Enjoy a festive preconcert reception for all ticketholders at Symphony Center, followed by Riccardo Muti leading the CSO in a recreation of the Orchestra’s very first program from October 16 and 17, 1891. Gala patrons will continue their evening with postconcert dinner and dancing.

Don’t miss this rare and thrilling occasion!

Thursday, October 13, 7:30 FREE! The CSO at Apostolic Church of God

Riccardo Muti conductor beethoven Leonore Overture No. 3 beethoven Symphony No. 5

During the CSO’s previous visit to the Apostolic Church of God, Riccardo Muti said, “We are here to bring you our feelings of love and friendship, through music.” Muti and the Orchestra return with an all-Beethoven program featuring his rousing Leonore Overture No. 3 and popular Symphony No. 5.

Tickets not required.

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More Special Concerts These concerts make a perfect addition to any concert series.

Subscribers save up to 10%!

Saturday, November 26, 8:00 Sunday, November 27, 3:00 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in Concert Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor

Steven Spielberg’s heartwarming masterpiece comes to the big screen at Symphony Center. Experience the unforgettable adventure about a little lost alien who befriends a 10-year-old boy, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing John Williams’ Academy Award®-winning score. Audiences of all ages will delight in this otherworldly event!

©a.m.p.a.s. ®e.t. the extraterrestrial is a trademark and copyright of universal studios. licensed by universal studios licensing llc. all rights reserved.

Tuesday, December 6, 7:30 Wednesday, December 7, 7:30 Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 East Chestnut Street A Chanticleer Christmas

Spark your holiday spirit with the glorious sounds of the “world’s reigning male chorus” (The New Yorker). This intimate a cappella performance will encompass Christmas music from around the world and across the centuries, framed by the striking Gothic Revival architecture of Chicago’s Fourth Presbyterian Church.

Friday, December 9, 7:00 Saturday, December 10, 3:00 Sunday, December 11, 3:00 It’s a Wonderful Life in Concert

Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Justin Freer conductor Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director See Frank Capra’s great American holiday classic as you’ve never seen it before. Members of the CSO will accompany the extraordinary journey of George Bailey (James Stewart) and his guardian angel with a live performance of the newly restored, complete version of Dmitri Tiomkin’s heartwarming score.

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Wednesday, December 14, 8:00 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass

The legendary brass section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has long been revered for its matchless brilliance and spectacular power. Join these acclaimed musicians for a virtuosic showcase of traditional favorites and symphonic masterworks arranged for brass ensemble.

this concert is presented in collaboration with the midwest clinic, an international band and orchestra conference.

Friday, December 16, 7:00 Saturday, December 17, 3:00 Wednesday, December 21, 3:00 Thursday, December 22, 3:00 Friday, December 23, 1:00 & 4:30 Merry, Merry Chicago!

Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Get in the holiday spirit with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Merry, Merry Chicago! This musical celebration returns with treasured carols, a sing-along of holiday favorites and a visit by a very special guest from the North Pole.

Tuesday, December 20, 3:00 Vienna Boys Choir Christmas in Vienna Celebrate Christmas in Vienna at Symphony Center! One of the world’s oldest and most illustrious choral groups, the enchanting Vienna Boys Choir returns for a performance of popular folk songs, classical masterpieces and beloved holiday favorites. This treasured annual concert is the perfect holiday tradition for the entire family.

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More Special Concerts Save up to 10% when you add these concerts to your subscription.

Call 312-294-3000 or visit cso.org for prices.

Sunday, February 26, 3:00 KODO: DADAN 2017

The world’s foremost taiko ensemble Kodo returns to Symphony Center for a thunderous performance that explores the limitless possibilities of traditional Japanese drumming with precision, dexterity and speed. “Superlatives don’t really exist to convey the primal power and bravura beauty of Kodo” (Chicago Tribune).

Saturday, March 25, 8:00 Anoushka Shankar Home Sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar is one of the leading figures in Indian classical progressive world music today. Don’t miss what promises to be a captivating performance featuring selections from her latest album Home, deeply rooted in the classical traditions she learned from her father, the legendary Ravi Shankar. “Expect to be thoroughly intoxicated” (Time Out New York).

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Media Sounds and Stories CSO Sounds & Stories is your online multimedia magazine for all things CSO:

feature articles

previewing upcoming concerts

free cso radio broadcasts

of hundreds of recent performances

videos

of Riccardo Muti, CSO musicians and visiting artists

program notes

about this season’s concerts

Stay connected with the CSO

Visit the CSO’s digital magazine at cso.org/soundsandstories today on your computer, tablet or mobile device!

berlioz Symphonie fantastique Lélio

This double-disc release features Berlioz’s thrilling Symphonie fantastique with its sequel Lélio ou le retour à la vie. The concerts took place in September 2010 over Maestro Muti’s first subscription concerts as music director. Famed French actor Gérard Depardieu narrates Berlioz’s spoken text in Lélio, which also features the Chicago Symphony Chorus (Duain Wolfe, director), tenor Mario Zeffiri and bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen.

Our Sponsors

Julius N. Frankel Foundation Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association is grateful for the generous support of these leading corporate and foundation sponsors.

The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation

AN AGENCY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

The Negaunee Foundation

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