Create Your Own Series - 2021/22 Season Guide by Chicago Symphony Orchestra

2021/22 season guide

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Riccardo Muti and the CSO Don’t miss the singular combination of Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in exhilarating performances of Beethoven’s euphoric Ninth Symphony, a world premiere by Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery, a concert presentation of Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera and more.

Muti, Uchida & Philip Glass FEBRUARY 17-19 Muti Conducts Beethoven 9 FEBRUARY 24-27 Muti Conducts Mazzoli & Mahler with Elīna Garanča MARCH 31-APRIL 5 Muti, Andsnes & Britten Piano Concerto APRIL 7-12 Muti Conducts Montgomery & Beethoven Pastoral APRIL 28-MAY 3 Muti Conducts Beethoven, Still & Price MAY 5-7 Muti, Mutter & Beethoven Violin Concerto JUNE 16-18 Muti Conducts Verdi Un ballo in maschera JUNE 23-28

riccardo muti

The brightest stars in music light up the stage on

Symphony Center Presents

Leonidas Kavakos & Yuja Wang NOVEMBER 7 Quinteto Astor Piazzolla NOVEMBER 19 wynton marsalis

Igor Levit JANUARY 16 Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with Branford Marsalis JANUARY 22 Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis FEBRUARY 25 & 26 Ax, Kavakos & Ma MARCH 11

hilary hahn

Mahler Chamber Orchestra with Mitsuko Uchida MARCH 20

Hilary Hahn APRIL 1

dianne reeves

Dianne Reeves APRIL 8 Evgeny Kissin MAY 15 yo-yo ma

Cécile McLorin Salvant JUNE 3 cso.org

Curated Series

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Chicago Symphony Orchestra THURSDAY C | 6 CONCERTS at 7:30 D or E 3-concert selections 2/10 E

Alsop & Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2

3/24 D

All-Tchaikovsky with Alisa Weilerstein

4/14 E

The Firebird

5/5 E

Muti Conducts Beethoven, Still & Price

5/26 D

Salonen Conducts Ravel & Stravinsky

6/23 D

Muti Conducts Verdi Un ballo in maschera

FRIDAY A | 4 CONCERTS at 1:30 2/25 4/1

Muti Conducts Beethoven 9 Muti Conducts Mazzoli & Mahler with Elīna Garanča

4/15

The Firebird

5/20

Ein Heldenleben

SATURDAY D | 3 CONCERTS at 8:00

3/5

Symphonie fantastique

5/7

Muti Conducts Beethoven, Still & Price

6/11

Tchaikovsky Romeo & Juliet

SUNDAY A | 3 CONCERTS at 3:00 2/27

Muti Conducts Beethoven 9

4/24

Van Zweden Conducts Mahler 6

5/22

Ein Heldenleben

TUESDAY A | 3 CONCERTS at 7:30 3/8

Symphonie fantastique

4/5

Muti Conducts Mazzoli & Mahler with Elīna Garanča

5/3

Muti Conducts Montgomery & Beethoven Pastoral

CSO at Wheaton 2 FRIDAYS at 7:30 3/18

Glover Conducts Mozart, Haydn & Handel

4/29

Muti Conducts Montgomery & Beethoven Pastoral

CSO MusicNOW 2 MONDAYS AT 7:00 3/14, 5/23 Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.

cso.org

CSO at the Movies 3 FRIDAYS at 7:30 2/1 1 Casablanca 3/25 Jurassic Park 7/1 Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

CSO for Kids: Family Matinees Perfect for ages 5 and up 2/19 Peter and the Wolf 5/14 Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra

CSO for Kids: Once Upon a Symphony® Perfect for ages 3-5 1/8 & 2/12

Maybe Something Beautiful

3/5, 4/23 & 5/7 Jack and the Beanstalk

evgeny kissin

yuja wang

cso for kids: family matinees

Symphony Center Presents Chamber Music | 3-CONCERT SERIES 3 / 1 1 Ax, Kavakos & Ma 3/20 Mahler Chamber Orchestra with Mitsuko Uchida 4 / 1 Hilary Hahn

Piano | SUNDAYS at 3:00 E A B

9-concert series 5-concert selection 4-concert selection

1/16 A

Igor Levit

1/30 B

Jan Lisiecki

2/20 B

Richard Goode

3/13 A

George Li

4/3 A

Sir András Schiff

4/10 B 5/8 B

Yuja Wang Yefim Bronfman

5 /15 A

Evgeny Kissin

6/12 A

Denis Kozhukhin

Jazz | FRIDAYS at 8:00

E A B

2/4 A

8-concert series 4-concert selection 4-concert selection Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science/ Rudresh Mahanthappa Trio

2/25 B Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis 3/18 B

The Bad Plus/Greg Ward's Rogue Parade

4/8 A

Dianne Reeves

4/20* A

Redman, Mehldau, McBride, Blade: A MoodSwing Reunion

4/29 B

Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap/Artemis

5/20 B

Sean Jones' Dizzy Spellz /Thaddeus Tukes Quintet

6/3 A

Cécile McLorin Salvant *Wednesday at 8:00 cso.org

Season Calendar November 1 MON 7:00

Homecoming

cso musicnow Musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Michael Lewanski conductor Whitney Morrison soprano

Smith Scions of an Atlas world premiere, cso musicnow commission

through the helen zell commissioning program note location: orchestra hall, Montgomery Loisaida, My Love symphony center

Montgomery Lunar Songs Joachim Seen Hearne Authority

The 2021/22 CSO MusicNOW series opens at Orchestra Hall with a program curated by Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery that celebrates composers with ties to Chicago. Featured are a work by daring, cutting-edge composer Ted Hearne and a world premiere by rising star Elijah Daniel Smith that reimagines the Baroque concerto grosso form. Haitian American flutistcomposer Nathalie Joachim explores individual and cultural identity in her wind quintet Seen, alongside Montgomery's set of enchanting vocal works based on text by J. Mae Barizo and Bimbo Rivas.

4 THU 7:30 5 FRI 1:30 6 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Mozart Jupiter & Robert Chen Plays Bruch

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Marek Janowski conductor

Robert Chen violin

Mendelssohn The Hebrides Overture Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 Mozart Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter)

A masterwork of unrestrained joy, Mozart’s final symphony is one of the greatest in the repertoire. Marek Janowski conducts the Jupiter Symphony, along with Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides Overture, a product of his trip to Scotland’s rugged west coast. CSO Concertmaster Robert Chen is soloist in Bruch’s beloved First Violin Concerto, noted for its rapturous melodies and crackling, dance-like finale.

leonidas kavakos

yuja wang

thomas wilkins

Leonidas Kavakos & Yuja Wang chamber music Leonidas Kavakos violin Yuja Wang piano 7 SUN 3:00

Bach Violin Sonata in E Major, BWV 1016 Busoni Violin Sonata No. 2, Op. 36a Shostakovich Violin Sonata in G Major, Op. 134 Superstar soloists Yuja Wang and Leonidas Kavakos, who together “sound like a single organism” (Financial Times), present a defining work by J.S. Bach, along with two composers who fell under the master’s influence. Busoni’s Second Violin Sonata ends with a kaleidoscopic set of variations on a Bach chorale, while Shostakovich’s late-career sonata channels the grandeur and intensity in Bach’s music.

8 MON 8:00 Fate Now Conquers free Civic Orchestra of Chicago Thomas Wilkins conductor Simon Fate Now Conquers Hailstork An American Port of Call Schuman New England Triptych Still Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American)

The Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the CSO’s premier training ensemble of emerging professional musicians, returns to perform its first live concert at Symphony Center since March 2020. Led by guest conductor Thomas Wilkins, the program features Adolphus Hailstork’s An American Port of Call, an energetic piece that evokes a bustling seaside port, alongside William Schuman’s anthemic New England Triptych and Carlos Simon’s fiery tribute to Beethoven, Fate Now Conquers. Completing the program is William Grant Still’s beautiful and impassioned Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American), his most famous work, which blends blues elements into its orchestrations.

11 THU 7:30 12 FRI 1:30 13 SAT 8:00

cso classical

Coleridge-Taylor, Barber & Dvořák 6

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Jakub Hrůša conductor Joélle Harvey soprano

Coleridge-Taylor Ballade in A Minor Barber Knoxville: Summer of 1915 Dvořák Symphony No. 6

Jakub Hrůša conducts a joyful portrait of his Czech homeland in Dvořák’s folk-infused Sixth Symphony. Radiant soprano Joélle Harvey makes her CSO debut in Barber’s nostalgic recollection of small-town America. Opening the program is Coleridge-Taylor’s 1898 breakthrough score, the rhapsodic Ballade.

these concerts are generously sponsored by the zell family foundation.

the appearance of joélle harvey is made possible by the grainger fund for excellence.

cso.org

giancarlo guerrero

12 FRI 8:00

daniil trifonov

Daniil Trifonov

piano Prokofiev Sarcasms, Op. 17

Szymanowski Sonata No. 3, Op. 36 Debussy Pour le piano Brahms Sonata No. 3 in F Minor, Op. 5

With “colorful, dazzling and imaginative playing,” Russian virtuoso Daniil Trifonov ranks as “one of the most awesome pianists of our time” (The New York Times). His Symphony Center Presents recital offers ravishingly colorful works by Debussy and Szymanowski, a set of brash and playful miniatures by Prokofiev and Brahms’ titanic F Minor Sonata.

18 NOV 7:30 19 NOV 1:30 20 NOV 8:00 21 NOV 3:00 cso classical

Guerrero Conducts Piazzolla & Beethoven Chicago Symphony Orchestra Giancarlo Guerrero conductor Daniel Binelli bandoneón Buxtehude, arr. and orch. Chávez Chaconne in E Minor Piazzolla Bandoneón Concerto (Aconcagua) Beethoven Symphony No. 1 Astor Piazzolla, born a century ago, revolutionized the Argentine tango with urbane sophistication. His Aconcagua — named for an Andean mountain — is alternately pensive and streetwise in spirit. Giancarlo Guerrero leads a program bookended by Buxtehude’s Chaconne, vibrantly orchestrated by Mexican composer Carlos Chávez, and Beethoven’s witty and confident First Symphony.

part of a worldwide celebration honoring the 100th anniversary of astor piazzolla's birth.

19 FRI 8:00 world

Quinteto Astor Piazzolla

part of a worldwide celebration honoring the 100th anniversary of astor piazzolla's birth.

The Latin Grammy-winning quintet and “brilliantly assured” (BBC Music) standard-bearer for nuevo tango celebrates the centenary of its namesake, Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla, in a program of his most memorable compositions.

ray chen

home alone in concert

26 FRI 7:30 27 SAT 7:30 28 SUN 3:00 movies

Home Alone in Concert Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor Score by John Williams Don’t miss this beloved holiday favorite on the big screen at Symphony Center as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ delightful, Academy Award-nominated score. Home Alone is hilarious, heart-warming fun for the entire family! © 1990 twentieth century fox

December 2 THU 7:30 3 FRI 8:00 4 SAT 8:00 cso classical Lindberg, Lalo & Brahms 4

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Hannu Lintu conductor

Ray Chen violin

Lindberg Serenades world premiere, cso co-commission through the helen zell commissioning program Lalo Symphonie espagnole Brahms Symphony No. 4

In his 2019 CSO subscription debut, Ray Chen “conjured the archetypal 19th-century virtuoso” and “combined vivid rhetoric with impeccable technique” (Chicago Tribune). Chen returns to present Lalo’s salute to the vigorous and sultry dance rhythms of Spain. A new work by renowned Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg and Brahms' richly autumnal Fourth Symphony complete this program led by Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu.

cso.org

a chanticleer christmas

6 MON 7:00 free

hilary hahn

fourth presbyterian church, 126 e. chestnut st.

Bach Marathon Finale Civic Orchestra of Chicago The Civic Orchestra of Chicago brings performances of J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos to communities across Chicago as part of the seventh annual Bach Marathon. Principal Conductor Ken-David Masur joins the Civic for the event’s culminating moment in a finale concert at Fourth Presbyterian Church.

7 TUE 7:30 8 WED 7:30

fourth presbyterian church, 126 e. chestnut st.

holidays

A Chanticleer Christmas “The world’s reigning male chorus” (The New Yorker) returns for an intimate

a cappella performance of cherished Christmas favorites in the stunning Gothic Revival setting of the Fourth Presbyterian Church.

9 THU 7:30 10 FRI 8:00 11 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Hilary Hahn, Dvořák Violin Concerto & Tchaikovsky 5

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Andrés Orozco-Estrada conductor Hilary Hahn violin

Frank Haillí-Serenata world premiere, cso commission Dvořák Violin Concerto Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

Intrepid superstar and CSO Artist-in-Residence Hilary Hahn returns to perform Dvořák’s Violin Concerto, a work laced with the vibrant colors and dance rhythms of the composer’s native Bohemia, which was given its U.S. premiere by the Orchestra in 1891. Andrés Orozco-Estrada leads a world premiere by Gabriela Lena Frank, named by the Washington Post as one of the 35 most significant female composers in history, and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, a work that embodies the struggle of triumph over adversity.

chicago symphony orchestra brass

merry, merry chicago!

15 WED 7:30 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass

chamber music Experience the staggering power and razor-sharp precision of the legendary

brass section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a program of traditional favorites and symphonic masterworks arranged for brass ensemble.  this concert is generously sponsored by the edward f. schmidt family fund. presented in collaboration with the midwest clinic, an international band and orchestra conference.

16 THU 7:30 17 FRI 1:30 18 SAT 8:00 19 SUN 3:00 cso classical

Handel’s Messiah

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Nicholas McGegan conductor Yulia Van Doren soprano Reginald Mobley countertenor Ben Bliss tenor Dashon Burton bass-baritone Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director

From the awe-inspiring “Hallelujah” chorus to the many thrilling and intimate arias, Handel’s landmark oratorio is an unmissable CSO holiday tradition. Nicholas McGegan, “one of the finest Baroque conductors of his generation” (The Independent), leads a glorious reunion of the assembled forces of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

the appearance of the chicago symphony chorus has been made possible by a generous gift from the grainger foundation. the appearance of yulia van doren, reginald mobley, ben bliss and dashon burton is made possible by the grainger fund for excellence.

17 FRI 7:30 18 SAT 3:00 21 TUE 7:30 22 WED 3:00 23 THU 1:00 / 4:30 holidays

Merry, Merry Chicago! Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Alastair Willis conductor Chicago’s favorite musical holiday celebration returns to Symphony Center! Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and special guests share music of the holiday season in this festive program for the whole family.

cso.org

January 6 THU 7:30 7 FRI 8:00 8 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Rhapsody in Blue & Boléro

Chicago Symphony Orchestra André de Ridder conductor Inon Barnatan piano

Gershwin, arr. Bennett Porgy and Bess, A Symphonic Picture Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major Ravel Boléro In a vibrant program of classical music inspired by the jazz revolution of the 20th century, two of George Gershwin’s iconic works are paired with one he undoubtedly influenced, Ravel’s jazzy Piano Concerto in G Major. Ravel’s most famous work, the mesmerizing Boléro, brings the program to a rousing close.

8 SAT 10:00 / 11:45 AM buntrock hall, symphony center cso for kids

this program will be performed at the same location and times on february 12.

Once Upon a Symphony: Maybe Something Beautiful What good can a splash of color do in a community of gray? As Mira and her neighbors discover, more than you might ever imagine! Based on the awardwinning book by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell, and illustrated by Rafael López, Maybe Something Beautiful proves that even the smallest artists can accomplish something big.

Featuring bilingual narration in English and Spanish. English and Spanish editions of the books are published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

produced and presented in partnership with chicago children’s theatre.

16 SUN 3:00 south shore cultural center 18 TUE 8:00

free

Resilience and Defiance

Civic Orchestra of Chicago

Rossen Milanov conductor

Snider Something for the Dark Shostakovich Symphony No. 10

Premiered in 1953 after the death of Joseph Stalin, Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony bursts with menacing march rhythms, chilling whispers and triumphal defiance. The music is often heard as a reckoning with the brutalities of Stalinism but also as the composer’s sigh of relief. Rossen Milanov conducts this thrilling program, which also features Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Something for the Dark, a bold and colorful meditation on resilience.

cso for kids

branford marsalis

jan lisiecki

16 SUN 3:00 Igor Levit piano Brahms, arr. Busoni Six Choral Preludes Hersch New Work Wagner, arr. Kocsis Prelude from Tristan and Isolde Liszt Sonata in B Minor Igor Levit, “one of the essential artists of his generation” (The New York Times), renowned for the fearlessness of his playing and his “zest for the monumental” (The Guardian), takes on Liszt’s B Minor Sonata, one of the mightiest peaks in the piano repertory. Works by J.S. Bach and jazz pianist Fred Hersch further underscore the sheer breadth of Levit’s artistry.

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra chamber music with Branford Marsalis alto saxophone Rossini Overture to The Barber of Seville Rodrigo Suite from Soleriana Debussy Rhapsody for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra Ibert Concertino da camera for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra Turina La oración del torero Bryan Carmen Jazz Suite on Themes by Bizet 22 SAT 8:00

One of jazz’s most revered musicians, Branford Marsalis collaborates with the innovative Orpheus Chamber Orchestra for a program that explores the intersection of jazz and classical, from Debussy’s jazz-inspired Rhapsody to a newly commissioned work by Courtney Bryan that uses Bizet’s famous themes from Carmen.

30 SUN 3:00 Jan Lisiecki piano

Chopin Etudes, Op. 10 and Selected Nocturnes

Jan Lisiecki made one of the most thrilling CSO debuts of 2019, an “extraordinarily delicate and poetic performance” in which “virtually everything [he] played conveyed depth of thought and openness of expression” (Chicago Tribune). Lisiecki’s all-Chopin program features the fiendishly virtuosic Opus 10 Etudes and a group of wistful and evocative nocturnes.

cso.org

marin alsop

casablanca in concert

February 4 FRI 8:00 jazz

Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science Rudresh Mahanthappa Trio Drummer and NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington chairs a genre-bending sextet that sculpts hip-hop grooves and free improvisations into a vehicle for a powerful message. Celebrated as “one of the strongest voices on the jazz scene” (All Music), saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa and his trio bring searing energy and boundless creativity to reimagined jazz standards and pop tunes in a salute to Mahanthappa’s musical heroes.

10 THU 7:30 12 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Alsop & Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Marin Alsop conductor

Lukáš Vondráček piano

Barber Symphony No. 1 Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 Elgar Enigma Variations A program of rich, Romantic intensity features Rachmaninov’s ravishing Second Piano Concerto, performed by the brilliant Czech pianist Lukáš Vondráček. Elgar’s Enigma Variations are miniature portraits of friends, family members and the composer himself, alternately noble, yearning and blustery in character. Barber’s First Symphony is a mid-century gem, alive with soaring lyricism, bold colors and majestic climaxes. the appearance of marin alsop is made possible by the juli plant grainger fund for artistic excellence. the appearance of lukáš vondráček is made possible by the grainger fund for excellence.

11 FRI 7:30 13 SUN 3:00 movies

Casablanca in Concert Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor Score by Max Steiner According to film critic Roger Ebert, this timeless story of a man torn between love and virtue is “probably on more lists of the greatest films of all time than any other single title.” Performing Max Steiner’s evocative score and the memorable classic “As Time Goes By,” the CSO brings this enchanting masterpiece to life.

ken-david masur

mitsuko uchida

cso for kids: family matinees

14 MON 8:00 In Times of War free

Civic Orchestra of Chicago Ken-David Masur conductor

Bacewicz Overture Janáček Taras Bulba Bartók Concerto for Orchestra

Written at the height of World War II, Bartók’s late masterpiece brims with Hungarian dance rhythms and highlights every section of the orchestra to full effect. That same year, in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, Polish trailblazer Grażyna Bacewicz composed her vibrant Overture. Completed in 1918, Janáček’s symphonic rhapsody is a teeming, visceral score based on a Gogol story about a Cossack with his two sons fighting for Ukraine.

17 THU 7:30 18 FRI 8:00 19 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Muti, Uchida & Philip Glass

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor

One of Beethoven’s most reflective and serene creations, the Fourth Piano Concerto is an ideal vehicle for Mitsuko Uchida, who conveys “a sense of intimacy and directness in her playing, as well as a certain quiet grace” (San Francisco Chronicle). Riccardo Muti also conducts Glass’ Eleventh Symphony, a colorful, exuberant score that the composer wrote for his own 80th birthday celebration.

these performances are made possible by the juli plant grainger fund for artistic excellence.

Mitsuko Uchida piano

Beethoven Overture to The Ruins of Athens Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 Glass Symphony No. 11

19 SAT 11:00 AM & 12:45 PM

cso for kids

Peter and the Wolf

Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Lidiya Yankovskaya conductor Magic Circle Mime Company

Prokofiev Peter and the Wolf

Step into the big green meadow with Peter, the young hero of Prokofiev’s musical tale. This children’s favorite tells the story of a boy who risks his own safety to protect his dear friends: a duck and a bird. This program, which features the amazing Magic Circle Mime Company, proves that you don’t need to be grown up to discover courage inside yourself!

cso.org

20 SUN 3:00 Richard Goode piano

Schumann Papillons Schubert Sonata in A Minor, D. 845 Bartók Hungarian Peasant Songs Beethoven Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101

Richard Goode, hailed for his “majestic, profound readings” (The New York Times), presents late sonatas of Beethoven and Schubert alongside two sets of miniatures: Schumann’s gossamer, dance-like Papillons and Bartók’s earthy and delightful adaptations of Hungarian folk tunes, the last of which is based on a bagpiper’s melody.

20 SUN 8:00 The Chevalier

Music of the Baroque Dame Jane Glover conductor Brendon Elliott violin Known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, 18th-century Black composer Joseph Bologne was a virtuoso violinist, a friend of Mozart and Marie Antoinette, the finest fencer in Europe, general of Europe’s first Black regiment and a crusader for the abolishment of slavery. Weaving together Bologne’s own music with semi-staged dialogue, The Chevalier ultimately offers a thoughtful meditation on the true nature of equality. Dame Jane Glover conducts the Music of the Baroque Orchestra and violin soloist Brendon Elliot in this concert-theater work written and directed by Bill Barclay and featuring four outstanding actors. the chevalier is presented by music of the baroque in partnership with the chicago symphony orchestra association.

24 THU 7:30 25 FRI 1:30 26 SAT 8:00 27 SUN 3:00 cso classical

Muti Conducts Beethoven 9

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Lisette Oropesa soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano mezzo-soprano Daniel Johansson tenor Tareq Nazmi bass

Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director

Beethoven Symphony No. 9

Riccardo Muti assembles the combined forces of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chorus and internationally renowned soloists for “the symphony to end all symphonies” (The Guardian), Beethoven’s euphoric Ninth. A masterpiece whose staggering influence can be heard throughout classical music, it concludes with the famous Ode to Joy, which powerfully calls for understanding, peace and universal goodwill. these concerts are generously sponsored by an anonymous donor. the appearance of the chicago symphony chorus has been made possible by a generous gift from the grainger foundation.

richard goode

25 FRI 8:00 jazz

26 SAT 2:00 jazz

wynton marsalis

lina gonzÁlez-granados

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis: Wynton at 60 One of the most high-powered, hardest-swinging big bands in jazz returns to its self-proclaimed second home at Symphony Center. The singular ensemble presents a program of standout arrangements and original works from the ensemble’s catalog in celebration of JLCO founder and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis’ 60th birthday.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and special guest Bryan Stevenson: Freedom, Justice and Hope In collaboration with Equal Justice Initiative founder and executive director Bryan Stevenson, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis presents an immersive concert of familiar and newly commissioned works that pay tribute to important moments and figures in Black history, and features Stevenson as a special guest performer and narrator of reflections that address timely issues of racial equity and social justice.

28 MON 7:00 A Concert for Chicago Public Schools free

location to be announced

Civic Orchestra of Chicago Lina González-Granados conductor Solti Conducting Apprentice Lina González-Granados, who has also recently been appointed resident conductor at the LA Opera, has been cited by The New York Times as “among the rising conductors creating buzz.” Hear her lead the Civic Orchestra of Chicago in this program for the Chicago Public Schools community.

cso.org

March 3 THU 7:30 4 FRI 8:00 5 SAT 8:00 8 TUE 7:30 cso classical

Symphonie fantastique

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Paavo Järvi conductor Benjamin Grosvenor piano

Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 Berlioz Symphonie fantastique

Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi leads a program of passionate and colorful works featuring Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, a five-movement portrait of romantic obsession, replete with a witches’ sabbath, a guillotine and opiuminduced hallucinations. Chopin’s dazzling First Piano Concerto features Benjamin Grosvenor, hailed by Gramophone magazine as possibly “the most remarkable young pianist of our time.”

5 SAT 10:00 & 11:45 AM

cso for kids

this program will be performed at the same location and times on april 23 and may 7.

Once Upon a Symphony: Jack and the Beanstalk buntrock hall, symphony center

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum! Climb up the beanstalk in this unforgettable version of the fairy tale that emphasizes Jack’s creativity and persistence, his love for his family and the importance of music! produced and presented in partnership with chicago children’s theatre

10 THU 7:30 11 FRI 1:30 12 SAT 8:00

cso classical

Blomstedt Conducts Bruckner 4

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Herbert Blomstedt conductor Martin Helmchen piano

Mozart Piano Concerto No. 17 Bruckner Symphony No. 4 (Romantic)

11 FRI 8:00

Distinguished conductor Herbert Blomstedt conducts Bruckner’s most popular symphony, with its allusions to the peaceful countryside, hunting horns and a boisterous Austrian folk dance. Martin Helmchen, whose “pliant, quicksilver touch seemed to illuminate every solo passage” (Chicago Classical Review), is the soloist in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17. The graceful score stems from one of the happiest periods in the composer’s career. the appearance of herbert blomstedt is made possible by the juli plant grainger fund for artistic excellence. the appearance of martin helmchen is made possible by the grainger fund for excellence.

Emanuel Ax piano Leonidas Kavakos violin Yo-Yo Ma cello

chamber music Beethoven Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 1, No. 1

Beethoven Piano Trio in G Major, Op. 1, No. 2 Beethoven Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 11 Beethoven Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1 (Ghost) Three of today’s most extraordinary musicians reunite for an intimate and unforgettable performance. The trio returns after a sold-out March 2020 appearance at Symphony Center that the Chicago Classical Review praised for its “seamless cohesion and fine unanimity of purpose throughout,” in which music by Beethoven was “played with the sense of relaxed intimacy and infectious enjoyment of chamber music at its finest.”

emanuel ax

13 SUN 3:00 piano

yo-yo ma

George Li Schumann Arabeske Schumann Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17 Chen Instants d'un opera de Pekin Chopin Twenty-Four Preludes, Op. 28 Rising star George Li has rapidly established an international reputation for his brilliant virtuosity. He makes his Symphony Center debut with a program of glittering works by Schumann, Chopin and Qigang Chen. “Li’s performance left no doubt that he combines staggering technical prowess, a sense of command and depth of expression” (The Washington Post).

14 MON 7:0O CSO MusicNOW

george li

harris theater for music and dance

Hailed as Chicago’s leading new music series, CSO MusicNOW delivers an innovative multimedia experience featuring musicians of the CSO and expertly curated by Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery. Program to be announced soon.

17 THU 7:30 18 FRI 7:30 edman memorial chapel, wheaton 19 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Glover Conducts Mozart, Haydn & Handel

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Dame Jane Glover conductor Paul Jacobs organ William Welter oboe

Haydn Symphony No. 71 Mozart Oboe Concerto Handel Organ Concerto No. 4 in F Major Mozart Symphony No. 29

Dame Jane Glover leads an enchanting program of Baroque and Classical masterpieces. “Dazzling virtuoso” (The New York Times) Paul Jacobs performs one of Handel’s sparkling organ concertos, and the CSO’s Principal Oboe William Welter makes his first CSO solo appearance with Mozart’s expressive Oboe Concerto.

cso.org

18 FRI 8:00

The Bad Plus

jazz

Chris Speed saxophone Ben Monder guitar Reid Anderson bass David King drums

Greg Ward’s Rogue Parade

Greg Ward alto saxophone Dave Miller guitar Matt Gold guitar Matt Ulery bass Quin Kirchner drums For more than 20 years, The Bad Plus has been boldly pushing the needle in t he jazz world with fearless technical aplomb and an unorthodox approach to the jazz repertoire. Introducing its new quartet configuration in the 2021/22 season, this pathbreaking ensemble brings its trademark wit and virtuosity to a fresh batch of new compositions. Saxophonist and Chicago stalwart Greg Ward makes his debut as a bandleader at Symphony Center with his two-guitar outfit Rogue Parade, whose electric interplay and hard-edged sound channel the verve of modern American metropolises.

20 SUN 3:00 Mahler Chamber Orchestra chamber music with Mitsuko Uchida piano Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488 Webern Five Movements, Op. 5 Webern Variations for Piano, Op. 27 Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491 Mitsuko Uchida and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra are an ideal match —

“a pianist of impeccable Mozartean credentials and an orchestra of acute sensitivity and musical awareness” (The Guardian). Hear this perfect pairing in an all-Viennese program that includes two of Mozart’s most beloved piano concertos.

24 THU 7:30 26 SAT 8:00 cso classical

All-Tchaikovsky with Alisa Weilerstein

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Edo de Waart conductor

the appearance of alisa weilerstein is made possible by the grainger fund for excellence.

Alisa Weilerstein cello

Tchaikovsky Capriccio italien Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations Tchaikovsky Pezzo capriccioso Tchaikovsky Selections from The Nutcracker Edo de Waart leads a Tchaikovsky celebration. The dynamic Alisa Weilerstein is the soloist in the Rococo Variations, Tchaikovsky’s graceful homage to the 18th century, and the Pezzo capriccioso, a mercurial, one-movement gem. Capriccio italien is a bustling portrait of Italian life, while selections from The Nutcracker highlight the composer’s gift for creating wondrous dance themes.

25 FRI 7:30 27 SUN 3:00 movies

Jurassic Park in Concert Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor Score by John Williams Relive the magic of Jurassic Park on the big screen with a thrilling performance of John Williams’ iconic score by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The action-packed adventure pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking special effects, this epic film is sheer movie magic 65 million years in the making. Welcome… to Jurassic Park! tm & © universal studios.

April Mar 31 THU 7:30 1 FRI 1:30 5 TUE 7:30 cso classical

Muti Conducts Mazzoli & Mahler with Elīna Garanča

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Elīna Garanča mezzo-soprano

Mazzoli Orpheus Undone cso commission through the helen zell commissioning program Mahler Rückert-Lieder Bruckner Symphony No. 2

1 FRI 8:00

Riccardo Muti leads the world premiere of Orpheus Undone by the CSO’s former Mead Composer-in-Residence Missy Mazzoli, whose works are celebrated for their raw emotional authenticity. Also on the program are works by two late-Romantic titans. Bruckner’s awe-inspiring Second Symphony is a perfect companion piece to Mahler’s intimate Rückert-Lieder, sung by Elīna Garanča, whose voice “is one in a million, allying grace and power to a commanding authority” (The Independent).

Hilary Hahn violin and cso artist-in-residence

chamber music Seth Parker Woods cello Andreas Haefliger piano

Simon be still and know for Violin, Cello and Piano Kodály Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7 Beethoven Violin Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96 Three-time Grammy-winning violinist Hilary Hahn is hailed by the Chicago Tribune for her “technical bravura and interpretive insight.” In her first recital as the inaugural CSO Artist-in-Residence, Hahn joins with like-minded collaborators Seth Parker Woods and Andreas Haefliger to share an inventive program of chamber-music gems by Beethoven, Kodály and Carlos Simon.

2 SAT 6:30

Symphony Ball

cso classical

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Elīna Garanča mezzo-soprano

Rossini Overture to William Tell Mahler Rückert-Lieder Liszt Les préludes

Celebrate the annual Symphony Ball concert, as Riccardo Muti and the CSO are joined by Elīna Garanča, a mezzo-soprano who “possesses one of the most beautiful voices in opera” (The New York Times). Garanča sings Mahler’s radiant Rückert-Lieder in a program that also features Liszt’s sumptuous symphonic poem and Rossini’s ever-effusive overture. presented by the women’s board of the csoa. northern trust is the presenting sponsor of symphony ball.

cso.org

sir andrás schiff

3 SUN 3:00 piano

leif ove andsnes

Sir András Schiff All Mozart Program

One of the most admired pianists of our time, Sir András Schiff is known for his

bold and elegant insights into the keyboard literature. His performances offer “an amazing feat of physical stamina and mental concentration which are nothing short of astounding” (The New York Times). He returns to Symphony Center with an all-Mozart program.

7 THU 7:30 8 FRI 1:30 9 SAT 8:00 12 TUE 7:30 cso classical

Muti, Andsnes & Britten Piano Concerto

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Leif Ove Andsnes piano

R. Strauss Symphonic Interlude No. 2 from Intermezzo Britten Piano Concerto Schumann Symphony No. 4

8 FRI 8:00 jazz

Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes brings his “effortless command and penetrating clarity” (The New York Times) to Britten’s Piano Concerto, a glittering score composed during the lead-up to World War II. Riccardo Muti frames the program with Richard Strauss’ contemplative “Dreaming by the Fireside,” from his opera Intermezzo, and Schumann’s triumphant Fourth Symphony. these performances are made possible by the juli plant grainger fund for artistic excellence.

Dianne Reeves With an extensive roster of performance credits that range from Clark Terry and Sergio Mendes to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic, NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves affirms her place as a defining vocalist of her generation in a captivating return to the SCP Jazz series.

10 SUN 3:00

Yuja Wang

piano

Works by Bach, Beethoven and Schoenberg

Yuja Wang has captivated audiences around the world with her dazzling performances. Witness her charismatic artistry as she returns to Symphony Center in recital. “Wang’s combination of technical ease and sheer power has always been remarkable … but there is an ever-greater depth to her musicianship, drawing you into the world of each composer with compelling immediacy” (The Financial Times).

dianne reeves

a moodswing reunion

14 THU 7:30 15 FRI 1:30 cso classical

The Firebird

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Klaus Mäkelä conductor Daniel Lozakovich violin

Hillborg Eleven Gates Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 Stravinsky The Firebird

In his CSO debut, Klaus Mäkelä leads a journey through two Russian masterworks: Stravinsky’s sumptuous fairy-tale ballet The Firebird and Prokofiev’s imaginative Second Violin Concerto, featuring Swedish phenom Daniel Lozakovich, also making his first appearance with the CSO. The program opens with Anders Hillborg’s Eleven Gates, a kaleidoscopic score that the Los Angeles Times calls “hugely entertaining, sonically enveloping music.” the appearance of daniel lozakovich is made possible by the grainger fund for excellence.

20 WED 8:00 Redman, Mehldau, McBride, Blade: A MoodSwing Reunion jazz

Joshua Redman saxophones Brad Mehldau piano Christian McBride bass Brian Blade drums MoodSwing, the 1994 album by Joshua Redman’s first permanent quartet, was an astonishing collection by four precociously talented musicians who would rapidly establish themselves as creative beacons. After years of individual triumphs, saxophonist Redman, pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade join forces again.

21 THU 7:30 22 FRI 8:00 23 SAT 8:00 24 SUN 3:00 cso classical

Van Zweden Conducts Mahler 6

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Jaap van Zweden conductor Mahler Symphony No. 6

Steeped in fateful march rhythms, bittersweet lullabies and a series of thunderous hammer blows, Mahler’s Sixth Symphony is an impassioned, searching statement. New York Philharmonic music director Jaap van Zweden returns to lead the CSO, whose “musical DNA is closely intertwined with Mahler” (Chicago Tribune), in this tour de force. the appearance of jaap van zweden is made possible by the juli plant grainger fund for artistic excellence.

cso.org

riccardo muti conducts the chicago symphony orchestra

bill charlap

April / May 28 THU 7:30 29 FRI 7:30 edman memorial chapel, wheaton 30 SAT 8:00 May 3 TUE 7:30 cso classical

Muti Conducts Montgomery & Beethoven Pastoral

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Alexander Hanna bass

Montgomery New Work world premiere, cso commission through the helen zell commissioning program Bottesini Double Bass Concerto No. 2 Beethoven Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral)

Riccardo Muti leads a world premiere by Jessie Montgomery, the CSO’s new Mead Composer-in-Residence. Raised on New York’s Lower East Side, Montgomery writes music that is “turbulent, wildly colorful and exploding with life” (The Washington Post). CSO Principal Bass Alexander Hanna solos in Bottesini’s bravura concerto before the program ends on a joyous note with Beethoven’s homage to nature, the Pastoral Symphony.

April 29 FRI 8:00 jazz

Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap

Dee Dee Bridgewater vocals Bill Charlap piano

Artemis

Renee Rosnes piano Anat Cohen clarinet Nicole Glover tenor saxophone Ingrid Jensen trumpet Noriko Ueda bass Allison Miller drums

Two master interpreters of the Great American Songbook, singular vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and Grammy Award–winning pianist Bill Charlap pair up for an intimate evening of song. All-female supergroup Artemis, comprising six of the most dynamic performers on the scene today, performs a set of bold takes on jazz standards and grooving, soulful original compositions.

dee dee bridgewater

riccardo muti

May 2 MON 8:00 Nature’s Realm free

Civic Orchestra of Chicago Ken-David Masur conductor

Dvořák In Nature's Realm, Op. 91 Montgomery Caught by the Wind R. Strauss An Alpine Symphony

Step into nature’s realm in this program that explores depictions of the natural world. Join Richard Strauss for an epic hike in the Bavarian Alps, complete with a majestic sunrise, a cattle pasture and a fierce storm. Mead Composer-inResidence Jessie Montgomery offers a lively meditation on the cycles of life and nature, while Antonín Dvořák evokes the forested countryside of his Czech homeland.

5 THU 7:30 6 FRI 1:30 7 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Muti Conducts Beethoven, Still & Price

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor

Beethoven Overture to Egmont Beethoven Symphony No. 4 Still Mother and Child Price Symphony No. 3

Riccardo Muti presents two groundbreaking pieces by the first African American composers to have symphonic works performed by major orchestras. William Grant Still’s Mother and Child is a gentle, lilting work inspired by a painting by Sargent Johnson. Florence Price’s expressive Third Symphony gives a powerful voice to the African American experience. The first half includes Beethoven's Fourth Symphony, a work of grace, subtlety and drive, whose smallest gestures have large implications. these concerts are generously sponsored by the zell family foundation.

cso.org

8 SUN 3:00 piano

Yefim Bronfman Bartók Suite, Op. 14 Beethoven Sonata No. 11 in B-flat Major, Op. 22 Bartók Sonata Chopin Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58 The formidable Yefim Bronfman presents Beethoven’s joyous and inventive Sonata No. 11 and Chopin’s B Minor Sonata, a late masterpiece spanning the gently unspooling melodies of its first movement to the relentless surge of its volcanic finale. Prefacing these are two seminal works of Bartók, each inspired by the vigorous sounds of Eastern European folk music.

12 THU 7:30 13 FRI 8:00 14 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Beethoven, Mozart & Tchaikovsky

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Julian Rachlin conductor, violin and viola Stephanie Jeong violin

Beethoven Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus Mozart Sinfonia concertante Tchaikovsky, arr. Glazunov Souvenir d'un lieu cher Mozart Symphony No. 36 (Linz) Lithuanian-born Julian Rachlin showcases his singular versatility as a violinist, violist and conductor. He joins CSO Associate Concertmaster Stephanie Jeong in Mozart's effervescent Sinfonia concertante before leading a performance of Tchaikovsky's sweetly melancholic Souvenir. Taking to the podium, Rachlin bookends the program by conducting works by Mozart and Beethoven.

14 SAT 11:00 AM & 12:45 PM cso for kids

Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra Chicago Symphony Orchestra Edwin Outwater conductor

Bates Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra cso co-commission through the helen zell commissioning program

yefim bronfman

Created by former CSO Mead Composer-in-Residence Mason Bates, Oscarwinning sound designer and Steven Spielberg collaborator Gary Rydstrom and animator Jim Capobianco (Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc.), Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra is a virtuosic concerto for orchestra and animated film. The piece zooms inside orchestral instruments to discover how sound is made and brings the instrument families together in a spectacular, pulsing finale.

kirill gerstein

sean jones

15 SUN 3:00

Evgeny Kissin

Bach/Tausig Toccata and Fugue in D Minor Mozart Adagio in B Minor, K. 540 Chopin Selected Mazurkas Chopin Andante spianato and Grande polonaise brillante, Op. 22

piano

One of the most celebrated recitalists of our time, Evgeny Kissin reaches across epochs, styles and borders in a program featuring works by Chopin that celebrate the composer’s Polish heritage. “It was with Chopin that Mr. Kissin shot to fame at age 12, and it’s still his calling card” (The New York Times). Works by Bach and Mozart unveil further layers to Kissin’s artistry.

19 THU 7:30 20 FRI 1:30 21 SAT 8:00 22 SUN 3:00

cso classical

Ein Heldenleben

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Karina Canellakis conductor

Kirill Gerstein piano

Thomas Brio Schumann Piano Concerto R. Strauss Ein Heldenleben Hear the sounds of bravery, battle and romance in Strauss' exuberant Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life), led by Karina Canellakis. Kirill Gerstein performs Schumann’s only piano concerto, a work that brims with joy and melody. Augusta Read Thomas’ Brio is a study in agility and motion, building to a fullthrottle, sparkling intensity. these concerts are generously sponsored by the zell family foundation. the appearance of kirill gerstein is made possible by the grainger fund for excellence.

20 FRI 8:00 Sean Jones' Dizzy Spellz /Thaddeus Tukes Quintet jazz Sean Jones is a “trumpeter on the ascent” (Chicago Tribune), whose artistry

on his instrument intersects with a keen understanding of jazz’s perpetually modern tradition. With his latest project, Dizzy Spellz, Jones examines the legacy of groundbreaking trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie in a program that beams Gillespie’s bebop influences through a prism of hip-hop, tap dance and Afro-futurism. Chicago native Thaddeus Tukes, an “up-and-coming vibraphonist with something significant to say” (Chicago Tribune), makes his Symphony Center debut with his quintet in a set of soulful, bluesy originals that plants Tukes firmly in the rich lineage of Chicago jazz.

23 MON 7:00 CSO MusicNOW harris theater for music and dance Hailed as Chicago’s leading new music series, CSO MusicNOW delivers

an innovative multimedia experience featuring musicians of the CSO and expertly curated by Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery. Program to be announced soon.

cso.org

26 THU 7:30 27 FRI 8:00 28 SAT 8:00 31 TUE 7:30

cso classical

Salonen Conducts Ravel & Stravinsky

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Pekka Kuusisto violin

Shaw Entr’acte Ravel Mother Goose Dessner Violin Concerto Stravinsky Symphony in Three Movements

Esa-Pekka Salonen takes us on a voyage through astonishing terrains, from Ravel’s exquisite setting of Perrault’s fairy tales to Stravinsky’s 1940s “war symphony,” with its allusions to marching soldiers and tanks. Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto introduces a 2020 concerto by Bryce Dessner, and the program opens with a spellbinding homage to Haydn by Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw.

June 2 THU 7:30 3 FRI 1:30 4 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Salonen Conducts Daphnis & Chloe

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Chicago Symphony Chorus

Rameau Suite from Castor and Pollux Salonen Gemini Ravel Daphnis and Chloe Hear how Greek and Roman mythology have captivated composers with tales of vengeance, love and heroism. In Daphnis and Chloe, Ravel uses ravishing orchestral colors and a wordless chorus to depict this pastoral romance. Inspiring Salonen and Rameau alike, the epic struggles of the twin half-brothers Castor and Pollux are depicted in Gemini and a suite that opens this program.

the appearance of the chicago symphony chorus has been made possible by a generous gift from the grainger foundation.

3 FRI 8:00

Cécile McLorin Salvant

jazz

Described as a once-in-a-generation vocalist by Wynton Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant is hailed for her “perfect intonation, elastic rhythm and an operatic range” (The New Yorker). Hear this acclaimed rising star in a beguiling concert of songs from jazz, Broadway and cabaret.

john williams

esa-pekka salonen

cÉcile mclorin salvant

6 MON 8:00

Civic & Ryan Opera Center

FREE

Civic Orchestra of Chicago Johannes Debus conductor

Members of the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago guest artists

Members of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s renowned artist development program join the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for an evening of opera arias and scenes. Canadian Opera Company Music Director Johannes Debus, praised for “creating an other-worldly atmosphere with his intuitive understanding” (Broadway World), leads this grand finale to the Civic’s 2021/22 Season.

9 THU 7:30

An Evening with John Williams

Chicago Symphony Orchestra John Williams conductor

Legendary composer and conductor John Williams, whose iconic film scores have captured the hearts of millions of moviegoers over his 70-year career, leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a program of beloved works for stage and screen. This performance is part of the CSO’s 31st Annual Corporate Night, presented by the League of the CSOA. this performance is a fundraising event presented in partnership by the chicago symphony orchestra association and the league of the csoa and is not eligible for create your own series savings. proceeds benefit the chicago symphony orchestra’s artistic, education and community engagement programs in chicago and across the globe.

cso.org

denis kozhukhin

james gaffigan

10 FRI 8:00 11 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Tchaikovsky Romeo & Juliet

Chicago Symphony Orchestra James Gaffigan conductor

Saint-Saëns Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 Mussorgsky (orch. Rimsky-Korsakov) A Night on Bald Mountain Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet

James Gaffigan leads a program etched in vivid colors, including Tchaikovsky’s seductive portrait of Shakespeare’s immortal lovers, Mussorgsky’s windswept Night on Bald Mountain and Saint-Saëns’ riotous Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah. The latter composer’s brilliant Third Violin Concerto spotlights Lisa Batiashvili, acclaimed for her “fearless playing, which is so tonally rich and technically immaculate” (The Guardian).

12 SUN 3:00

Denis Kozhukhin

piano

Schumann Kinderszenen Grieg Selections from Lyric Pieces Ravel Sonatine Ravel La valse Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue

Lisa Batiashvili violin

Denis Kozhukhin makes his series debut with a high-spirited program, closing out the Symphony Center Presents Piano season with a recital performance of one of Gershwin’s most celebrated works. “Kozhukhin’s sensitivity to the shifting moods and diverse rhythms set the scene well for Rhapsody in Blue. Vibrant musical colors mingled with foot-tapping rhythms to create a concert finale of heady exhilaration” (Bachtrack).

16 THU 7:30 17 FRI 8:00 18 SAT 8:00 cso classical

Muti, Mutter & Beethoven Violin Concerto

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Anne-Sophie Mutter violin Beethoven Violin Concerto Brahms Symphony No. 1 By turns majestic, lyrical and iconoclastic, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto has been a signature work for Anne-Sophie Mutter ever since it propelled her to fame as a teenager. Riccardo Muti presents it alongside Brahms’ First Symphony, another 19th-century landmark whose moods come in vast waves, from brooding, restless melancholy to ecstatic joy.

23 THU 7:30 25 SAT 8:00 28 TUE 7:30 cso classical

Muti Conducts Verdi Un ballo in maschera

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Francesco Meli riccardo Luca Salsi renato Damiana Mizzi oscar

Riccardo Muti conductor Joyce El-Khoury amelia Yulia Matochkina ulrica Chicago Symphony Chorus

Verdi Un ballo in maschera

History supplied Verdi with the subject matter for this gripping drama. It is based on the true story of King Gustav III of Sweden, who was assassinated during a masked ball in 1792. Combining political intrigue, a love triangle and a fortune teller’s mysterious prophecy, the opera also contains radiant choral writing and richly scored dance music. Riccardo Muti leads a concert performance featuring a spectacular cast of international singers and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

these concerts are generously sponsored by the zell family foundation, the walter e. heller foundation,

marian cameron and ling z. & michael c. markovitz. the appearance of the chicago symphony chorus has been made possible by a generous gift from the grainger foundation.

anne-sophie mutter

cso.org

June / July 27 MON 6:30 jay pritzker pavilion, millennium park free

Concert for Chicago

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor

Shostakovich Festive Overture Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 From the ominous opening horn fanfare to the joyful abandon of the finale, Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony packs a visceral punch. Riccardo Muti and the CSO close the season in Millennium Park with a free concert featuring this unabashedly autobiographical score. Shostakovich’s Festive Overture sets the evening’s tone in rousing terms.

30 THU 7:30 July 1 FRI 7:30 2 SAT 7:30 movies

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor

Score by John Williams

In the climactic sixth episode of the Star Wars saga, Darth Vader readies the second Death Star to unleash the final blow to the Rebel Alliance. Luke Skywalker joins R2-D2, C-3PO and Princess Leia to free Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and launch a desperate attack upon the entire Imperial Fleet. Watch the complete film unfold as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ legendary score.

cso for kids: family matinees

star wars: return of the jedi in concert

jazz

IN CONCERT

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jessie montgomery

riccardo muti

hilary hahn

Pricing and Seating Guide SINGLE TICKET PRICES Create Your Own savings are applied to current ticket prices at the time of purchase. Order early to lock in the best prices! MAIN FLOOR

BOX SEATS

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UPPER BALCONY

GALLERY

TERRACE

CSO Classical

$55–164

$210–276

$67–222

$38–87

$32–51

$60–123

Movies

$99–148

$180–198

$113–165

$68-75

n/a

$25–45

$65

$35-45

$25

$15

$25

$15–25

$35

$20–25

$15

Piano

$29-120

$75–199

$36–150

$25–60

$23–55

$29–155

Chamber Music

$51–131

$112–188

$61–148

$42-66

$39–61

$38–106

Jazz, World & Folk

$49–131

$89–173

$45–133

$40–67

$28–48

$32–73

Holiday

$50–121

$80–163

$50–132

$38–74

$25–64

$45–65

Family Matinees adult

Family Matinees

youth 12 & under

CSO MusicNOW at Harris Theater $20 CSO at Wheaton $55-90 Once Upon a Symphony in Buntrock Hall, Symphony Center $20

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

Maestro Residency Presenter

Official Airline of the CSO

maestro residency presenter

official airline of the cso

Youth Education Program Sponsor

Zell Family Foundation

Julius N. Frankel Foundation

Walter E. Heller Foundation

SCP Jazz Series Sponsor

The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation

The Negaunee Foundation

Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

The Artist in Residence at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is made possible through a generous gift from James and Brenda Grusecki. The 2021/22 Civic Orchestra of Chicago season is generously sponsored by The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation. Major support for CSO MusicNOW is generously provided by the Zell Family Foundation, Cindy Sargent, the Sally Mead Hands Foundation and the Julian Family Foundation.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Merry, Merry Chicago! media partner:

SCP Jazz series, CSO MusicNOW series and select special concerts media partner:

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Part of 2021: Year of Chicago Music

Symphony Center events are also made possible by our many generous donors. Make a gift today at cso.org/give. SEATING IS PROCESSED IN PRIORIT Y ORDER BASED ON SEVER AL FACTORS, INCLUDING SUBSCRIBER TENURE AND THE DATE ORDERS ARE RECEIVED.ALL PRICES, ARTISTS, DATES AND PROGR AMS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. CREATE YOUR OWN SAVINGS CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS, DO NOT APPLY OVER MULTIPLE ORDERS AND ARE NOT RETROACTIVE. ALL ORDERS ARE SUBJECT TO A $20 HANDLING FEE.

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